Audi RS 5 Sportback, Track Test

There is a lot to love about the Audi RS 5 as a total package. Not only does it offer impressive power output but also allows you to use all that power very effectively, courtesy of its fantastic all-wheel-drive system, both on the road and the track – something which is clearly evidenced by its stellar lap time (second fastest, and just a few hundredths of a second slower than the much more powerful Aston DBX).

But it’s not just the mechanics of the RS 5 that appeals to you as a petrol head, you also can’t help but fall in love with its overall design. In fact, I think that the two best-looking machines in the current Audi lineup are the S5 and RS 5 siblings. Featuring the trademark flared wheel arches and big wheels of the RS series of cars from Ingolstadt, the RS 5 looks aggressive and yet has a flowing beauty and elegance to its design.

The overall appeal of the car increases once you get inside, for you are greeted with the superbly bolstered seats wrapped in Alcantara and an abundance of premium materials all around. The interior of RS 5 looks and feels high quality and luxurious.   

Now, the real reason for buying an RS series Audi is its supposedly brilliant driving experience, and in this regard, the RS 5 not only doesn’t disappoint but also sets a new benchmark. The gruff exhaust note of the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 instantly catches your attention, but what really impresses you is the way that the engine delivers that power. The 444bhp is impressive, to say the least, and the engine loves to rev, which means that going fast becomes your default driving mode.

Its all-wheel-drive system, 600Nm of torque, and a quick-shifting gearbox make launching it from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds ridiculously easy. Similarly, the RS 5’s high-speed stability and general dynamic manners, along with its ability to carry high speeds around corners, are simply fantastic. Sure, I would’ve preferred the steering to have a bit more feel and the ride to be a bit softer; however, even in its current state, the RS 5 remains a fantastic sports sedan that can be used every day.

And the fact that it scored 14 out of 20 for its X-factor and a full 5 for its stellar drivetrain tells you that all our jury members were quite impressed by this brilliant machine. In fact, if it wasn’t for the slightly expensive price tag of the RS 5, it wouldn’t have missed the top-five by less than half a point and finished sixth in this year’s list of contenders.

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