2009 Audi S5: Doesn't Like Heel and Toe Downshifts

It is probably more than .05%, but some people that are really bothered by it will get a 335i instead.

What is the world's cheapest GT car? The Challenger? Camaro? A/S5? I think of GT cars as fast, passingly nimble, very comfortable and @#*$@* expensive. Like the 599 or anything from Aston.

How come the S5 doesn't come standard with some aluminum pedals? It just looks wrong to have a sports coupe with a big V8 that sports cheap plastic/rubber pedals.

this car doesnt have power tilt telescope? Also, what is that cylinder sticking out behind the pedals. Do they think consumers wouldn't see that?

that cylinder would be the steering linkage.

Good post Ed, much better than your decision on Audi Drive Select... Ha ha!

These comments are true, and this is my only true gripe with the car (Audi NA, I hope you are reading this). Because the clutch take-up window is so small, acceleration can be lurchy when taking it slow. It's funny, accelerating slowly is actually more challenging than accelerating quickly (before all the pimple-faced kids weigh-in here, let me say I've owned 5 manual transmission cars in the past 14 years, and this is the only one with this type of issue...that includes a Ford Escort, btw). Also, there is a little too much deceleration when I lift off the gas pedal...I'd prefer it held speed more evenly. I've read its an electronic throttle, so I hope this can be fixed via a programming update.

Having said all that, this is one tiny issue in an overall amazing car.

I own an Audi TTS and have noticed that there are a handful of "performance" details on the TTS I had assumed would also be included on this fairly high-profile Audi "S" model--but are not. As one poster mentioned, the aluminum pedals--as immaterial as they may be to performance but not appearance. Also, the TTS accelerator pedal is hinged at the bottom (although on the TTS there is no manual option so no heel-toe advantage, but a nice detail nonetheless). And the TTS has vented discs all around while the S5 has them only in the front. Seems like Audi is telling us there might be slightly different audience for each of these "S" care. Hmm...

My GTI has DBW throttle with a very lazy throttle calibration and I rather like it. In this day and age when everyone's piling in aggressive throttle tip-in to make their cars seem "sporty", I've got a throttle that's really easy to modulate. It makes cruise control almost entirely unnecessary on long trips, makes around town driving smooth, but you can also heel-and-toe or aggressively revmatch it, you just need to blip it more aggressively than you would on most cars. Like with any throttle pedal, it just takes time to acclimate but it's not a problem at all.

"Also, what is that cylinder sticking out behind the pedals. Do they think consumers wouldn't see that?"

During most normal driving situations would someone really notice that? There is no way that the cylinder would be visibile when sitting on the driver's seat. It would definitley involve some gymnastics to get yourself in a position where you would be looking at the underside of the dashboard.

Anonimo: Should've rolled this in with my last post, but oh well. All MkV A-chassis cars have floor-hinged accelerators, when it be a base VW Rabbit or a Passat CC or a TT-RS or anything in between, it isn't just Audi doing different things with different S-models.

Also, while the S5 has soild rear discs, they are positively massive for solid discs. They might even be bigger than the vented ones on your TT-S.

I think its a German thing as Ive experienced the lazy throttle on quite a few German cars I've driven.

- 1986 Audi 5000 CS Turbo (I loved this car!)
- 1989 Mercedes 300E Wagon
- 1992 Audi 200 Turbo
- 1998 Mercedes CL500
- 2001 Cadillac Catera Sport
- 2005 Mercedes C230 Kompressor 6MT sedan

If you wanted scoot from a stop (from any of the above cars) you had to push the go pedal down pretty far to get any kind of momentum. However, from highway speeds they gathered speed much quicker than anticipated, especially the Audi 5000 CS Turbo, Audi 200 Turbo and the MB CL. The others were also faster than anticipated but not on the same level as the others. I think the throttle was tuned more for autobahn driving?

"How come the S5 doesn't come standard with some aluminum pedals? It just looks wrong to have a sports coupe with a big V8 that sports cheap plastic/rubber pedals."

MpowerF1, I'm unsure of what you're looking at but those look aluminum(?) pedals/stalks to me. The sheen alone tells me they are metal.

"In this day and age when everyone's piling in aggressive throttle tip-in to make their cars seem "sporty""

Clarkma5, there is a difference between aggressive and responsive.

My wife had a 96 jetta that had a very noticeable throttle lag. That was the absolutely most frustrating thing on the car. It made driving a stick incredibly difficult, especially since my primary car at that time didn't have said delay. I had a hard time calibrating my right foot between vehicles.

Throttle lag? FAIL!

Why doesn't the floor mat fit the contour of the dead-pedal? It looks like it may be shifted to the left a bit, but even so it still wouldn't fit well and if it is shifted, why doesn't it have something to hold it in place? It certainly doesn't look like it belongs in a $50k car. I mean, that gap between it and the bottom of the dead-pedal is big enough to slip in a blackberry. Better get an M3 instead.

I didn't even realize until hondaacura4 pointed it out.. those pedals really do look like they're metal with diagonal criss crosses etched into them.

The pedals are rubber. So are an M3's (and all other bimmers, btw).

"this car doesnt have power tilt telescope?"

That's not for the steering column adjustment - that lever launches missiles at GM cars.

what are you talking about? Most $50k cars have power tilt telescope.