[J7_ARB]

Just heard that the TV program Fifth Gear (UK Channel 5) is doing a comparison of the S5 v. BMW 335i on todays program (3 Sept). Should be interesting.

 

[doubledoom]

Thanks for that. It will be interesting. Although too late from my point of view but regardless of what they say, I am happy with my decision.

 

[J7_ARB]

Too late for me also, My S5 is ordered, expected delivery late November

 

[S5_050]

S5 v 335i v CLK 500:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Twoegah1-1U

Unfortunately its in German, so if you have any trouble understanding it, i'll be ready to help

 

[awpdisaster]

What did they say on Fifth gear? Something interesting?

 

[J7_ARB]

Very boring 2 minute clip. Both cars were driven around a track and the BM was 6/100 faster (because it is lighter and handles slightly better). Other than that no real comparison of the two cars. Certainly has not put me off the S5.

 

[awpdisaster]

In straight line the S5 is a lot faster as far as i have seen.
Where can i see the clip?

 

[Quattrings]

Interesting. Another well known magazine put the S5 and 335 through the twisties and said that the S5 was much faster. I guess the variable of humans rather than robots testing comes into play here. Looking forward to seeing more direct tests in the coming months - not that it's needed. Like other A5_OC members, my order is already set.

Very boring 2 minute clip. Both cars were driven around a track and the BM was 6/100 faster (because it is lighter and handles slightly better). Other than that no real comparison of the two cars. Certainly has not put me off the S5.

 

[awpdisaster]

Quattrings - the S5 is a lot better than the 335i so dont worry

 

[Guest]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHj0zbhjLZI

 

[doubledoom]

If you look at the clips where they overlay the cars, you will see one bit round a bend where the audi goes outside and the bmw goes inside.

At the start of the bend the audi is in front but the end of the bend, the bmw is. Surely thats down to the way the bend was taken rather than the cars. The car going round the outside is going to be slower.

 

[S5_050]

If you look at the clips where they overlay the cars, you will see one bit round a bend where the audi goes outside and the bmw goes inside.

At the start of the bend the audi is in front but the end of the bend, the bmw is. Surely thats down to the way the bend was taken rather than the cars. The car going round the outside is going to be slower.

True. Useless video...

 

[Phantom S5]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHj0zbhjLZI

yeah that video showed the BMW is not tailhappy at all. BHAWW BHAWW. LMAO. If she could have stayed on the gas and not have to lift because of the rear sliding, the BMW would have been a lot faster around, rather than just 6 hundreths of a second faster. Also, she doesn't know how to drive quattro's, as with most of these magazine editors. You can tell by the line she was taking with the S5 compared to the BMW. But I am sure you and your Michael Schumakur(sp) like racing skills would have been even faster. But it looked fun to drive none the less the BMW.

I'd still take the S5 though.

 

[BBT]

Very boring 2 minute clip. Both cars were driven around a track and the BM was 6/100 faster (because it is lighter and handles slightly better). Other than that no real comparison of the two cars. Certainly has not put me off the S5.

These kinds of lap comparisons are pretty much useless -- if any one of us took 10 separate laps with a vehicle we'd get 10 different times, each plus or minus a few tenths of a second.

Doing one lap with an Audi and one lap with a BMW doesn't really prove much. Also, not many people can master the characteristics of a vehicle in a matter of minutes.

They're pretty much even on track performance, but even if the BMW is slightly quicker around a track, who really cares? A chipped EVO or WRX is probably even faster but are still tin cans. I would take that stuff as only one factor in judging a car.

The S5 has more than sufficient performance with sure footed traction, crafted interior, elegant good looks, and more exclusivity than a 3 series. It will turn more heads for sure. Yes it's a few grand more than the 335 but so what... these aren't economy cars, there will be some price differences.

The days of the 3 series being head and shoulders above the competition are over. Audi, Infinity, Lexus have all improved their offerings significantly. I'll go with Audi because I much prefer German engineering and design, and a car like the S5 is just such a beautiful package.

 

[TonyBenino]

She just prefers the RWD of the beemer. If she knew how to drive an AWD car maybe she'd have shown how truly great the S5 is...

 

[Phantom S5]

She just prefers the RWD of the beemer. If she knew how to drive an AWD car maybe she'd have shown how truly great the S5 is...

That is my point. These magazine editors don't know how to drive the awd audi's. So when these comparisons happen, the Audi always suffers not because of inferior cars but because of inferior drivers.

 

[Phantom S5]

Here is a nice excerpt from Autocar:

But on the tight, Alpine passes north of Verona, the S5 comprehensively blitzes the 335i on A-to-B pace. We’re talking of a difference that would equate to several seconds a stage mile here.



The BMW has all the dynamic nudges and winks you’d expect to find. There’s nicely weighted steering, decent amounts of grip and an exploitable, neutral handling balance that allows the throttle pedal a reasonable influence on cornering line. But try to keep up with the S5 and it’s clear the BMW’s delicacy of touch isn’t winning you anything more than a growing gap.



The Audi feels nimble and more agile than the 3-series, turning into corners with far more enthusiasm and delivering near-perfect traction out of slower corners. Not that raw pace is everything, of course, and when it comes to finesse the Audi’s case wanes.