Check out the 2008 Audi S5

I can't recall the last time I drove a red Audi.

Audis don't shout; they whisper.

But the crimson-coated S5 that landed in my parking lot cried out for attention -- and deserved it. The very name "Audi," by the way, means "listen" in Latin.

Stunningly designed, the S5 seemed to beckon playmates with its aggressive stance, muscular physique and wide-eyed, teeth-baring visage. Clearly, the racy TT roadster's DNA has altered the gene pool of a once-stodgy luxury-car brand known mostly for quattro all-wheel drive.

Yes, the benchmark quattro system is still with us. But, as the S5 demonstrates, a safety feature can also contribute to performance. We're talking control here, lots of it. There's probably a way to topple this car, but you're going to need a ramp.

For years, Audi has straddled a line between its two German competitors: the stately Mercedes-Benz and the rakish BMW brands. The S5 looks like a clear and present danger to BMW.

As a sportier version of the A5 coupe, the S5 features more distinctive front bumpers, a sport suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels and specially crafted interior amenities.

Walter de' Silva, celebrated chief of the parent company's Volkswagen Group Design, calls the A5 "the most beautiful car I have ever designed."

While the A5 can be powered by a V6 or V8 engine, the S5 comes only with a 4.2-liter, 354-horsepower V8, whose fuel consumption of 16 miles per gallon combined city and highway carries a $1,300 gas-guzzler penalty.

The S5's performance credentials are impressive, soaring from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds. And beyond that, you'll want to keep shifting the short-throw, six-speed stick that controls a peak 325 foot-pounds of torque at 3,500 rpm.

The quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system delivers 40 percent of the torque to the front and 60 percent to the rear axle in ordinary circumstances, but can vary the traction based on conditions.

The sport suspension is designed for dynamic handling, and the high-performance disc brakes, identifiable through the wheel spokes by their black painted brake calipers, provide excellent stopping power. The driver sets the electromechanical parking brake by simply pushing a switch in the center console.

As the leading representatives of a new Audi chassis known as the Modular Longitudinal Platform, the S5 and its A5 sibling position the engine behind the front axle instead of extending beyond. As a result, the front and rear overhangs are shortened as the weight distribution front-to-rear is more balanced.

While the A5 rides on 18-inch tires, the S5 features 19-inchers. Other S5 distinctions include adaptive Bi-Xenon headlights with daytime running lights in the form of an LED light strip, and sports seats with electronic adjustment.

Audi's electronic wizardry begins before you even enter the car. The new key communicates electronically with the vehicle's electrical system. It also can store data, such as the car's current mileage or warning messages from the driver information system. Like other systems, the S5's does not require that you insert the key in the ignition, only that you have the key in the car to start the engine.

As a true coupe, rather than a converted sedan, the S5 is designed only for four passengers. Those in back are treated with luxurious accommodations, though the legroom is fairly snug.

Trunk space is also surprisingly limited, though Audi promises that several well-filled golf bags will fit sideways into the cargo bay.

The interior lighting is soothing for those long nighttime drives cross-country, and the controls on the ventilation and audio systems are fairly accommodating, once you have practiced a bit.

The ever-expanding menu of electronics on today's cars has raised recent concerns about the driver's limited attention for actual driving. I find that features such as the optional rear-camera backing systems, satellite navigation and sensory systems for nearby obstacles are tremendously helpful, once I can understand their signals.

Audi's optional "infotainment system" includes satellite navigation with DVD data, including MMI and standard Sirius Satellite Radio for $2,390. The technology package that includes the advanced key and the rearview camera and adaptive headlights is priced at $1,700.

For another $850, you can add the 505-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system with 14 speakers.

With that kind of sound system, you definitely should do as the name "Audi" suggests -- listen.

WHAT'S NEW: Sporty version of A5, new styling.

PLUSES: Performance, styling, safety.

MINUSES: Fuel economy, snug rear legroom, smallish trunk.

BOTTOM LINE: Coup for a cool coupe.

(Richard Williamson writes about automobiles for Scripps Howard News Service.)