The A5 is Audi’s brand-new full-size coupe, while the S5 version is all dressed up and ready to go — and it’s fierce. My test car was a metallic charcoal color with beautiful red leather seats. Even a mundane trip to the pediatrician’s office elicited a conversation about the Audi, when the doctor walked in and asked, “Is that your S5?” I tried not to sound like someone who’d watched too many “Project Runway” marathons in answering, “Why, yes, it is. Isn’t it beautiful?” We were both smitten with the car, and he even went outside to take a gander. He loved the way the red seats looked rich and deep (his words, dear readers — because I know you were thinking that red leather usually looks cheap and shallow). We both liked the daytime running lights — which are actually LEDs — that line up in a sultry sneer. (My words, which I kept to myself. I didn’t think I should say “sultry” to our pediatrician.) On and on we chatted, cutting into another patient’s time, I’m sure.

So, yes, this car is beautiful. “But Sara,” you say, “is it functional? Do the Latch connectors work?” Yes, friends, they do. And you know what I like most about them? They’re out there for everyone to see, as if the S5 were proclaiming, “I have Latch connectors, and I’m to die for!” It may only be a two-door, but it’s extremely easy for my kids (both of them booster-seat age) to get in and out of the S5. There’s a button that slides the front seat up automatically and a lever that tilts the seatback forward, both of which are incredibly easy for little hands to use. The seats afford some view out the back windows, though it’s not a spanning vista — more like an airplane window. There’s even room in the middle for them to fold down a center console that features hidden cupholders and a little area they can stash some goodies in. The real surprise, though, is the trunk space. It’s quite ample; a full load of groceries fit along with two backpacks from school. There’s one good cupholder in the front and another that’s too small to house anything larger than a Red Bull.

The practicality isn’t limited to the interior. I took my son to a birthday party in a full-blown blizzard in the S5, and she didn’t bat an eyelash; Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system was spectacular. Everyone else was all over the place on the slippery, slushy roads, but I cruised right through like someone who’d had the red carpet cleared for them to saunter down. Even with this car’s stunning 19-inch wheels and skinny tires, we were golden. I was stunned, and very pleasantly surprised.

One last sexy thing I need to mention about the S5 is its engine. I know we’re not all gearheads here, but it’s worth noting that the S5 comes with a V-8 engine that rumbles so fabulously it makes me giggle when I rev it. This is a super-fast car with nimble handling, and I had a blast taking it on extended drives in search of curvy roads.

As long as your family isn’t too big, the S5 could be your family car. You could make it work in everyday use, and you’d be rewarded for your efforts by the fact that it’s simply a pleasure to be in. Ideally, though, this car is more of a quintessential second car. It’s a beautiful, flexible performer, and because of that you may want to pamper it just a bit, like those Louboutin heels. If you owned a pair, you wouldn’t want to trash them. You’d respect the shoe, just like I respect the S5 and would attempt to keep her as pristine as possible. If I had the good fortune to own one, that is.