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TO THE MAKERS of the much-maligned Audi 5000 series cars, whomight’ve considered suicide when recalls weren’t enough:

Don’t do it.

Earlier this year I drove your automatic 1987 Audi 5000 S wagon. It’sa splendid machine. Its braking and handling in some dicey urban traffichelped me avoid a potentially serious accident. Accept my gratitude.

Recently I’ve had the pleasure of driving your 1987 5000 CS TurboQuattro, which is the subject of this week’s review. ‘Tis no flirtationwith hyperbole to say it’s one of the best sedans on the market.

Perfect? Nahhh. No such thing as a perfect car. And you Audi folkscertainly have had your problems, many of them self-made.

You goofed miserably in the sudden acceleration mess — making theridiculously stupid error of accusing your buyers, many of whom aremonied professionals, of not knowing how to drive.

Sudden acceleration, of course, is a gremlin affecting a wide varietyof cars outfitted with automatic transmissions and electronicallyfuel-injected engines. Without warning, some of those cars surge aheador shoot backward, frightening the driver and sometimes causingcatastrophe.

Some Audi cars do have sudden- acceleration defects. But yourbumbling handling of your cases, and the often poor journalism itgenerated, obscured a larger point: That sudden-acceleration is anindustry-wide problem requiring an industry-wide solution. To do less isto endanger more lives, invite more lawsuits, and fatten more lawyers.

But back to your 5000 CS Turbo Quattro sedan. I love this car. Such asmooth, powerful, beautiful thing! I drove it every chance I got,without fear of falling victim to a fatal attraction.

Complaints: Bum power-lock on right rear door. Sometimes it worked,sometimes it didn’t. Nope, no “child-proof” buttons were activated toprevent the rear doorlock from operating. Needs fixin’.

Praise: Luxurious utility. Seats five and carries a good bit ofluggage, 16.7 cubic feet. Good safety features: rear, outboardthree-point seatbelts; an optional anti-lock brake system, and permanentall-wheel drive to keep moving in the rain and muck.

Interior comfort and beauty are enhanced by supple leatherupholstery. But there’s also strength ‘neath the trimming — a body ofgalvanized sheet steel. That’s good rust protection, made better by a27-step anticorrosion and paint job.

Head-turning quotient: Classic, dignified lines.

Note: The 5000 CS Turbo Quattro’s body and mechanicals won’t changemuch for 1988. It’ll get a new steering wheel and, later, a new name — the Audi 200.

Ride, acceleration, handling: The car is competitive with or betterthan anything in its class. Its 1.2-liter, turbocharged, intercooled,fuel-injected, five-cylinder engine pumps out 162 hp at 5,500 rpm usingunleaded premium, and 158 hp at 5,500 rpm using unleaded regular. Bodyrides on a fully independent, four-wheel-suspension, which means itrides well. Transmission is sta ndard five-speed manual.

Sound system: AM/FM stereo radio and cassette, 10 speakers,Rothenberg CR model by Blaupunkt. Verrrry nice.

Mileage: About 21 to the gallon (21.1- gallon tank, estimated431-mile range on usable volume), combined city-highway, traveling withone to five occupants, with heater operating part-time.

Price: Ahem. $32,625, including $1,075 for optional anti-lock brakesystem and $335 destination charge. Base price is $31,215. Dealer’sinvoice price on tested model is $26,448.