Audi has finally taken the wrapping off of the brand-new Audi RS5 Coupe. Most Audi fans have been waiting for this moment for a long time, to finally see the replacement for one of Audi’s best modern cars. That replacement is now here and it looks great.
“The new Audi RS 5 Coupé is the gran turismo among the RS models from Audi Sport. The high-performance Coupé combines elegant aesthetics with high everyday usability. The car’s V6 biturbo has been developed from the ground up and provides significantly more performance coupled with higher efficiency,” said Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Audi Sport GmbH.
While Winkelmann claims the RS5 is the gran turismo of the RS lineup, Audi certainly gave it looks that evoke the brand’s motorsport heritage. The massive air intakes, wide honeycomb Singleframe grille and rear diffuser all make it seem like a proper sports car. Next to the headlights are also lateral intakes, which flank the new option Matrix LED headlamps. Overall, the face of this new Audi RS5 looks incredibly aggressive.
In profile, the new RS5 features a muscularity that lacks on the standard Audi A5 and S5. The lower stance, slight rear wing and 19″ wheels give it an aggression that wasn’t seen on the normal car. It looks fast while standing still, it looks exciting.
Out back, that small decklid wing gives the rear end enough visual drama to to make it looks sporty again. There is also a black rear diffuser, surrounded by an aluminum bezel and flanked by two massive exhaust pipes, in typical RS fashion.
Under the hood is where the big news lies. There was much speculation as to what sort of engine would power Audi’s new RS models but that speculation is now over. The Audi RS5 will feature the same 2.9 liter biturbo V6 as the new Porsche Panamera. In RS5-guise, the 2.9 liter biturbo V6 makes 450 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. The latter figure is available from an extremely low 1,900 rpm all the way to 5,000 rpm, providing a very flat and wide torque curve. Audi claims the RS5 can get from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, which is about as fast as the BMW M4 Competition Package and Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe. If the optional Dynamic Package is equipped, its top speed becomes 174 mph (rather than the electronically-limited 155 mph).
That powerful V6 sends power through a sport-tuned ZF eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels, via Quattro. Audi has tuned the RS5’s Quattro all-wheel drive system to have rear-biased 60/40 torque split under most conditions, to insure sporty performance handling. There will also be an optional rear sport differential that can increase handling dynamics. Though, we’ve always felt the sports rear diff should be standard, as you shouldn’t have to pay more to make a sporty car, well, sporty.
A new five-link front suspension setup combines with a new five-link rear suspension (which replaces the trapezoidal setup on the previous RS5) to create better handling dynamics. But it also increases ride comfort, making it more stable and supple over rough pavement. There’s also a new Dynamic Damper Control system available, which is an adjustable suspension setup that can vary the ride comfort, from soft to sporty, by the push of a button. Audi is also offering carbon ceramic brakes and an RS-tuned dynamic steering setup.
Inside the cabin, the Audi RS5 continues the great work done in the Audi A5/S5. While the design is largely the same, it features more black alcantara and contrast red stitching, as well as a new flat-bottomed steering wheel. It isn’t much different looking than the S5 on the inside, but that doesn’t really matter as the cabin is smart, handsome and downright sporty. This is the best looking cabin in its class. The BMW M4 Competition Package’s interior is nice but a bit too drab. The Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe’s interior is flashy and nice but lacks the sort of technology and build quality of the RS5’s.
The Audi RS5 goes on sale in Germany and the rest of Europe this June and brings a starting price of €80,900. This looks like it could be the coolest Audi on the road, aside from the R8 of course.
[Source: QuattroDaily | Photos: Motor.es]
