Audi RS5

IN line with the original Quattro, the RS5 has that amazing ability to offer staggering performance with real security, no matter what the conditions. But crucially, that security doesn’t come at the expense of fun. The new supercoupé is exhilarating to drive. Its V8 engine is one of the world’s best, and with an adjustable chassis that can play supercar one moment, then relaxed cruiser the next, the RS5 boasts the kind of all-round ability that no rival can match.

Roads don’t get much more challenging than the twisting mountain climb that winds its way to Ronda. Snaking its way from the outskirts of Malaga, Spain, its long climbs can throw up tricky driving
conditions, with the road surface quickly turning greasy, thanks to frequent downpours. Mix that with slow-moving lorries, mist and blind bends, and it’s a real test. So what better place to put Audi’s new RS5 through its paces?

Marking the 30th anniversary of the original Quattro, it seeks to take its predecessor’s famous list of attributes – easy-access performance, all-weather security and amazing traction – to new heights. Packing a 444bhp 4.2-litre V8, sophisticated four-wheel-drive system and adaptive suspension, the RS5 impresses on paper. And in the flesh, it shouts performance potential. Muscular, widened wheelarches hark back to its forerunner, a pop-up spoiler adds aggression, while 19-inch alloys complete the makeover. They hide huge 365mm front brakes, and the whole car sits 20mm lower than any other A5.

Inside, the cabin gets sports seats clad in Silk Nappa leather, while extra-thick side bolsters and integrated headrests wrap around you like a tailored suit. RS5 badging, a carbon fibre centre console, additional oil temperature gauges and even a lap timer serve as a reminder of the car’s potential.

Fire up the V8, and it settles to a bass-laden idle. Surprisingly, there’s no manual transmission on offer. The RS5 comes with an uprated version of Audi’s seven-speed twin-clutch box. Heading out of Malaga on roadwork-strewn carriageways and bumpy roundabouts, it’s obvious how comfortable the RS5 is. Even with our car’s optional 20-inch wheels, it rides well. UK cars get Audi’s Dynamic Ride Control system as standard, which constantly juggles the sensitivity of the adaptive dampers. But even without it, the RS5 manages to soak up bumps brilliantly.

On the Ronda road, we explore the upper reaches of the V8’s rev range. Flicking the left-hand paddle a couple of times has the transmission dropping two gears in an instant, and is accompanied by a pair of thunderous barks from the exhausts.

Weighing a mere 216kg, and optimised to reduce internal friction, the engine revs quickly and smoothly. Flatten the throttle and its note changes from a deep rumble to a hard-edged roar. And it keeps on going, getting into its stride from 4,000rpm and producing its 444bhp peak at an insane 8,250rpm. The 0-62mph sprint takes only 4.6 seconds. But it’s the accessibility of the performance that impresses most. Thanks to 430Nm of torque, the V8 will pull superbly from low revs in a high gear, or scream to the red line.

But the Ronda road requires all that power to reach the tarmac – and here the RS5 shines. Outside of the World Rally Championship, few cars can boast such phenomenal traction. Default setting for the four-wheel- drive system is a 40:60 rear bias, but a new centre differential and torque vectoring means 85 per cent can go to the back, while load can be reduced on the inside tyres, creating a yaw moment that assists turn-in.

Together with an optional rear sport differential, the result is a supercoupé that darts into corners and rips through them. It’s incredible how hard and early you can accelerate, relying on the four-wheel- drive system to claw at the road surface, firing the RS5 out of a bend. On the slightly greasy curves of the Ronda road, the Audi’s stability and security are impressive, and with sheer drops on one side, and rock faces on the other, no less reassuring.  

Thanks to Audi’s Drive Select system, you can tailor the car’s responses. But while the RS5 behaves best with the steering in Comfort mode (Dynamic only adds weight, not feedback) and the engine, gearbox and sport differential in Dynamic mode,you still feel a step removed.

While we’re on negatives, we feel Audi is missing a trick by not offering a manual gearbox. And although our car’s optional ceramic brakes offered enormous fade-free stopping power, the pedal is numb at the top of its travel, and so hard to modulate.

As we arrive in Ronda, the weather changes from mist to bright sunshine. We cruise over the famous Puente Nuevo – a stunning bridge that towers 120m above a canyon below – and past the town’s bullring. The RS5 turns plenty of heads with the visiting tourists.

The car may have had a 60-mile workout from the coast, but we’re amazed at how relaxed we feel. Some will bemoan the RS5’s slight lack of connectivity, but we’re itching to turn around and start the descent.

In keeping with the original Quattro, the RS5 possesses astonishing performance that can be accessed by all drivers, all of the time. It’s certainly a worthy successor to that car.

And one that passes the Ronda test with flying colours.

Rival: BMW M3
You could hardly describe the ultimate 3-Series as low-tech, but its relative lack of gizmos makes it look far purer than the RS5. The characterful coupé is slightly sharper as a result, and boasts traditional rear-wheel-drive handling.