[Auto] Road trip, Audi S5: the call of Forez

[#Em i[N]O']

 

Going to France this summer. Yes but where ? Far from the French coast taken by storm, the Massif Central, and more precisely, the Forez, allow you to go green without meeting a crowd. We crossed it in the Audi S5.

 

The Corona Virus still decides on our next vacation spot. And the government encourages its fellow citizens to favor France during the summer. If the scoop of ice cream at 8 €, the endless traffic jams to get to the convenience store and the seasonal rentals at great prices give you hives, know that our (very) beautiful country is not just the French Riviera, the Atlantic coast or Brittany. At the wheel of a nice red Audi S5 coupe recently restyled, we head for Montbrison (42), to discover the territory of Forez. Going happily on the A71 which plunges towards Clermont-Ferrand, we branch off to the east, towards Saint-Etienne. From the first kilometers on the A89, the green vegetation is full of miracles, in addition to rewarding us with a good bowl of fresh air. Purring at barely 2,000 rpm, the engine of our S5 nevertheless emits a sound that turns the heels of sports enthusiasts. Yes, it’s a diesel! A crime for this coupe with the rings sporting the acronym S. Certainly, with 347 hp and 700 Nm of torque, the performances offered by the V6 3.0 reach new heights. The 0 to 100 km / h is shot in 4 ”8, and the dazzling recoveries make it possible to exceed (almost) everything that rolls in a snap of the fingers. Alas, the soul is not there ...

 

 

So, we might as well focus on the Balcony and Basalt Routes, favorite routes for the rare tourists from this region. Shortly after leaving Montbrison, the hilly landscapes offer us a magnificent perspective on the entire Massif Central. As the weather is in the game, the climb to the top of the Col du Béal (1,390 m) even allows us to distinguish the majestic chain of the Alps. Roads ? A pure happiness. Apart from a few brave cyclists, determined to battle it out with an average gradient of 6.5% over the 13.70 km separating them from Vertolaye, the world is becoming rare. The particularly winding layout highlights the incredible efficiency of this S5, which, like all powerful Audi, has the famous four-wheel drive Quattro transmission. Better yet, our test model takes advantage of the active rear differential Quattro Sport (€ 1,650), which accelerates the outside wheel at the corner to get out even faster and easier. The cornering speeds are stratospheric, the motor skills impossible to fault and the impeccable braking, despite our very fast pace and a high mass (1,835 kg), hardly in line with sports values. Despite its dynamic qualities, this S5 still requires you to learn how to use it mechanically. Like any diesel block, the Audi V6 lacks torque under 2,000 rpm, causing a slight response time when exiting the curve when the right gear is not selected by the eight-speed automatic transmission. In sporty driving, the best solution therefore consists in using the manual mode of the transmission to enter the right gear in order to always evolve above 2000 rpm at the end of the curve. This allows maximum use of the short engine range, which reduces its momentum past 4,500 rpm. A special route, to which we subscribe to head towards the Col des Supeyres (1365 m), also deserted by tourists. Always amazed by the winding roads crossing plateaus, plains, typical villages and fields, it is also an opportunity to appreciate the comfort of this Audi, a bit firm but never unpleasant, as we head for Saint-Bonnet- le-Château, known for its Collegiate Church and its bourgeois residences from the 15th and 16th centuries. But also, and above all, for lovers of the discipline, for its Obut petanque ball factory, established since 1955. In addition to a good table, this industrial site known worldwide by pétanque players allows you to learn or to play before or after the meal on one of the courts provided. If it’s not holidays! "So, are you pointing or shooting?"

 

 

Quote

Audi S5, the technique
Engine: front longitudinal, diesel, V6 compressor + turbo, direct injection, 24 valves, chain distribution, 2,967 cc.

Transmission: integral, 8-speed automatic.

Power (hp at rpm): 347 to 3,850

Torque (Nm at rpm): 700 to 2,500

Weight (kg): 1,835

Long.xlarg.xhaut. (m): 4.67 × 1.85 × 1.37

Wheelbase (m): 2.76

Tank (l): 54

Maximum speed (km / h): 250

0 to 100 km / h (s): 4.8

Standard tires: 235/35 R19

Test tires: 265/30 R20

Continental ContiSportContact 5 P

Price: 80 200 €