The new RS5 replaces the RS4 as Audi Sport’s performance mid-sizer, offered as both a liftback saloon and an estate. It pairs the familiar 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 (503bhp) with a 174bhp electric motor ahead of an eight-speed ZF automatic, sending combined output through quattro all-wheel drive. A Torsen centre differential and a novel rear axle—using a small electric motor and planetary gears for clutch-free torque vectoring—define the hardware. Kerb weight is 2,408kg. Prices start at £89,400. Autocar awarded it 8/10.
On paper the extra mass and hybrid complexity look like liabilities. In practice the rear-axle tech lets the car rotate cleanly and bite into corners with almost no understeer, even on standard performance tyres. Testers described the effect as slightly unreal: the nose tucks in and the car zips around with little tyre noise. On the limit it can be set up to oversteer in a controllable, four-wheel-drive way rather than feeling purely rear-driven. Steering is precise if not richly communicative; ride in Comfort is supple enough for a 21-inch-wheeled performance car and quieter at motorway speeds than several BMW M rivals. Brakes (420mm fronts) cope well with the weight. Performance is strong rather than sensational: 0-62mph in a tested 3.6 seconds, with instant throttle response from the electric motor. The V6 is free-revving but relatively muted. Pure-electric running is possible (around 44 miles in Autocar’s test) and useful for short trips, though real-world economy drops if the battery is not regularly charged. The small 48-litre tank and raised boot floor—compromised by the under-floor battery—are practical drawbacks. The cabin inherits the new A5’s screen-heavy, gloss-black layout and lacks the material quality or driver-focused extras expected at this price; seats and steering-wheel shape also drew criticism. The RS5 is a compromise born of emissions rules: extra weight in exchange for lower CO2, clever chassis hardware, and a retained V6. It is not as pure as some rivals, yet it is fast when required, refined when not, and remarkably agile for its size. Even critics of the concept may find it hard to dislike what it actually does on the road.
Here is a condensed take from the Spies:
The Audi is too heavy
It's full of shit tech
The steering is numb
Whats the point?
Just get a Tesla Plaid and call it a day if you want speed.
Now THAT was easy.
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