2.9T 2dr All-wheel Drive quattro Coupe
Years 2021 2019 2018 2015 2014 2013
Autoblog Rating
Tight handling, raw power but a punishing ride make this a great car for certain enthusiasts, though some other competitors are more well-rounded.
The 2018 Audi RS5 is the latest performance coupe from Audi's Renn Sport division. This new generation ditches the old 4.2-liter V8 for a lighter and more powerful 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with up to 21.6 psi of boost. Like most other Audis, the exterior styling is an evolution of the previous generation, but the lines are a little sharper and more defined than before. While a four-door sportback version is coming, our tester was the traditional coupe, a car that could be considered a spiritual successor to the original Audi Quattro. Every RS5 comes equipped with quattro all-wheel drive and an RS rear sport differential. Up to 70 percent of the power can be sent to the rear wheels. Our test car came loaded with a number of options. The $6,000 Dynamic Plus package adds ceramic front rotors, a carbon fiber engine cover and raises the top speed to 174 mph. Other options include the regular $3,350 Dynamic package with dynamic RS sport suspension and exhaust, $2,500 for 20-inch wheels and $1,500 for black Nappa leather seats. If you want to hear more on the RS5 and how it compares to the BMW M4, listen to Greg and Reese on the Autoblog podcast. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: Really enjoyed my night in the Audi RS5. If I were in the market for a performance coupe, I'd strongly look at this one. The styling sets it apart from the BMW M4 and Mercedes-AMG C63. Audi comes through with a clean look that is even better in person. This one, which stickers for $91,000, has everything, from the Dynamic Plus package to black-out trim. I'd probably go with one more barebones, closer to the $69,900 base. The biturbo V6 sounds good, urges this two-door to 40 or 50 mph with no effort and a little bit of attitude. I like that. The exhaust gets a little rumbly. The hood subtly shoots up and away you go. Done up with Misano red pearl effect, you definitely turn heads, too. With smart execution, the proliferation of the RS range is reinforcing Audi's performance chops, and that comes through in the RS5. Got the adrenaline pumping this morning with the @Audi RS5. A coupe for all seasons. @therealautoblog pic.twitter.com/lM82uIe6yI — Greg Migliore (@GregMigliore) July 10, 2018 Associate Editor Reese Counts: So much grip. You just point the wheel and mash the gas and let quattro sort out the rest. That's not to say it's easy, it's just simple. With the M4 — or any rear-wheel drive car — you have to manage your input to keep the ass end from riding around. It's not that way with the Audi. All that grip inspires a lot of confidence, but it's impossible to approach the car's limits on public roads without really pushing the bounds of safety. Or the law, for that matter. While I miss the old V8, this new 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 — shared with a number of Porsches — is potent. There's torque for days, …
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Choose a Trim 2dr All-wheel Drive quattro Coupe (2.9T)
$69,900 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Smart Buy Price
NA Nat'l avg. savings off MSRP
Seating 4 Passengers
Transmission 8-spd w/OD
Power 444 @ 5700 rpm
Drivetrain quattro all wheel
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2018 Audi RS 5 trims (1)
Trim Family 2.9T
(2.9T) 2dr All-wheel Drive quattro Coupe