DoubleA4

So, I just flew down to Austin, bought a 2011 S5, and drove her home to Chicago. During the drive I had plenty of time to consider what things I would want to "upgrade". I thought I would throw it out here and see what others have to say about potential upgrades to the S5. I am mainly interested in performance enhancement (exhaust, cold air intakes, ecu, etc). So, let me know what you have learned and what the preferred vendors or makers are. Thanks in advance for your input here.

If it matters, the car is a 2011 S5, 6 speed manual, Prestige with the sports rear diff.

vigilan388

Unfortunately, with the naturally aspirated engine, there are minimal performance gains with any aftermarket parts, with the exception of the a supercharger. Exhaust will give a superb sound, which in turn enhances the driving experience, but don't expect any significant power gains. Some claim up to 15 HP, but that's not even noticeable. ECU tuning also does nothing but adjust the throttle sensitivity and remove the speed limiter. In some reviews I've read, this actually increased the 1/4 mile times.

Your best value performance upgrades are suspension, such as coilovers, sway bars, or an Alu Kruez. If you want a supercharger system, prepare to shell out about $15K.

DoubleA4

Well didn't anything about the Alu Kruetz. The reviews look great. That made the wishlist. Agree about the exhaust, minimal gains that don't justify the cost. Do like the sound though. APR is selling a Carbonio cold air intake which I am curious about. In your opinion, do you think that the performance gains from say, exhaust and cold-air intake are cumulative? I'm doubtful but wonder if anyone has experience or knowledge to share.

vigilan388

It is my understanding that the performance gains are NOT cumulative. A potential 15 HP exhaust plus a potential 10 HP intake would only lead to about a 10 HP gain (at most). Dropping $2500 on an intake and exhaust for a maximum 10 HP gain seems wasteful. Buy like I said, the exhaust just makes driving even more enjoyable than it already is. I put mine on in the fall and love the sound. It will also turn heads when you go full throttle, if you're looking for more attention (aren't we all?).

If you really wanted tuning ability, you should have gone with the cabrio or the newer S5 coupe with the 3.0T engine. Of course, that would be more expensive and potentially not your taste.

I was disappointed to learn so few mods exist, but it is what it is. I think the money is better spent on handling modifications than power. After all, this car wasn't meant for drag racing. It was designed for windy mountain roads in the snow and rain.

ayap

APR has an ECU tune for $699, which adds 15HP at 5750 RPM and 14 Torque at 2750.
I think you can put a good exhaust and will give you a 15 HP increase.
These 2 will be cumulative, because the ECU upgrade is independent of the exhaust.
You'll probably get around 20-25 HP.

If you put in lighter wheels and shave off a few lbs, that will make your car lighter. Or put a carbon fiber hood for a lighter hood. That will make it one-tenth of a second faster.


Nothing beats a supercharger, which will bump up horsepower from 354HP to 538HP, and make the S5 go 0-60 in 3.8 seconds..

Tifosi

Like others have already said, skip on the power upgrades, unless you are looking to add FI to the engine.

I would look toward improving other aspects of the car, such as improved handling and braking. As for weight reduction, other than lighter wheels, there is not much you can do there without comprimizing creature comfort of the car.

DoubleA4

Well, I think I see where this is going... focus on the ride/handling aspects and forgo the engine upgrades. Really, I am not a HP *****, just curious if there was a potential hp bargain out there. As was stated above, if I was all about the engine I would have gone with the supercharged V6 and changed the pulleys.

Anyone have experience with Billy Boat exhaust? Someone is selling a used one here for $800. Deal? New looks like $1,600. Its a cat-back with an X-pipe. I did see that a new Stasis exhaust would be $1,450 and I get a factory warranty on it.

DoubleA4

Perhaps less obvious performance upgrade is the lubricants? I see a lot of Motul products out there. Anyone have knowledge/experience with it?

ChipB

DoubleA4 - congrats on the car! Since you're into upgrades, and are in the Chicago area, may I suggest that the single best upgrade would be for you to join the Audi Car Club Chicagoland Chapter (if you haven't already) and sign up for a driver education program on one of our track weekends - either at Autobahn Country Club May 4&5 or Blackhawk Farms June 22 & 23. Learning to pilot the car at high speed around a track will really teach you a lot about the car's dynamics and will improve the performance much more than a mere exhaust or suspension upgrade, and at lower cost, and you'll have a blast doing it as well! I joined shortly after purchasing my S5 and have since been to twelve other track events - it's really easy to catch the bug! See: http://www.audichicago.org/index.php

DoubleA4

THANK YOU CHIPB! Exactly what I was looking for. You got it right. Hope to meet you at one of the upcoming events!