MOTORING


Like the S5, the RS variant has a turbocharged V6 under the bonnet, delivering its immense power to the road via all four wheels through an eight-speed gearbox. But where the S5 is a 3.0-litre power plant with just


one blower, the RS version has a slightly smaller 2.9- litre engine with two turbos. Make no mistake; this is a really, really fast car. It pulls from low down in the rev range and as the


revs rise it accelerates ever harder. It catapults you off the line and from a standing-start


will whip through 60mph in a gut-wrenching 3.9 seconds thanks to the grip delivered by the Quattro four-wheel drive system. Top speed in standard guise is an electronically


limited 155mph. But for £1,450 you can have that restriction removed


to permit the RS5 to race on to 174mph – if you can ever find somewhere legal to drive at a speed only a fraction below the velocity needed to get a laden Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet off the ground. And it won’t cost the planet to own this phenomenal


beast. Driven sensibly it can achieve fuel economy of 32.5mpg with carbon emissions a tad under 200g/km. Outside, there are relatively subtle styling cues that


distinguish the RS from the ‘standard’ S5. It has wider wheel arches, hiding fatter wheels, and


ground-hugging aggressive bumpers. And it still has the familiar twin oval exhaust pipes at the rear. I love the ‘Quattro’ tag etched into the bottom of the


silver trim surround of the large radiator grille – it sort of screams ‘get out of my way’. I guess there would be no point adding the Quattro badge to the rear because the car would be long gone before you could read it.


Audi RS5 Having the larger (20ins) wheels and Dynamic Ride


Control allows the driver to choose the mood they want the RS to be in. Comfort, for example, means just that and is really good for a car like this. Automatic mode tightens things up a bit and Dynamic makes them even firmer, with adaptive damper technology and the lowest ride-height – but save it for the smoothest tarmac and not roads with speed-humps. Whatever mode the driver chooses, traction is nigh


unbeatable. Audi is renowned for its classy interiors, and the RS


doesn’t disappoint, bettering its rivals easily. Is there anything nicer than the lovely soft feel and


sweet smell of Nappa leather, made even more attractive with its neat honeycomb stitching and plenty of reminders this is the RS version. A dial between the front seats manages the


infotainment screen. You use it to scroll through on- screen menus and simply depress it to make a selection. The seating position is perfect (for me, at least) with


enough flexibility for anyone to find a comfortable position. The seats are deeply bolstered, holding the driver firmly thanks to a multitude of electronic adjustments. And despite its sleek profile, the RS will comfortably carry four adults. You get a whole raft of standard kit, as you’d expect,


but as is common with cars of this ilk you can personalise to your heart’s content, although to do so ramps up the price somewhat. Talking of cost, the basic – if the word applies to a


car like this - starts at £64,260 and – after a quick dip into the options list to match the test car – could easily be £80,000.


FACTFILE


MODEL Audi RS5


PRICE OTR From £64,260


PERFORMANCE Top speed: 155mph (174mph unrestricted) 0-60 mph: 3.9 seconds Power: 443bhp


CO2 EMISSIONS 197g/km


COMBINED MPG 32.5mpg


unleashed


As if the Audi’s S5 Coupe didn’t have enough power, the German car maker has unleashed a new RS5. With close to 450 horses under the right foot, it promises to upstage all rivals in its sector. We sent motoring journalist Nick Jones to check it out.


80 business network May 2019


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