At the heart of the 2021 S5 is a 3-litre V6 engine with both direct and indirect fuel injection and turbocharging, putting out 354bhp and 500Nm of torque. All that power is sent to all four wheels via Quattro permanent all-wheel drive system which even includes a self-locking differential. It all sounds wonderful but the fact of the matter is that this is the exact same configuration as the 2017 S5 with hardly any changes. Nonetheless, it still is among the most characterful V6 engines out there. Cheerfully dashing towards the 6500rpm redline every time, screaming between gears and delivering a strong surge of torque lowdown, this Audi V6 is glorious.

Driving the S5 is almost like driving the A5 or even the A4 when it comes to ride quality and frankly that’s a phenomenal thing. See, while the M340i is more engaging and the A35 AMG more nimble, the S5 is far more comfortable across pothole damaged, abrasive road surfaces which the buyers would encounter every day. Rolling on 255/35 section tyres all-around, the ride quality on the S5 is extremely pleasant for what is a performance vehicle.

In typical Audi manner, the S5’s cabin design is largely restrained. The overall look and layout inhere pre-dates the current A6 and the A8 which look more futuristic with their dual-screen display for the infotainment system and the climate control. The horizontal lines characterizing this interior and a wide band of air vents are welcome touches and overall, the aesthetics in here are sedate but very tasteful. One thing that stands out about this cabin is how solidly put together everything is. There’s not a single subpar material used, and despite the older-gen look and feel, the fit and finish inside the S5 is excellent.

For Rs 96 lakh on-road, you would expect the S5 to be fully loaded and to an extent it is. You get a crisp, fully digital instrument cluster dubbed Virtual Cockpit, a large sunroof, electric leather front seats, front and rear parking assist with reversing camera, three-zone climate control, 8 airbags and LED headlamps as standard. The biggest update inside the 2021 S5 though is the 10.1-inch touchscreen display with the updated MMI interface. All in all, the S5 doesn’t represent great value because a lot of the high-end features are part of optional extras. These include a heads-up display, a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, self-parking and a few other comfort-based features.

It’s a tricky task to evaluate the 2021 Audi S5 for the value that it offers because normally when you spend close to one crore rupees you are most likely getting something that’s a full-on performance machine. To put things into perspective, the BMW M2 Competition costs just Rs 6 lakh more and is a much more accomplished performance car. In the case of the S5, you are getting a performance sedan that’s not a full-on RS model but still goes like a freight train and looks like a beefed up mid-size sedan. And one crore rupees is a lot of money for that.