Late last year, the Australian motoring media was let loose in a range of coming new Audi models, including a special limited edition of the RS 5 coupe. The standard variation of the Audi RS 5 has been our review car all week and, like its ‘limited’ brother, it’s a high-performance German machine guaranteed to bring a big smile to the face of any keen driver.
The tall, single-piece radiator looks as though it takes in more cool air than the Vienna Boys Choir in an Alpine concert. The 19 or 20-inch wheels wouldn’t look out of place on a Ben Hur chariot; twin elliptical exhaust ports look about the size of a ship’s funnels and create a stirring fanfare from the booming V8.
A worked version of Audi’s 4.2-litre V8 engine produces a stirring 331kW of power and the RS 5 takes advantage of Audi’s seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission and quattro all-wheel drive with self-locking centre differential and torque sharing on all four wheels. In addition, there’s a sport differential for variable distribution of power between the rear wheels.
All of this geared technology is enough to get the Audi RS 5 to 100km/h from rest in just 4.5 seconds, no mean feat for a vehicle weighing on the high side of two tonnes if a couple of big Aussie blokes are on board.
Top speed is normally electronically limited to 250 kilometres an hour. We are told 280km/h is available on request to Audi if the engineers there are confident in your driving ability. Top speed is irrelevant off the race track in Australia, but the smooth and instant power delivery adds driver confidence when overtaking on country roads or merging onto motorways.
Brakes feature internally ventilated discs. Callipers are painted high-gloss black.
During our time with the ultra-hot Audi RS 5, fuel consumption ranged from 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres in highway cruising to 18-plus litres per 100 kilometres in stop/start city traffic.
Audi RS 5 is a stunner of a coupe both in looks and actions, displaying all that Audi stands for in style and automotive technology.
At $161,400 plus on-roads, it’s not cheap.
