Fast, fun and all-wheel drive. Those were the parameters that Chris Harris set forth when he put together this comparison test between the R8 V10 Plus, Porsche 911 Turbo S and a Litchfield GT-R. All are stock except for the GT-R which has been tuned to the likes of 750 hp. However, does all that extra power necessarily make it better than its German rivals? Harris recently put this trio through a gaggle of tests to find out exactly that!

Check it out after the jump.

Source: Youtube.com/DRIVE

Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy. Two Spocks of different eras brought together for a battle of speed and wits in Audi’s new commercial for the 420 horsepower S7 sedan . Quinto, our new Spock, returns for his second film in the upcoming “Star Trek: Into Darkness”, while Nimoy is a veteran of seven motion pictures and will forever be our #1 Spock. And while Quinto adds a wonderfully youthful flair to the character, let’s just say that there’s no replacement for tried and true experience.

Source: Youtube.com

Making more engine power used to mean that you’d be changing everything from the camshaft and carburetor, to the intake and heads. It was an arduous process that was time consuming and at days end, cost major money. In today’s world though, increasing horsepower can be as simple as plugging in a laptop computer and hitting a few buttons. Chris Harris recently found this out when a little bump in software gave his lightly battered Audi S4 wagon a big boost in performance. Check it out after the jump.

Source: Youtube.com/DRIVE

The Bentley Continental GT Speed and Audi S4, two siblings separated at birth and both from the same mother (Volkswagen). One went to the best schools, ate the best food and had the hottest girlfriends. The other, although still successful, had to work a little bit harder for it. From a price perspective you’d think the Bentley Continental GT was 10 times the car the Audi S4 is, but after enjoying a stint in both vehicles, Chris Harris seems to think differently. Click through and check it out.

Source: Youtube.com/DRIVE

If Audi set-up displays like this in their dealerships, they’d move triple the amount of R8′s they currently sell.

Simply outstanding…

Source: AudiChannel

Back in my younger (and dumber) days, running flat out on the open road on two-wheels was something that we’d do just about every weekend. Our runs however were somewhat illegal, whereas the race you’re about to see between a Kawasaki liter bike and an Audi RS6 was performed well withing the spectrum of the law as it took place on Germany’s autobahn. Both parties are no doubt maxed out, but in my opinion it’s the guy on the bike that really deserves the props.

Source: Youtube.com

PRO’s: Outstanding build quality, wonderful performance, supermodel sexy.

CON’s: Big sticker price, doesn’t feel as fast as it actually is, a bit tight for taller drivers.

FINAL THOUGHTS: A kick-ass sports coupe that has no problem taking on the worlds best.

If you’re reading this then you’re probably wondering if the 2013 Audi S5 Coupe S tronic is worth the $67,370 price tag that comes on the sticker. I just spent the better part of a week with this thing and I can tell you that after about 500 miles on some of Northern California’s best roads, that the answer is just not as simple as YES or No. This is a jack-of-all-trades performance coupe. It produces great numbers, is all-weather capable and has some of the best styling in the business. However, does that justify this whopper of a price tag?

The first thing you notice about the S5 is of course, the styling. Handsome and elegant at the same time, the S5 projects an aura of success. There are no bulging hood scoops or rear mounted spoilers trying to project that this car is a bruiser to the general public. Instead there is simply a beautiful quad-exhaust that sings to the common-folk every time you push down on the throttle. Speaking of throttle, let’s talk engine.

Equipped with a 3.0-liter supercharged V6, the S5 will get to 60 miles per hour in under 5-seconds and onto a top speed of 155 mph. Power is rated at 333 hp/325 lb.ft. of torque and is transferred to all four wheels through a slick 7-speed S tronic transmission that can be shifted manually via paddles, or left in automatic mode if you’re not feeling sporty.

What’s amazing about the cars performance is that this is no lightweight automobile. In fact with a curb weight of over 3,800 lbs, some would consider the S5 to be a bit of a chubb-chubb. Audi, thanks to some glorious engineering, has done a remarkable job of masking the cars weight. Side to side transitions are seamless and thanks to the cars invisible Quattro all-wheel drive system, traction is never an issue. I pushed the S5 relatively hard through some very tight canyon roads and never once did it get out of shape. Quite the opposite actually as the harder I pushed the S5, the more composed it seemed to be.

As a driver you have the option of choosing between a host of different settings ranging from Comfort to Dynamic mode. These either soften or stiffen up the suspension depending on what the terrain is like and can be adjusted through a small dial that lies just below the center stack. That same dial also controls the S5′s center mounted display screen giving you access to everything from climate and audio controls to the cars interior and navigation settings. It takes a moment, but is actually one of the more intuitive units I’ve used as of late.

Everything about the S5 exudes quality and confidence, very important aspects when you’re trying to sell a performance based automobile. The interior is fitted with top notch materials that include a combination of carbon fiber, leather and aluminum and they’re put together in such a way that no synergy is lost throughout the cabin. The seats are high-back, fully adjustable leather buckets that offer great support with heat settings and lumbar support.

Technically the S5 seats four, but unless you’re less than 5-feet tall, I wouldn’t even attempt to get back there. One thing that taller folks should note is the lack of headroom in the S5. I’m 6’4″ and even with the seat fully lowered, I still only had about an inch of clearance to the roof. Thankfully though it wasn’t terrible and I was able to find a comfortable position thanks in part to the manually tilting and telescoping flat-bottomed steering wheel.

Time and time again I found this car to be a very deceiving automobile. Not in a bad way mind you, but in such a way that triple digits come up very rapidly. Now normally I would never mind this, however with the S5 a sense of speed is rarely conveyed to the driver unless you’re looking down at the speedometer. The other thing is that this car just doesn’t feel fast, even though it goes like stink when you push it.

It’s got some amazing sound insulation, a smooth as silk 7-speed transmission, and when the booming Bang and Olufsen sound system is jamming, hell, you might as well just write yourself a ticket and go directly to jail.

This is a good car, a really good car. It’s got an interior that’s one the best in any class of automobile, and engine that pulls hard, true all-weather capabilities and supermodel good looks. However it’s expensive and that’s my one fault with this machine.

Now granted, if you were to price it out, a base model S5 would set you back around $51,000, a price that is totally 100% acceptable for this car. However if you go that route you lose things like the Prestige Package, a $6,600 option that gives you everything from that kickin’ Bang and Olufsen stereo to your navigation. You’d then also have to ditch the $3,250 Driver Assist Package that gives you adaptive cruise control, drive select controls and Audi’s dynamic steering. Then to top it off, you need to dump the $1,250 Fine Nappa leather interior.

My advice, DO IT. Meaning ditch all the comfy and foofy stuff and get this car in a base model because at under $55k, you’ll be getting a car that’s not only elegant and stylish, but one that offers you wonderful performance and road manners, for thousands less than its rivals.

Or… you can tell me to go to hell, get all the options and still have a KICK-ASS German sports coupe. The choice is yours.

Even though Audi was found in Germany, their luxurious cars have become increasingly popular in the United States. Sales in recent years have soared as more and more people are experiencing the luxury and power of an Audi.

Want to learn more about the history of Audi’s luxurious cars? Check out the infographic below presented by The Auto Gallery.

Audi Luxury Through The Years Infographic from TheAutoGalleryAudi.com

With 450 bhp on tap, Audi’s new RS5 should be one helluva sports car. All the correct DNA is present and accounted for, but how will it stand up to a Southern California canyon flogging by Matt Farah and The Smoking Tire crew. Click through to find out.

Source: TheSmokingTire.com

In this, the third installment of Car and Driver’s 2013 Lightning Lap, we get to check out cars that range from $60,000 to $119,999. The competitors are all run at Virginia International Raceway under the same conditions until one winner from each class is proven. This episodes lineup includes the Mercedes-Benz C63 Black Series, the Porsche 911 Carrera S, Ford Shelby GT500, Porsche Boxster S, Audi RS 5, BMW M5, BMW M6 and the turbocharged Audi S6. These are some stout automobiles no doubt, but how will they hold up under the stresses of the raceway. Click through to find out.

Source: CarandDriver.com