Registration: R77 JLF
Chassis: WAUZZZ8T2AA056921
Odometer: 132,411
Transmission: Automatic
MOT: September 2027

• Recommissioned replacement engine fitted, understood to have covered approximately 80,000 miles
• New starter motor, power-steering pump and thermostat
• Full service, all fluids renewed and comprehensive mechanical inspection

There is something particularly appealing about the first-generation Audi S5 Coupé. Beneath Walter de Silva's beautifully restrained two-door bodywork sits a naturally aspirated 4.2-litre FSI V8, driving all four wheels through Audi's quattro system. In automatic form the S5 used a six-speed Tiptronic gearbox, with the V8 producing 260kW, around 354PS, making this a genuinely serious performance coupé as well as a refined long-distance GT.

This 2010 example is finished in white over a particularly striking red leather interior, a combination that suits the understated S5 shape exceptionally well. The discreet V8 wing badges, S5 grille, quad exhaust outlets and dark multi-spoke alloy wheels provide the clues that this is considerably more than an ordinary A5.

The most important part of this particular car's story is mechanical. It has recently been the subject of a substantial programme of work carried out by an enthusiast and mechanic, centred around the installation of a recommissioned replacement 4.2-litre V8 engine, understood to have covered approximately 80,000 miles.

While the car itself displays 132,411miles, prospective buyers should therefore be aware that this figure relates to the vehicle rather than the mileage covered by the replacement engine which is around 80,000. The engine bay presents extremely cleanly following the work and gives a good indication of the attention that has recently been lavished on the mechanical side of the car.

The work has gone considerably further than simply changing the engine. A new starter motor and power-steering pump have been fitted together with a new thermostat. The S5 has also received a full service, all fluids have been renewed and the car has undergone a comprehensive mechanical inspection. Following completion of the work it has been inspected again and is offered with a fresh 12-month MOT.

On the road, the attraction of these early S5s lies largely in that naturally aspirated V8. Later generations of the S5 moved to smaller forced-induction engines, making the combination of eight cylinders, quattro four-wheel drive and a traditional automatic gearbox particularly characteristic of this first-generation car. The 4.2-litre S5 was rated at 260kW and Audi paired the automatic version with its six-speed Tiptronic transmission.

Inside, the red leather transforms what could otherwise be a typically restrained Audi cabin. The sports seats, S5 steering wheel, aluminium-effect trim and driver-focused dashboard all present well, while the specification includes Audi's MMI infotainment system and the expected comfort equipment of the period. The cabin has the feel of a proper sporting grand tourer rather than a stripped-out performance car.

Cosmetically, there is room for improvement and the car is being presented honestly as such. There are various imperfections around the white bodywork and the dark-finished alloy wheels would benefit from refurbishment, with visible kerbing and deterioration to their finish. For somebody more interested in having the mechanical side attended to first, however, much of the expensive recent work has already been undertaken.

What makes this S5 particularly interesting is therefore not cosmetic perfection, but the amount of recent mechanical attention it has received. With its replacement V8 installed, new starter motor, steering pump and thermostat, fresh fluids, full service and recent inspection, it represents an opportunity to acquire one of Audi's naturally aspirated V8 performance coupés with a considerable amount of recommissioning already completed.