Audi’s latest iteration of the RS 5 Coupe has been presented to all at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show and is the first Audi Sport model to make use of Audi’s new RS design idiom.
“The new Audi RS 5 Coupé is the gran turismo among the RS models from Audi Sport,” said Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Audi Sport GmbH.
The RS 5 Coupe is powered by Audi’s 2.9-litre V6 biturbo engine which now produces 331kW of power and 600Nm of torque, a hefty 170Nm increase over the previous model. The sprint from 0 to 100km/h comes up in a blistering 3.9 seconds and when fitted with the optional dynamic package the top speed clocks out at 280km/h.
Surely with the increase in power and the performance to back it up would cause the new engine to be a thirsty unit but that’s not the case. By making use of some rather clever engineering trickery, Audi has blessed the engine with a B-Cycle combustion process and central direct injection improving efficiency to the extent of 17% on the previous model. Audi claims that the RS 5 Coupe will sip 8.7L/100km.
“The high-performance Coupé combines elegant aesthetics with excellent everyday usability. The car’s V6 biturbo has been developed from the ground up and provides significantly more performance coupled with higher efficiency,” said Mr Winkelmann.
The important numbers keep improving when it comes to the body, now weighing in at 1,655kg, engineers were able to shave 60kg from the previous model which can be extended even further with the optional carbon fiber roof.
Getting power to the ground falls to the hands of an eight speed tiptronic transmission with optimised shift times working in conjunction with Audi’s famous Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system. With a 40:60 torque split favouring the rear, the RS 5 won’t be short of traction which can be further improved with the addition of the optional rear sport differential.
Comfort and handling performance have been increased with the move to a 5 link rear suspension setup where the outgoing model made use of a trapezoidal link suspension. The RS 5 sits lower on the RS sport suspension which Audi offers with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC), ceramic brakes and dynamic steering tuned specifically for the RS.
The interior is clad in high fine nappa leather with optional diamond stitching and can be further optioned up with the RS design package delivering red sporty highlights for additional contrast throughout and alcantara trim for the steering wheel, selector lever and knee pads.
Audi are offering the RS 5 Coupe in a unique Sonoma green metallic paint that’s exclusive to the model. No official date for an Australian launch of the RS 5 has been set though Audi is expecting some time before the end of 2017 with official pricing and specifications announced closer to the launch.
