Despite being incredibly fast from a straight line to the corners, the Audi RS5 is still a refined, comfortable and an easy car to drive. Audi has established the RS badge as the name of its performance models the RS 5 is a mainstay of the range. Audi’s RS cars are heavily influenced by Audi Sport, the company’s motorsport division. The badge carries as much weight among performance car fans as BMW’s M badge or Mercedes’ AMG badge. The RS 5 still lacks the outright sharpness and excitement of high-performance rivals from BMW and Mercedes. The RS 5 is the fastest version of the A5 on sale, available in two-door Coupe and five-door Sportback body styles.
Driving an RS5
Four-wheel drive on the RS5 means, the wheels stick to the road as well as corners by using the clever torque control system. This is done by the power being sent to the rear wheels which helps pivot the car around bends. Even though the Quattro system can send as much as 85% of power, the chassis is not very adjustable. There are two driving modes in the RS5. When Dynamic mode is selected, the RS5’s quick steering and grippy chassis are complemented by a stiff suspension set-up. As a result, there is less roll, and the car feels sharper.
Engines
The RS5 eight speed tiptronic gearbox changes gear quickly and smoothly. While driving sensibly, the eight-speed automatic transmission works smoothly, and when accelerating hard, it makes quick changes. Thanks to a pair of turbos, the V6 offers up 444bhp. When pinned, the RS 5 does 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, and it feels extremely quick. While the engine note is dull, and the power delivery is torquey, it feels more like a big diesel than an exciting petrol. The torque figure of 600Nm is impressive on the spec sheet, and you can certainly feel it on the road. As it surges from 1,900rpm to 5,000rpm, it sacrifices some top-end performance, so short-shifting is recommended.
Practicality of the RS5
The Audi RS 5 Coupe uses a two-door bodyshell, but as it is based on the same Volkswagen MLB front engine platform as the Audi A4 saloon. MLB standing for Modularer Längsbaukasten but once translating from German ‘Modular Longitudinal Matrix.’ There’s space inside for a 2+2 seating layout. Access to the cabin is facilitated by frameless windows on the doors, and access to the back seats is facilitated by the front seats tilting forward. As a result of the extra doors on the RS 5 Sportback, access is easier, and both cars share the same roofline as the standard A5 models, so access is easy – the only downside is that the ride height is a little lower, so you have to duck a little to enter. In the back of the RS 5, there is adequate space for adults, but legroom and headroom are not good enough for long trips, and the large sports seats in the front decrease space in the back.
There are 465 litres of space in the boot, which is the same amount of space as the standard A5 Coupe and is more than you get in a BMW M4 or Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe. Bags and suitcases will fit easily in the load area, which is wide and easy to open. The Sportback version fills a gap between the RS 5 Coupe and RS 4 Avant. The hatchback tailgate opens to reveal 480 litres of space, which increases to 980 litres when the rear seats are folded.