The art of performance

It is not just the latest in a long and distinguished line of Audi Sport performance models, but the next step in the evolution of the RS stable. The all-new RS 5 which has arrived Down Under in both Sedan and Avant body types, marks the first RS iteration to come from the A4/A5 model amalgamation, so that visually the RS 5 Avant draws heavily on past RS 4 Avant models, while the Sedan is more reminiscent of the RS 5 Coupe and Sportback models.

Despite these past influences, the RS 5 has an identity all its own, as well as the distinction of being the first-ever plug-in hybrid to come from Audi Sport. That means that as well as its blistering performance, it is also capable of driving for up to 78km^ on purely electric power – a first for the RS ranks. It also boasts the world’s first electro-mechanical torque vectoring which gives it otherworldly handling and composure when pushed. It very much represents the next generation of high-performance models from Audi Sport, yet maintains the high standards of design, technology and finish that have become hallmarks of the venerated performance manufacturer.

It seems like an age since Gabriela Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg pulled the dust cover off the striking new Audi RS 5 Avant at this year’s Formula 1 Grand Prix. That of course was back at the start of March and since then we have had to be content with just images and information on the new models’ equipment and specification. But now at last, Audi Sport’s first high-performance plug-in hybrid model has been officially launched in Australia and given members of the Australian motoring media the chance to experience first hand just what it can do.

Touching down from $179,827* for the RS 5 Sedan and $182,827* for the RS 5 Avant, we already knew that the newest RS models were lookers, but in the metal they exude a real presence. There is no missing the aggressive styling from any angle – be that the huge front Singleframe grille flanked by massive air intakes and distinctive light design – or the muscular flanks which swell out 114mm over the standard A5 models to accommodate the huge 21-inch alloy rims.

But despite that muscular styling, there is nothing over-the-top about the RS 5. The Sedan’s rear lip spoiler is a study in subtlety – no need for an exaggerated rear wing here.

Inside too, the RS 5 is impressive in its design and execution, adopting the digital stage but adapting it to suit the needs of this performance specialist. Up front the emphasis is on the driver with a cockpit feel that sees all controls and relevant information positioned to make it easily accessible to the one behind the wheel.

The feeling is luxurious but with an unashamedly performance feel. There are certainly motorsport influences, but this interior is a far cry from a stripped back race car cabin. Rather it boasts the finest materials and finishes, from the quilted leather upholstery covering the sports seats, complete with colour-matched stitching, to the dinamica covered door inlays and ambient lighting.

The race-inspired touches make sense too and are not there as a token. The multifunction steering wheel for example, is squared off on the top and bottom and has a marker at 12 o’clock, which will be handy for those intending to use the car in track environments and of course things like the pedals being finished in aluminium. But the array of onboard technology integrated into the dash assembly is a far cry from most race cars, although there are impressive inclusions aimed squarely at helping the performance enthusiast make for use of the car.

There is of course the 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit accompanied by the 14.5-inch MMI plus display which angles towards the driver using the now familiar digital stage layout. But there is also a 10.9-inch MMI passenger screen up front for the use of the front passenger, but masked when the car is in motion so as not to distract the driver.

Also designed so that the driver can keep their eyes on the road ahead is the head-up display which features an RS-specific cluster view. An invaluable piece of tech in any car, this particular head-up display comes into its own with its RS-specific view which shows not only the likes of speed and navigation directions as required, but also ambient temperature, current gear and change status (also very race-inspired) as well as the current drive mode selected or if the likes of the ESC is on or off.

Indeed the technology contained in the RS 5 that is specific to its performance design is impressive to say the least. From individual drive modes in the Audi drive select (the RS performance modes being accessible directly from the steering wheel) to the means of tracking performance around a race track, with the sort of in-depth information on speed, G-forces, acceleration and braking, once the domain of race-specific, aftermarket software.

None of this technology is for show, which becomes evident when you experience the power and drivetrain of this car first hand.

At the very heart of the RS 5 is the power unit, or more accurately in this case, the power units. A twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 combustion engine working with an electric motor to produce a combined output of 470kW between 6300 and 6800rpm and a massive 825Nm of torque from 2000 to 5000rpm. That equates to 3.6 seconds for the 0 to 100km/h sprint on the way to a top speed of 250km/h, or 285km/h with the Audi Sport Package.

That constitutes an additional 130kW of power over the previous RS 5 model and 225Nm more torque – not to mention the 0.3 seconds shaved off the 0 to 100km/h sprint. A lifetime when you’re operating at these levels of performance.

What those numbers don’t do is convey the sheer thrust of the car off the line and the almost instantaneous acceleration that literally pushes you back into the Nappa leather sport seats. Even more impressive than the straight-line speed is the sheer mechanical grip and cornering speed, and the car’s composure under hard braking from speed.

To really appreciate these attributes requires time behind the wheel on a variety of different roads and to that end, there are few places better suited than Tasmania.

But even on the Apple Isle, there’s also the problem of showcasing the car’s extraordinary turn of speed, without everyone ending up in jail. So, that calls for closed roads or a race track. Luckily Tasmania has not only the best driving roads in the country, but a couple of race tracks.

Here on Tassie's superb winding mountain roads – many of them Targa stages – and then later on the Symmons Plains track, the RS 5 did nothing but win hearts. Brutally fast, but with a composure that belied its size and the additional weight of the battery, it danced through tight hairpins or hunkered down on fast flowing bends alike, with extraordinary agility and nary a hint of body roll. This is a car that is so capable it inspires greater confidence in the driver to brake later and carry more speed and momentum into the corner. And even where overenthusiastic braking washes off too much precious speed, the phenomenal acceleration is such that you can easily make it up. Literally, what you lose in the corners you can make up in the straights, until you start to come to terms with just how good the RS 5 is and how high its limits actually are.

The fact you’re driving a four-door lift-back (in the case of the Sedan) or a full-sized Avant is quickly forgotten at speed, as the RS 5 shrinks around the driver. Words like agile, balanced and surefooted spring to mind, along with capable, planted and fast. Really, really fast.

On the right piece of road or at a race track, the RS 5 shows off Audi Sport at its best and puts a big smile on your face. In the hands of a professional driver, it is crazy fast, but even in the hands of a keen enthusiast, the RS 5 is supremely rewarding, if a little flattering.

That combination of the RS sport suspension with controlled two-valve damper and the phenomenal electro-mechanical torque vectoring allow you take advantage of the car’s hybrid drive, providing an extraordinarily surefooted feel. The technology it employs is hard to comprehend – the central controller which constantly monitors inputs like the steering angle, throttle, braking, vehicle speed and lateral forces, recalculates the ideal torque split every five milliseconds. The system can then generate a torque difference of up to 2000Nm between the rear wheels in just 15 milliseconds and what’s more, it can do this in either direction, whether accelerating or braking. So through a corner, it can help stabilise the car on entry, then direct more torque to the outside rear wheel on exit for next level grip and composure.

The result brings to mind the old expression – ‘handles like it’s on rails’.

But, put it on ‘normal’ roads and in freeway conditions, driving at everyday speeds, and it is no less rewarding, although in a completely different way. Smooth and refined replace its wilder side, allowing you to enjoy the comfortable ride and the luxurious appointment and the generous levels of standard equipment.

Exploring the car’s more sedate side is when you might fire up the Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system with its additional head restraint-mounted speakers, or make a few business calls while you negotiate city traffic. Enjoy the ventilated seats complete with massage function as well as heating on the front and outer rear seats for your passengers.

This is a car that is perfectly at home in the city or out on the freeway after all – doing the things that comprise the every day and doing them supremely well.

The fact that after contending with the pressures and demands of daily life, it can devour a country road or race track so completely simply put the RS 5 in a class of its own.

The RS 5 takes everything that has long set the RS garage apart and dials it up. It shows the willingness of Audi Sport to keep pushing the envelope and actively seek to improve the breed – not just making it faster, but better and more efficient across the board. Put simply, the RS 5 doesn’t just live up to the hype and expectations, it takes them to a new and better place.

To learn more about the Audi RS 5 models or to book a test drive, visit the official Audi Australia website.

^ Audi RS 5 Sedan all-electric range.