Tuned Audi S5 beats RS5

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Owners of the 3-litre supercharged Audi S5 can now upgrade their engine to RS5-rivaling levels of power with the help of APS of Brackley. APS is the UK supplier of Sportec CH, a Swiss company specialising in upgrades for Porsche and VAG cars. The ‘stage one’ package from Sportec lifts the S5’s power from a respectable 328bhp to 425bhp. Even more impressive, however, is the increase in torque from 325lb ft to 379lb ft at 4250rpm. This figure dwarfs the 317lb ft produced by the V8 engine shared by the RS5 and R8 supercar. Sportec technicians have worked hard to ensure that 80 per cent of the engine’s maximum torque is delivered between 2750 and 6250rpm. The results are a 0-62mph time of 4.6sec (down half a second on the S5 and just shy of the R8) while the limited 155mph top speed remains the same. More important, however, is the considerably enhanced in-gear performance of the car. The package, which consists of an ECU remap and a free-flowing air filter, comes in at £1950 including fitting and VAT. Not a whole lot of money for such a substantial increase in power. And when the package is added to a basic Audi S5, it still undercuts the price of the RS5 by £14K… APS can also supply a more comprehensive performance package from North American tuning company STaSIS Engineering. The 410bhp ‘Challenge Edition’ was developed specifically for Audi S5 Cabriolet. Whilst the remap doesn’t deliver quite as much power as the Sportec conversion, STaSIS has equipped the S5 with Alcon 6-piston monobloc calipers on huge 370mm floating disks. Ohlins SL adjustable dampers, 20in forged alloy wheels and a tuneable quad-exit exhaust are also part of the package. Piece of mind come in the form of a four-year/50,000 mile warranty.  Customers can purchase the Audi S5 Cabriolet Challenge Edition from APS of Brackley, or through any other STaSIS approved dealer. Alternatively, parts for the conversion can be bought together or individually. There aren’t any pricing details just yet.