The Audi RS5 V8 & the RS5 Cabriolet

In our last review Iain Mutch Specialist Cars talked about the new BMW 4 Series which goes on sale at the end of 2013.

Today we are staying with German engineering as we review both the Audi RS5 and the Audi RS5 Cabriolet. Not only is the RS5 the latest Audi to wear the RS badge, it brings a sleek sexy body with the all powerful performance of the Audi RS range.

The concept of a fast, sporty four seater Audi has matured into something very special indeed. The RS5 is a new aspirated 4.2 litre engine producing a whopping 444bhp with a seven speed dual-clutch gearbox, this is the first time an Audi RS has used such a system.

Audi have completely revised the four wheel drive system with a new torque vectoring system (this brakes individual wheels) there is also the option  of a sport rear differential. This is a refined RS, its right up there with the performance of its rivals but with the comfort and ease of drive as its Audi RS family. One thing Audi’s dual-clutch will do that a conventional automatic won’t is full-on launch control. If you select dynamic mode on the Drive Select system, switch off the ESP, stand on the brakes, floor the throttle and release the brakes, this beast will cue the perfect standing start, with hardly any transmission shunt or wheelspin, just pure forward motion. 0 to 62mph takes just 4.6 seconds, and with just a blip after this the RS5 will it is limiter of 155 mph, (or 174 mph, if you tick another option box). This demonstrates the RS5’s approach to performance, repeatable, controlled and brutally effective. The Audi Drive Select system gives the driver the option to mix and match the car’s settings rather than sticking to the factory groupings. Deciding on the perfect setting for you could take its ownerships lifetime, but the thrill and excitement will be never ending. The RS comfort setting offers the best bump absorption yet, with perhaps just a little too much body roll if you really throw it round a corner. Even on pot holes it copes really well even on the optional 20in wheels.

Like almost every other Audi, if feels like a piece of heavy machinery, but it also has a rare fluidity and delicacy to it. For a non stop road trip there are few competitors on the road today!

So, the RS5 Cabriolet ……………, Noisey? YES! and more than a bit! The V8 4.2 Litre emits a fanfare of booms, thumps and thunder, followed by a scream as the aspirated engine reaches its 8,500rpm redline. With no roof to get in the way, all the sensational noise is blasted straight into your happy face. The cabriolet is more or less mechanically identical beneath the surface to the RS5 coupe. In addition theres a sports diff across the rear axle, plus torque vectoring. The RS Cabrio weighs  a few kilos more than the BMW, despite its lightweight roof. It tips the scales at a beefy 1920kg, around 200kg more than the RS5 coupe, which might give you some idea of how much bracing is required to stop a 444bhp cabrio twisting like a screwdriver. If you want a fast Audi Cabriolet, then you in no doubt be overwhelmed by the S5 cabrio with its 3.0 litre supercharged V6, its as quick as you will ever need. However, taking off your sensible hat, then the RS5 cab is undoubtedly a more engaging proposition than the RS5 coupe, making the most of all that awesome v8 noise! In 2014 we should see an RS version of the Q3 possibly sporting a 5 cylinder turbo serving up to 335 bhp ………………..

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