Audi Sport, the Neckarsulm-based performance division of Audi, is opening another market segment with the RS5 Sportback, a 444-hp version of the A5 Sportback. It serves as a consolation prize for those of us who rightfully lament that the RS4 Avant won’t be offered in America. Under the skin, the two models are virtually identical. We won’t argue with Audi’s decision that the U.S.-market potential for the RS5 Sportback is considerably greater than that of a hypothetical federalized RS4 Avant. Today, station wagons occupy the tiniest of niches, while sleek sedans and hatchbacks sell far better. The angularity of the latest Sportback may seem somewhat odd on the lesser A5 models, but it works on the RS5, which comes with large, blocky fender flares meant to evoke the original Audi Quattro that was launched in 1980 and took the rallying world by storm. Further enhancements are shared with the two-door RS5 coupe; these include headlights and taillights with attached black styling elements designed to make them look wider, specific 19- and 20-inch wheels, an RS-specific grille with a honeycomb mesh structure, and fat oval exhaust pipes. Customers can stick to the standard look, or they can opt for additional carbon fiber, for matte aluminum, or for high-gloss black decor. Instead of the S5’s single-turbo 3.0-liter V-6, the RS5 Sportback is powered by a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6. (This engine also serves in the Porsche Panamera 4S.) Maximum torque is 443 lb-ft, served up from 1900 rpm and hanging on all the way up to 5000. Audi Sport rates the output at 444 horsepower at 6700 rpm, identical to the RS5 coupe. The company says this engine weighs 68 pounds less than the naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V-8 used in the previous-generation RS5 while delivering much more torque. Audi estimates that the sprint to 60 mph will take 3.9 seconds, or 0.2 second longer than it claims for the two-door edition. The engine is mated to a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission and a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system with a default 40/60 front/rear torque distribution, although as much as 85 percent of available torque or as little as 30 can be routed to the front axle. A torque-vectoring rear differential is optional. There are several chassis configurations. The standard setup is already lower than the A5’s, but there is an additional sport suspension tune as an option. Dynamic steering is available, too, as are carbon-ceramic brake rotors. Inside, the RS5 Sportback comes with specific RS Sport seats, RS gauges in the digital cluster, and an abundance of RS logos, lest you forget you opted for the wildest mid-size hatchback on the market. The big, wide hatch reveals a large cargo hold that is almost as spacious as a station wagon’s. Audi is introducing the RS5 Sportback at the New York auto show because it will hit North American markets first, in the second half of 2018 as a 2019 model. The rest of the world, including Europe, will be served at a later date.
2019 Audi RS 5 - YouTube |
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