Audi RS5 Sportback

Same 444bhp V6 but more space – though European customers will have to wait

1 BODY

The RS5 super- GT will soon be available in Sportback form for the first time, gaining two rear doors and a hatch as per its mainstream A5 Sportback relative. The RS5 Sportback shares the standard A5 version’s 60 mm increase in length over the equivalent coupe, bringing rear-seat passengers extra leg and headroom. The boot is bigger, too, though not as capacious as the RS4 Avant’s.

The RS5 coupe’s wider body styling ha s been carried across, with Audi’s designers lengthening the rear box arch es by 54 mm to suit the Sportback’s long side- profile. The extra length of the Sport back over the coupe adds 45k g to the lesser S5, and we expect this to be mirrored on the RS5, leading to a kerb weight of around 1700k g.

2 POWERTRAIN

Powering the RS5 Sportback will be the same 2.9 - litre twin- turbo V6 found in both the RS5 coupe and RS4. The 90- degree ‘ hot- V’ unit ha s its turbos mounted between the cylinder banks, concentrating the engine’s centre of ma ss and improving throttle response. Peak power is still 444bhp at 5700- 6700rpm, with 442lb f t of torque from 1900 to 5000rpm. This is fed through an eight- speed ZF auto ’ box to a quattro all- wheel- drive system.

Although some may lament the V6 RS5’ s lack of aural drama compared with its V8 predecessor, the turbocharged unit ha s a unique character and is a far more flexible and ef fective engine. The reduction in cylinder count ha s also removed a substantial 31k g from over the front a xle.

3 DESIGN

TheRS5’ s aggressive, technical design ha s been carried across to the five- door Sport back with minimal changes. The front and rear facia s are identical to those of the coupe, including the silver, black or carbon trim variations available.

The car shown at the recent New York motor show was painted Sonoma Green, the same head- turning hue that featured on our Fa st Fleet RS5 coupe, but like all RS models a myriad of colour options will be available through Audi’s Exclusive programme.

The Sportback also introduces a new set of alloy wheels, featuring five diamond- cut arms. Meanwhile, the Sportback’s hatchback houses a new, taller lip spoiler bespoke to the five- door model.

4 CHASSIS

Under the skin, the RS5 Sport back is pretty much identical to its coupe brother. Built on Audi’s MLB- evo platform, which underpins ever y thing from the Bentley Bentayga to the Lamborghini Urus, is the usual combination of five- link front and rear axles, with Dynamic Ride Control dampers an option – but a crucial one in our opinion.

MLB- evo represents Audi’s bid to banish its historical placement of the engine right over the front a xle. The V6 is still a fair way fur ther for ward compared with a BMW or AMG engine, but, in combination with the unit’s lighter weight, the move ha s resulted in the RS5 coupe being one of the best- handling front- engined Audis to date, even if it lacks the final precision of BMW’S M4 Comp Pack.

EVO COMMENT

Audi hesitated to launch the previousgeneration RS5 in Sport back form, leaving just the two - door coupe and the RS4 Avant as the mid-sized RS options. That’s now changed with this RS5 Sport back, which will essentially act as a rival for the BMW M3 and Mercedes- AMG C63 saloon and estate in markets that don’t sell the RS4 Avant–such as North America. As a result, EU homologation ha s been put on the back burner, meaning first European and UK deliveries aren’t expected until late 2018.

The RS5 Sport back will reside within its own niche, however, and if the supreme touring capability of the coupe is any thing to go by, it should be quite the continent-crushing GT when it eventually arrives.