The long-nosed Focke Wulf FW-190 fighter was possibly one of the most iconic mid-war fighters of World War II. Rugged and built to withstand the harshest of punishments, it was armed with powerful cannons and often painted in a low visibility scheme. The German warplane possessed great versatility and the uncanny ability to strike fear in the hearts of Allied ground troops. In the modern day context of such an amazing fighter, it is only right for REV to scour the ‘Fatherland’ in search of its automobile counterpart.

We didn’t have to look too far for the perfect road-going representation, when our radars landed us the perfect representation, Audi’s executive coupe, the A5, that is a befitting automobile image of the ‘Butcher Bird’, the moniker for the Focke Wulf FW-190. Its distinctive long-nosed chassis is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that is propelled with Quattro infused dual-clutch technology.

Having first made contact through the A5 Club Singapore (Mentioned in Issue 36’s Car Club), we were stunned by how handsomely clean August’s Audi A5 looked when it first rolled into our midst, with its dark, muscleaccentuated silhouette riding on wide, classy rims. From then on, this feature materialised in the prime example of a neat, tuxedo-donning individual.

Intended as a daily drive, August never had extravagant plans to deck the Audi coupe to the nines. Keeping it “simple” was easy to mention, but hard to abide by, hence the tickles and teases of simple but effective mods to stave off potential troublemakers. Peering into the engine bay, the first signs of modification exist plainly for all to see; an infusion of German engine technology with the expertise of Japanese perfection; a HKS Super Power Flow Air Intake System kit with stainless steel elbow pipings to inhale larger volumes of air for the 2.0-litre engine to make power, as well as increasing the sharpness of response in the mid-high end range.

Exhaling exhaust gases is just as important as inhaling, thus a Supersprint quad catback exhaust was installed to evenly match the two ends. Refining these as well as giving the gearbox a proper sit-rep on things is a simple Stage 1 upgrade. Cooling efficiency is upped with the installation of a high flow intercooler pipe from Eurocode, ensuring that hot, turbocharged gases receive their cooling dues before being recirculated back. This is one of the essential points that August had mentioned during our meet, since turbocharged vehicles tend to run hotter in our equatorial climate.

Handling was another aspect that August did not spare. Relentless in his pursuit of ultimate road feel and comfort, he decided that the set of V1 coilover from German suspension expert KW would do the trick. True to its promise of quality and road-handling excellence, the KW V1 provides sufficient traction while circumventing corners, reducing body-roll that many of the heavier European coupes experience, while staying comfortable enough for daily usage.As mentioned earlier, August’s modification plan is kept earnestly simple and effective.

Halting the German coupe in its tracks is a set of EBC ‘Red Stuff’ brake pads, while brake fluid is pressurised fully into the brake calipers with a set of stainless steel braided brake hoses from ECS Tuning. 20Mm H&R wheel spacers rid the A5 of its stock inset wheel form, giving the German coupe a wider footprint with its wide Vossen CV5-like rims that wear all-weather Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres. 

Strictly adhering to his principles of utilising a single bodykit, August’s A5 wears a full Reiger body kit from Reiger; from a front lip that creates a sporty, low frontal appearance to match sideskirts that visually lower the car on its sides, as well as a simple rear roof spoiler and rear apron to complete the car’s rear visuals, to the envy of many stock A5s, whose owners are probably wondering if this was a special one-time release! Not that August only cares about the external appearance, it is just that the internals should remain as comfortable as possible for a daily drive.

As a strong believer of Audi’s factory ergonomics, much of the interior retains its OEM finish, with only the S-Line gear knob breaking the norm, alongside the presence of the neat RS5 foot pedals.August’s Audi reflects a growing trend of automotive enthusiasts who believe that “less is more”. A relatively simplelooking exterior can actually look so good with the right selection of kit and stance. Do not be mistaken though, the daily driven executive coupe can still pack a rather mean sting!