One aspect where MTM needs to get more serious is the interior. For the most part, the company doesn't give a baboon's hiney about offering clients full-on treatments that could take the package to the next level. In this case, it's the stock and sobering Audi S5 cabin, and that's a disappointment. In similar fashion, this car has no impressive exterior touches, except for the wheels. A saving grace here is that the S5 look in black is already pretty gorgeous stuff. And then MTM wrenches on a hot Top Gear four-tip stainless steel exhaust with bypass valves. The sound from the fat tips gets buyers the respect they crave.
My only other whine is the overly touchy throttle at the slightest tip-in. Mr. Mayer himself confided that this is a throttle mapping characteristic programmed in by Audi for the standard car, but that his team is working diligently on making the connection more progressive. Other than that and the dull interior, we have at last a loin-grabbing S5.
This prototype GT S5 Supercharged comes closest yet to fulfilling my every S5 desire, for now. But I still want more from this sexy coupe. Give me a stage two treatment with a snare-drum tight interior, less blubber all around and a team of horses just shy of 600. The setup here is available with 19-inch Bimotos (probably a better choice for real driving) to order through the North American distributor with an all-in price of $107,870, or $57,370 tacked onto a factory-fresh S5.
*Layout
Longitudinal front engine, all-wheel drive
*Engine
4.2-liter V8, dohc, 32-valve.Opcon supercharger, Top Gear stainless steel split performance exhaust, MTM software
*Transmission
Six-speed manual
*Suspension
H&R springs (f)
*Brakes
Performance Friction dimpled and internally vented discs w/Brembo eight-piston aluminum fixed calipers (f), single-piston floating calipers (r)
*Wheels and Tires
MTM Bimoto nine-spoke forged wheels, 10.5 x 21 (f & r)
Michelin Pilot Sport, 295/35 (f/r)
*Exterior
'MTM Supercharged' side decals
*Performance
Peak Power: 492 hp @ 6800 rpm
Peak Torque: 398 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
0-60 mph: 4.4 sec.
Top Speed: 186 mph