This supreme vehicle is one triumphant machine
Automaker’s new model exceeds its predecessor in every measurable respect
Perched atop the ancient Pyrenees Mountains is the tiny principality of Andorra.
In winter, it’s a wonderland playground for the wealthy skiers and snowboarders who visit from neighbouring France or Spain. But we’re here in the summer and the slopes are all covered in lush foliage, with the only apparent sign of life in the sleepy villages being a few random mountain bikers or motorcyclists.
A glimpse at the GPS shows a network of roads in Andorra that looks more like a pot of cooked spaghetti than a means by which to get people from point A to point B. In other words, it’s paradise for those who enjoy a good automotive flogging. As luck would have it, we were there to do just that with Audi’s newest highperformance RS 5 coupe. Mourning the V8 There will be more than a few folks (and you can count me among them) who’ll mourn the previous generation RS 5’s ferocious, high-revving, naturally aspirated V8, replaced now with a twin-turbo V6. It’s an all-new engine, displacing 2.9-litres and putting out 450 horsepower and a whopping 443 pound-feet of torque between 1,900 and 5,000 r.p.m. That latter figure is 125 lb.-ft. greater than the old RS 5 and helps propel the new car to 100 km/h in a claimed 3.9 seconds, and on to a top speed of 280 km/h when equipped with the optional RS dynamic package. Driving impressions All that extra torque from the V6 means the DSG dual-clutch transmission of the old RS 5 has been jettisoned along with the V8 in favour of a new 8-speed tiptronic automatic transmission. With the car set in Dynamic mode, shifts are wickedly quick, meaning it’s unlikely anyone will miss the old seven-speed box.
If there’s one complaint, it’s that the engineers have programmed the new transmission to climb ratios as quickly as possible in the interest of fuel efficiency, even when set to “S” instead of “D.” A manual mode is available with gear selections actuated via plastic paddles that are a little cheap feeling.
While performance and styling improvements were prioritized in the development of this new RS 5, so too was an increase in fuel efficiency. Audi claims a 17-per-cent improvement with a combined average of 8.7 L/100 km.
The new RS 5’s performance is also benefitted by Audi Sport’s weightloss program that has netted a 60-kg reduction.
Reduced mass helps all aspects of performance, and the new RS 5’s handling is as impressive as its forward thrust. Audi’s legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive system is set up with a 40:60 power delivery front versus rear, but even when faced with rain-sprinkled hairpin curves and a truly foolish amount of throttle, the RS 5 remained planted and unperturbed. All the best tech On our second day of driving, we left Andorra before sunrise, relishing the cool mountain air and empty roads, and enabling a truly thrilling ride back into southern France. With my driving partner behind the wheel (and me not yet fully awake), I was glad to have the extra measures of safety infused into the RS 5 as the unlit, cliffside corners occasionally turned out to be a wee bit tighter than expected, causing some midcorner corrections to the driving line.
The RS 5 is surprisingly quiet and comfortable, even when cruising along at speeds well above the legal limit. And the optional Bang & Olufsen sound system sends 755 thunderous watts through 20 speakers that creates a full, rich and bright soundscape.
Naturally, the RS 5 is fitted with the marque’s latest technology for both active safety and comfort accoutrements, including diamond-pattern RS-specific (and massaging) seats, state-of-the-art MMI infotainment system, park assist and active lane assist among them. The verdict Audi Sport has achieved what it set out to do with the RS 5. It’s a higherperforming, better-looking and more efficient machine that exceeds its former self in every measurable respect. Whether racing around exotic mountainous roads or cruising freeways, the RS 5 is a triumphant machine that is both more comfortable and more accomplished thanks to the advances in technology.
But this progress dictated by smaller, more efficient engines means the RS 5 has also lost some of its character in the process. The absence of the sonorous V8 and the softening of some of the rawness from the RS 5’s persona, has made Audi Sport’s new mid-size coupe a superior grand touring car, but not as wild.
The 2018 Audi RS 5 is starting to show up in German showrooms this month, with its arrival in North America scheduled for the first quarter of 2018. Pricing will be announced closer to its appearance here.