I have had my S5 for one year now! Have to say, it's been the best all around car iv ever owned. No major problems to report. I have to say, a rattle here and there but nothing major.
(Except for 3 trips to the bodyshop; due to incompetent Chicago drivers and 3 weeks for a broken window to arrive from Germany)

As for my new toy, I picked up a 2001.5 S4 6-speed, Stage III w/fueling. Wow is it fast! Since my first Audi (2001 S4...Tipronic...) I wanted another B5 S4. I was determined to one day get a 6-speed and do an RS4 turbo swap.

Well, I finally found a pristine example here on Audiworld. The previous owner was immaculate with both the appearance and powertrain of the car. Its a California car so luckily its not spent 8 years, or 4 rather, covered in salt!

I have to say, its a very different car than the S5. Wheras the S5 jumps to assertion quickly without delay, The S4 builds and builds, until you fource yourself to back off. Giggling out loud while doing so.

The S5 is just so composed and fluid in its actions. It's an amazing GT car built for long road trips and comfortable, usable power. That V8 sound. An Iconic vehicle of the decade.... enough said. The S4 on the other hand is meant for the track and pure acceleration. Very very fast acceleration.

Anyways, I might have gone off on a bit of a tangent but I just wanted to write my opinion between the two radically different cars!!


Cheers!

However, I think most would agree that straight line speed is the one and only advantage the S4 has over the S5.

I would think the B5 S4 would eat it up in the twisties or on a course.

The B8 is definitely a more rigid chassis, but as you point out, it is heavier. Stock for stock (suspension-wise), my money would go to the S5. The stock S4 suspension was nothing to right home about and Audi has definitely up'd their game in this department over the years. Add in any one of the coilover kits available for the S4 and the game changes.

Of course, you could add an aftermarket suspension to the S5 as well. There are a lot of variables in the equation. :)

has multiple suspension and steering modifications, the S5 eats up the Stage III B5 S4 in the twisties, NOT the other way around, despite the S5 being much heavier than the Stage III B5 S4.

Some S5 owner here on AudiWorld who used to own a B6 S4 claimed that the B6 S4 was like a go kart compared to the S5 and handled much better than the S5.

Therefore, unless that S5 owners current or former B6 S4 has or had multiple suspension and steering modifications, it is the S5 that is like a go kart compared to the B6 S4 and the S5 that handles much better than the B6 S4, NOT the other way around, despite the S5 being a little bit heavier than the B6 S4.

I have never driven any of these three cars.

However, all of the automotive journalists (including the ones who are Audi hating and BMW loving people that talk trash about Audi or, to be kinder, lie about Audi big time in the process) and all people who are not automotive journalists who have owned all three cars have solidly confirmed and proven all of the above about the S5 versus the B6 S4 and Stage III B5 S4.

titled "Unless the Stage III B5 S4....." for the truth about the S5 versus B6 S4 and Stage III B5 S4 regarding steering, handling, go kart like feel, performance on the twisties, etcetera.

I just traded in my '01.5 stage 1 S4 w/ 6 spd for an '09 manual A5 S Line. I dearly loved that car and was happy to get in and go with it every time I drove it. But it was not a great handler. In fact the A4 I had before it was much more tossable.

The A5 lacks some of the grunt of the S4, but feels like it's going to be a much better handling car. Audi has done some things (rearward weight bias, steering, suspension and linkage, etc) that definitely has rendered dynamic improvements.

and I then had it shipped here to Chicago.

My last car was a B6. By far the most docile of the bunch. I agree a stage III S4 with NO suspention mods would be inferior to the S5. Of course! But most Stage III's are done with suspention, tires, and many other track ready mods. The S5 Feels heavier than the S4, im not saying it's not a riot to drive in the twisties, but i drove it all day yesterday for the first time in a while and it felt like a Caddy in comparison to the B5 S4. A very quick and sexy Caddy!

My $.02