In one of Audi’s technical teasers for the 2025 S5, it seemed like the sport sedan would be getting a new Quattro system. However, Audi, understanding the importance of its heritage, has reaffirmed its commitment to the classic Quattro all-wheel drive system for the new S5, a decision that has been well-received by our loyal fans. First, some background on the past. A Torsen center-locking differential powered Quattro. It sent 40% of the available power to the front axle and 60% to the back. The center Torsen diff stayed strong, stable, and coupled with viscous flow at all times. This technology was in most Audis with longitudinal engines for a long time. However, Audi has moved its less powerful “A” cars to “Quattro with ultra technology” in the past few years. Quattro Ultra only drives the front wheels with full front-wheel drive until it senses slip. Electronics then handle the clutch pack to send power to the back wheels. This is used instead of a Torsen differential. In contrast to a normal Haldex system, though, it can never send more than half of the available power to the back wheels. Like most Audis, this is fine. Audi only used the Ultra system in smaller performance cars with transverse engines, like the Audi S3. They never used it in larger performance cars with longitudinal engines. It looked like the new “B10” S5, which was the first car in its class to have a horizontal engine and Quattro Ultra, would show a change. It’s shown in the picture above, and the news release that goes with it talks a lot about the S5’s “all-wheel-drive clutch” and how much less carbon it puts out than the last model. With these features and the dual-clutch S-Tronic gearbox (the same type that was used with the Quattro Ultra), it looked like things were going to change. Thank goodness, an Audi spokeswoman told Invoice Pricing that the following is not true, so we now have written proof. It’s important to note that this feature is exclusive to the B10 A5, not the S5. The B10 S5, on the other hand, boasts a back sport differential, ensuring that the quattro system is always fully engaged, delivering a performance that is sure to excite enthusiasts. There is good news. The Volkswagen Golf R and Audi’s crazy RS3 are both great performance cars with Haldex-style systems. However, the new S5 would be a whole different animal with that kind of improvement. Fans love rear-biased powertrains, and it’s great that this isn’t changing, even though the S5 has a lot of new features.
