Audi India has added the RS 5 Sportback to its line-up at an introductory price of ₹1.04 crore (ex-showroom, India). It is the high-performance version of the S5 Sportback that was launched in March this year here. In case you’re wondering that “But India had the RS 5, doesn’t it?”
Yes, Audi had previously RS 5 in India, but it was a two-door model, while the variant launched today is the four-door coupe. The new sedan is being imported to India as a completely built unit (CBU), hence the significant price gap to the S5 Sportback. But besides 4 doors, what this new sedan offers for that whopping price? Well, let’s find out.
In terms of design, the Audi RS 5 Sportback has the same silhouette as the S5 Sportback. However, the new single-frame body gets a few design tweaks that set it apart from its sibling. The sporty sedan’s front has a glossy black grille with honeycomb pattern air intakes and an RS badge. On the above, the hexagonal grille is flanked by Matrix LED headlamps that come with integrated dynamic turn indicators. While sitting below the grille is the RS-specific aggressive bumper.
The side profile flaunts the frameless doors and flared wheel arches that encase the 19-inch 10 spoke alloy wheels. The German automaker is giving a handful of color options, as usual, with the RS 5 in the form of Daytona Grey, Sonoma Green, Navarra Blue, Glacier White, Mythos Black, Tango Red, Turbo Blue, and Nardo Grey.
Stepping inside the cabin, you will get a familiar layout as the regular S5 Sportback. However, just like the exterior, the sporty sibling has its own distinctive elements. The RS 5’s black and rock gray interior comes with aluminum inlays and Alcantara material. The electrically adjustable front sports seats have massage and memory functions along with pneumatically adjustable lumbar support. The driver gets a 3-spoke flat-bottom multifunction leather steering wheel with paddle shifters.
The dash area features a 10.1-inch touchscreen with the MMI interface and a 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit screen with 3D maps. The advanced infotainment system is complemented with a 10-speaker 180 W Audi sound system. Other luxury features include the 3-zone air-conditioning and ambient lighting.
The German automaker has also packed in a host of safety features in the new RS5 Sportback like Audi pre-sense system, park assist, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, 360-degree camera with top view, etc.
Now, coming to the power source. The RS 5 packs in a 2.9-litre V6, twin-turbo engine that churns out 444 bhp and 600 Nm of peak torque. The powerplant is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and Quattro all-wheel-drive system with a self-locking center differential. The powertrain configuration allows the four-door coupe to make a zero to 100 km/h sprint in just 3.9 seconds. Wait, there more, with a top speed of 250 km/h the RS 5 is the fastest car in the segment.
And as we say at CarThrust, with higher acceleration power and top speed comes higher braking responsibility. I didn’t confirm this with my editor so don’t mind if I am fired!
So anyway, Audi has perfectly matched the acceleration of the engine by the stopping power of the RS5’s steel brakes with Black RS Brake Calipers. The coupe also has the RS sports suspensions that are tuned to compliment the performance of the engine. Furthermore, the driver gets two RS driving modes to choose from, which calibrates the power curve of the engine, shifting of the transmission and steering sensitivity.
Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India, said, “We are thrilled to launch the sporty spearhead of the product line – the Audi RS 5 Sportback in India. The Audi RS 5 is coming to India as a Sportback, for the very first time and will be the perfect choice for customers who want the Audi RS DNA in addition to everyday practicality. The Audi RS 5 Sportback is a superlative all-rounder, which is built with just the right mix of aggressive styling, heart-pumping performance, and opulent luxury which will garner tremendous affinity with performance car customers and existing Audi customers in India.”
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