2009 AUDI S5 4.2 V8 SUPERCHARGED MANUAL

The TT had long made Audis aesthetically desirable by the time the A5 coupe emerged in 2007 – described by legendary Italian designer Walter de Silva as the most beautiful car he had created. (And his work for Audi as head designer included the stunning R8 supercar.)

Audi didn’t mess around with sporty variants, with the S5 released simultaneously with the regular A5 range. Thankfully, the German car maker didn’t go over the top with the S5’s exterior – adding some visual muscle without disturbing the A5’s sleek shape and beautiful proportions.

It stood out in performance, though, with a detuned version of the (B7) RS4’s normally aspirated 4.2-litre V8. The engine produced 260kW and 440Nm, distributed between the front and rear wheels by a full-time quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Audi quoted a 0-100km/h time of 5.1 seconds for the S5, which was respectably quick for a sporty, mid-sized coupe at the time.

This unique 2009 S5 is even quicker, however, courtesy of several performance upgrades from various established aftermarket brands.

While there’s some exhaust componentry added from UK piping specialists Milltek Sport, the biggest ticket is under the bonnet – an APR Stage 3 supercharger, designed specifically for the S5’s V8.

APR claims power and torque are boosted by about 139kW and 190Nm on 98RON fuel, with a 0-60mph (0-97km/h) time of 3.8 seconds. For the record, that’s quicker than even the very latest S5, at 4.7 seconds.

The new owner of this S5 can confirm the rapid performance with a P3Cars gauge that sits discreetly in the right-hand-side air vent – providing acceleration times, as well as recording boost and battery voltage.

There’s a beefed-up clutch to help the six-speed manual gearbox cope with the extra grunt, and recently added DBA (Disc Brakes Australia) slotted rotors with Remsa pads aid braking performance.

(Incidentally, Audi itself chose to give its S5 supercharged power in 2012, though using a V6.)