Audi RS5 | Spotted
With attention always on the fast Audi estates, might it be time to start considering the coupes?
Believe it or not, a decade has now passed since the Audi RS5 was first launched. The car was a pretty big deal for its maker as well; not only was it taking the brand into the heartland of its competitors - directly rivalling the BMW M3 and C63 AMG - but the RS5 signalled a new direction for Audi Sport. The 15 years of RS up until that point had been mostly about estates and the odd fast saloon (and the RS4 cabriolet, but we'll try not to mention that again). From the RS5 on the deluge really began: the RS3 came the next year, then the RS5 convertible, then the RS Q3 in 2013, and soon almost every Audi had an RS derivative. This is the beginning of the modern fast Audi, it could be argued, for better or for worse.
But the RS5 also carries with it a welcome remnant of days gone by: Audi's sublime 4.2-litre V8. Nothing quite encapsulates the progress of performance cars over the past 10 years like the RS5's vital stats. Its peak power of 450hp comes just before the rev limiter, at 8,250rpm(!), with maximum torque of 317lb ft (or just seven more than a new Focus ST) not arriving until 4,000rpm, and lasting until 6,000. When new that occasionally made the 1,700kg RS5 a little frustrating, because it lacked on-demand performance; a decade down the line, though, it's surely going to be the instant response, enormous powerband and V8 soundtrack that'll be appreciated more.
Audi Sport threw the Ingolstadt kitchen sink at the RS5. As well as using effectively 80 per cent of the R8's V10, all UK RS5s featured the sports differential (which had transformed the S4 the year before), an excellent dual-clutch gearbox (years before the R8 got one) and the latest iteration of quattro four-wheel drive. As it transpired - and as you're probably aware - the RS5 wasn't quite the dynamic rebirth for Audi that the mid-engined sports car was. That said, at launch it was noted for less understeer than the contemporary RS4, better steering than an E92 M3 (admittedly not all that hard), a decent ride on the DRC dampers and an accurate chassis aided by the mechanical centre diff and torque vectoring by braking.
A popular car when new, there are plenty of RS5s on offer second-hand. This one looks a great example: a facelifted 2014 RS5 painted Sepang Blue (arguably the best colour), it comes with loads of Audi service history, seemingly unmarked 19-inch wheels and a more than presentable interior for your £19,995. There may even be one or two who might say this is a better resolved, less busy design than the current RS5, which is something given the A5 was first launched in 2007.
Of course, all those adversaries that the RS5 faced at the start of the last decade very much still exist in the used market. Around £20,000 buys similarly nice examples of both the V8 M3 and 6.2-litre C63, both very hard to argue with in their own ways as exciting sports coupes. But while fans of each will continue to be drawn to BMW M and Mercedes-AMG, spare a thought for the RS5: by combining much of the modern Audi package with a glorious V8 to remind us of the good old days, it really isn't hard to see the appeal. Hopefully petrol prices remain cheap when everyone can get back on the road again...
SPECIFICATION - AUDI RS5
Engine: 4,163cc, V8
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 450@8,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 317@4,000-6,000rpm
MPG: 26.9
CO2: 246g/km
Recorded mileage: 58,000
First registered: 2014
Price new: £57,480 (2010)
Yours for: £19,995
With max power being right at the top of the revs with this(and the E92 M3) it can make daily driving them a tad frustrating at times. However when you do get a bit of empty road they are awesome to rev right out though.
The ride and handling were pretty poor. The twisty roads through the Ardennes were really frustrating with numb steering, snatchy brakes and bucket loads of understeer. With all the electric aids intervening I found it hard to play with the balance to try and reduce the understeer. Nothing seemed to make a difference.
Maybe a better driver would have sorted it but I was left floundering.
But....and this is a big but, on the Autobahn it was outstanding. On de-restricted sections I was bouncing off the limiter at 180mph! It felt like it could do it all day. So composed and so stable.
I was left respecting it if not desiring it.
As a rapid commuter it makes sense but certainly no sports car.
For me the RS5 Cabriolet is absolutely the one to get and a real gem of a car. It's lower performance expectations being a convertible help you enjoy it for what it truly is. A beautiful GT you can enjoy that glorious soundtrack to with the roof down on a sunny day with the family.
RS5 Coupe = Flawed. Big no.
RS5 Cabriolet = A European Mustang. Great!
To enjoy them, I think you have to embrace their limitations. Scalpel sharp steering with huge reserves of feel and a honed chassis are never going to be found lurking under the skin of these cars. But as an all weather brute of a car, the RS4 was a joy. A Swiss Army knife of a car. Set up on the correct driving mode, it never lacks power - it’s too fast for the road.
The RS5 cab was of course heavy - really heavy with the extra bracing. Minimal scuttle shake though. Roof down, with the V8 screaming through the revs, it was a fantastic car.
Think of them as European versions of US V8 muscle cars and they make a lot of sense.
Loved them.
To enjoy them, I think you have to embrace their limitations. Scalpel sharp steering with huge reserves of feel and a honed chassis are never going to be found lurking under the skin of these cars. But as an all weather brute of a car, the RS4 was a joy. A Swiss Army knife of a car. Set up on the correct driving mode, it never lacks power - it’s too fast for the road.
The RS5 cab was of course heavy - really heavy with the extra bracing. Minimal scuttle shake though. Roof down, with the V8 screaming through the revs, it was a fantastic car.
Think of them as European versions of US V8 muscle cars and they make a lot of sense.
Loved them.
I always liked this ad.
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