Were you waiting for Audi to launch the S5 Sportback facelift? Well, it is here. The go-fast four-door car was initially supposed to go on sale before 2020 came to an end. That’s right after the Q2 and before the A4 facelift. But, as they say, better late than never! The refreshed S5 Sportback wears a price tag of Rs 79.06 lakh. In Audi’s world, the S5 sits between the more sensible A5 and the utterly bonkers RS 5.

Compared to the A5, the S5 boasts a sportier outlook. The aggressive-looking front and rear bumpers, along with the massive 19-inch alloy wheels, help accentuate the car’s sporty character. But the key ingredient in the S5 Sportback’s recipe is its powerplant. The firepower comes from a 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V6, which puts out 349bhp/500Nm. An 8-speed automatic harnesses all that oomph and transmits to all four wheels via the Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Audi says that the S5 Sportback can hit 100kmph from a standstill in 4.8 seconds and reach an electronically-limited top speed of 250kmph.

Features? Stuff like three-zone climate control, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control, multiple drive modes, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and a wireless mobile charger is part of the kit. The S5 Sportback also packs ambient lighting, Matrix LED headlamps, heated and auto-dimming ORVMs, panoramic glass roof, powered seats with memory function and hands-free tailgate operation. On the options list, you’ll find stuff like a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, a head-up display and S Sports suspension with damper control.

There’s just one car that the Audi S5 Sportback will directly compete with – the recently-launched BMW M340i xDrive. That costs Rs 62.9 lakh and packs a bit more punch. Mercedes-Benz too has a performance-oriented version of the C-Class on sale in India – the AMG C 43. It is only available in a two-door coupe form, which costs north of Rs 80 lakh. As for Volvo and Jaguar, they don’t offer such products at the moment.