Same Swagger

A (SOMEWHAT) NEW TAKE ON THE OLD PERSONAL-LUXURY COUPE.

- Richard Pinto

PERSONAL LUXURY is an artful marketing term for making a practical vehicle less so, dressing it up, and charging more. Today it is often used to describe teardrop-shaped crossovers. What it used to refer to was two-door luxury cars with eye-grabbing style— legends like Toronado, Eldorado, and Thunderbird. The name S5 lacks that overt machismo, but this Audi has the swagger of those old-time personal-luxury coupes.

The S5, introduced in 2007, became an icon overnight, largely because of its striking design. This version is just as handsome, which is a fawning way of saying it hews so closely to its predecessor, it’s possible to miss that it has been redesigned. Put old and new side by side, and you’ll notice the headlights and taillights have modern lighting elements, the shoulder line is broader, and the surfaces are creased more sharply. But the greenhouse, proportions, and shape are seemingly unaltered. As with the TT and the R8, Audi appears to be stuck, having designed itself into a corner. Icons are tough to follow.