2011 Audi RS 5 First Impressions

[ahmed_7erzon]

Everyone, and I do mean everyone, has expectations for one thing or another. Your favourite dish, your best store, your neighbour and your car, or your future car.


Expectations are based on established or preconceived facts. You read that Punta Cana has the best beaches in the World, that's what you hope to see when you get there. When I ordered my Form Contour Pouch Trunks with shaping waistband, I expected to lose 1 to 2 inches around my waist. When I was given the opportunity to drive the new Audi RS5, I anticipated that it would blow my mind...

RS
In Audi's product folio, RS is tops. Remember, the letters stand for RennSport, which literally translates as "racing sport". To put it into perspective, Audi's “S” is what “M” is to BMW and what “AMG” is to Mercedes-Benz. Therefore, there is no equivalent to RS with other makes. Me thinks you're starting to get the hype surrounding this car.

A few years ago, I got to spend two dementedly memorable weeks with an RS4 in the dead of winter. Bar-none, the best two weeks of juggling traction and the absence of grip, ever. Massive power and a soundtrack to die for came from the normally-aspirated 420hp 4.2L V8 and the all serious business and empowering 6-speed manual gearbox. Seriously, this is one of my Top 10 favourite cars that I have driven over the last 12 years. Expectations you say?

RS5
Built on the same DNA as the RS4 and based on a platform that has made the Audi A5 one of the most recognizable and desirable coupes in the World, the RS5 pushes the car's potential to the absolute limit. Look at the thing and drink in all the insanity before you in the gallery.

The single frame radiator grille, framed in gloss-anthracite and aluminum, has never looked more in its place. The oversized bumpers, with mountainous front air intakes, the flared wheel arches and hot 19” 5-spoke Aero alloy wheels (I will admit that the winter tires do not act favourably upon the car's stance) all clearly divulge that this is no regular car.

It is difficult not to fall for this car; it certainly captured the attention and imaginations of the people I crossed in the numerous little towns I drove through. If to be further smitten by this car was considered impossible, all I needed to do was open the door. Faced with silk nappa leather-covered sport seats with subtle contrasting piping and RS embossing, I could do nothing less than be tempted to drop behind the wheel, not that the promise of a performance extravaganza wasn't enough. Once in perfect driving position, working the controls is fairly simple if you're an Audi regular. If not, it'll take you a few moments to figure out what does what. But enough of this. 450hp Quattro The RS5 carries the same 4.2L V8 as the RS4 but now with 450 hp at 8,250 rpm. Torque remains unchanged at 317 lb-ft of torque. To it is bolted a 7-speed S-Tronic automated dual clutch manual gearbox. Furthermore, to the 'box, is attached Audi's Quattro AWD system. The RS5 doesn't get a regular version of this already very effective all-wheel-drive. In fact, it sports the latest trickery in its gear consisting of a Sports Differential which features a new crown-gear for improved locking values at higher speeds. There is also a torque vectoring function, fancy words to say that the system is smart enough to distribute different amounts of power to each wheel as necessary. AKA: more traction. Although the country roads north east of Munich set out their own challenge, none were up to the task of making the RS5 work, period. This is the only let down of this ride and drive. Some track time would have demonstrated what the car can do. Dynamically inclined Dynamic ride control and Audi drive select are two intertwined beasts that live to please the driver. In comfort mode the RS5 is a liveable, if not a comfortable daily driver. The pilot can select the auto mode and allow the car to do the thinking. Given a series of variables, the car's brain will determine the best course of action for the suspension settings, throttle and steering assists. Left in one of these modes, the car chugs along quietly, only looking bad-ass but sounding incredibly subdued. You could drive by a nursery that has all its windows open and wake not one of the toddlers. That is, unless you cross 3,500 rpm, when the engines comes alive. This is but a sample. Selecting Dynamic wakes the inner sleeping demon. The RS5 is now on permanent alert for anything: tight corners, hard acceleration and serious switchbacks. The V8's rumble is more coarse and present, throttle is set on attack mode. Fast everything Perhaps the most satisfying part of driving the RS5 is hearing and feeling the shifts from the S-Tronic occur. If you've ever read a review on a Volkswagen GTI or know what it's like when an up-shift occurs (essentially, it's very quick and emits a satisfying “braapp” as it happens), you'll be able to understand this: a quick tap of the right hand paddle generates a deeper heavier “braapp” that is the intensity equivalent to death metal. And the cogs are swapped in lightning-fast style. From a standstill, with all the right buttons depressed, this 1,725 kg (3,795 lb) super-coupe will cross the 100 km/h mark in only 4.6 seconds. I did not attempt this manoeuvre but from a rolling start at 60 km/h, 120 km/h came and went seriously fast. From inside the car, it didn't seem all that quick... What goes fast must come to a stop. My tester was equipped with the optional front carbon ceramic brakes with massive callipers that provide tonnes of stopping power. Again, I was unable to exploit these brakes to their fullest extent however, I'm certain that track time at the wheel of an RS5 is in my future. RS4 or RS5 The RS4 has two distinct advantages over the RS5 and they are a 6-speed manual gearbox and four doors. In any other respect, the RS5 takes home the trophy. Like some, not many, I prefer to row through gears on my own but the S-Tronic is a powerfully intelligent argument not to do so. As for the other two doors, why not a new RS4 for 2012? Audi? In the styling department, both fly under the radar, much like all hyped-up products from Germany. This is a good thing, right Martha? And lastly, pricing. If you recall, the mighty RS4 retailed for $95,000 when it was offered in 2008. Given that RS5 has more advanced technologies on board including the Sports Differential, it is conceivable that the asking price will be similar. Should that be the case, exclusivity will be further guaranteed. One way or another, I expected the World from this car and it was delivered to me on a silver platter.