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2018 Audi S5 Sportback Sounds Unsatisfyingly Quiet while Lapping the Nurburgring

With the new Audi S5 Coupe Having being introduced over the web back in June, the time has come to focus on the new-age take on this matter, namely the 2018 S5 Sportback.
2018 Audi S5 Sportback (B9) on Nurburgring 5 photos
Photo: Youtube screenshot
The four-door coupe is more important than ever, as the B9 generation should see the model arriving on US shores for the first time.

A prototype of the practical swooping roofline Ingolstadt machine has recently been spotted doing its thing on the Nurburgring and you can check it out in the video at the bottom of the page.

Don't bother turning up the volume, though - as we mentioned in the title, the S5 Sportback disappoints when it comes to the soundtrack. Especially since the under-the-hood hardware brings us plenty of reasons to rejoice.

The supercharged 3.0-liter V6 of the old model, which was a brilliant engine, has made room for an even more advanced turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, with the newcomer delivering 21 hp more than its predecessor (that brings the total to 354 hp).

And while more basic 4-cylinder models see owners choosing between a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch tranny, the S5 follows the S4 down the 8-speed auto-only route.

While the aural shyness of the 2018 S5 Sportback shouldn't come as a surprise, at least not after having listed to the two-door model, Audi will probably explain that, if you want an octane-concerto experience, you'll have to go for the RS5.

And this is where we enter rumor mill territory, as the German carmaker is expected to greenlight the RS5 Sportback. Such a model would obviously join the company's American line-up, but it's too early to discuss such matters.

Before we invite you to hit the "play" button bellow, you should know the second part of the clip brings another member of the 2018 Audi A5 family, namely the Convertible.

Obvious S5 Convertible parallel aside, the greatest question surrounding the new open-top vehicle has to do with its scale footprint. Since the new MLB Evo platform allowed the Coupe to shed about 60 kg (130 lbs), we're all waiting to see what the architecture can do for the Convertible.

And no, the almost-unchanged styling of the new B9 generation doesn't mean the prototypes you see here are less disguised than any other test car lapping the Ring.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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