Audi has unleashed the next generation of its RS5 sedan and estate. It’s worth noting that the company no longer uses odd model numbers for ICE cars and even numbers for EVs, so the new A5 is a direct successor to the old A4. Same goes for the RS5; let’s take a closer look at it.
Compared to the mainstream Audi A5, the RS5 is largely a different car. It even rides on its own chassis with a 90mm (3.5”) wider track, different body panels and a more aggressive aero kit.
The interiors are similar, so not worth discussing at length. The powertrain is where things get interesting. An improved 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 works in tandem with an electric motor integrated into an eight-speed AT. The output of the system amounts to an impressive 630 PS (621 hp / 463 kW), while the torque reaches as high as 825 Nm (608 lb-ft). A 22-kWh battery pack endows the new RS5 with 80 kilometers (50 miles) of all-electric range. Sprinting from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) succeeds in 3.6 seconds.
As one would expect, such power comes at the cost of curb weight. Once fueled to the brim, the new RS5 sedan tips the scales at whopping 2,355 kilos (5,192 pounds). Its Avant counterpart is 15 kg (33 lbs) heavier still. For comparison, the most barebones Ford F-150 weighs almost 500 kilos (1,100 lbs) less.
Preorders are already running.
