R&T first drive - Audi RS5

[Shomegrown]

http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/drives/2013-audi-rs5

[TangoRed]

That grille looks horrendous in the first pic while econd picture makes the front end look much more cohesive. Definitely like the pre-facelift noses better.

[Son]

That grille without the black-out package and front plate is horrid.

That grille looks horrendous in the first pic while econd picture makes the front end look much more cohesive.

The second pic's car has the optional black grille. The package also paints some of the silver bumper bits body color which (IMO) further improves the looks.

[Uberhare]

Dump the 4.2L V8 for the glorious turbo 5-cylinder found in the TT-RS, install manual transmission, and you have my attention. The V8 mated with a DSG tranny is getting rather boring and too common.

[Volvo_D]

that face!

[That1njguy]

Can they make that grille any bigger?

Uber, nice idea w/the motor and tranny from the TT-RS!

[RS4PD]

Dump the 4.2L V8 for the glorious turbo 5-cylinder found in the TT-RS, install manual transmission, and you have my attention. The V8 mated with a DSG tranny is getting rather boring and too common.

x2.

It must be nice having it on your driveway though

[Porridgehead]

[NoDubJustYet]

Dump the 4.2L V8 for the glorious turbo 5-cylinder found in the TT-RS, install manual transmission, and you have my attention. The V8 mated with a DSG tranny is getting rather boring and too common.

While we're at it...

Bring us the quattro!!

[Uberhare]

While we're at it...

Bring us the quattro!!

[ATL_Av8r]

Dump the 4.2L V8 for the glorious turbo 5-cylinder found in the TT-RS, install manual transmission, and you have my attention. The V8 mated with a DSG tranny is getting rather boring and too common.

The V8 sounds a lot nicer than the fiver. Looks better in the engine bay, to boot.

Now if only I could get past the exterior of the *5

[IgorRGTI]

Jerry of Shomegrown's jerb

[Robski92]

That grill is just to ricey.

[speedtek40]

While we're at it...

Bring us the quattro!!

Quattro minus HUGE fish mouth.........my take on where it should have gone.....

[koko12]

I'm not impressed. The 4.2 V8 is a nice engine, but it's already long in the tooth and that GIANT cheese grater grill is just horrendous.

[Tim@Fourtitude]

Dump the 4.2L V8 for the glorious turbo 5-cylinder found in the TT-RS, install manual transmission, and you have my attention. The V8 mated with a DSG tranny is getting rather boring and too common.

The trick there is that the 2.5T won't fit longitudinally in the engine bay. It's actually longer than either the 4.2 V8 or the 5.2 V10 engines, and so while it will fit transversely in a TT, it won't fit longitudinally in an A5. Yes, they stuffed one into the quattro concept, but a LOT of changes had to be made that were just not production ready.

Also, there is something to Reil's argument about the character of the V8, I think. It's a wonderful engine that makes incredible noises, and I'm glad to see it in the RS5, personally.

-Tim

[Shomegrown]

That grille looks horrendous in the first pic while econd picture makes the front end look much more cohesive. Definitely like the pre-facelift noses better.

I agree, I don't like the silver grille at all. Gotta get the Ti package like the 2nd pic.

[Lupo TDI]

The trick there is that the 2.5T won't fit longitudinally in the engine bay. It's actually longer than either the 4.2 V8 or the 5.2 V10 engines, and so while it will fit transversely in a TT, it won't fit longitudinally in an A5. Yes, they stuffed one into the quattro concept, but a LOT of changes had to be made that were just not production ready.

Also, there is something to Reil's argument about the character of the V8, I think. It's a wonderful engine that makes incredible noises, and I'm glad to see it in the RS5, personally.

-Tim

I didn't think this was the case; what makes it longer than the V10? Different cylinder spacing?

[mtbscoTT]

Saw my first one in the showroom a few weeks ago, black with ti package. Today I saw the first one in the wild, gray with ti package, at the local Whole Paycheck lot. I generally like it a lot, but think it's a tad bit overpriced.
I personally like the aluminum pack look on the red car as shown in the R and T pictures. If its options are anything like the TT-RS (and I think they are), you can have your choice of silver accent pieces that match the mirrors, or the blacked out look of the Ti package. I think it's all relative to the body color which looks best. I ordered my Sepang Blue car with the aluminum accents and think it looks great. The Ti might look better on a black or gray car.

[Shmi]

The V8 sounds a lot nicer than the fiver. Looks better in the engine bay, to boot.

Now if only I could get past the exterior of the *5

I dunno I heard a TTRS at full throttle last night and it sounds pretty good..

[bbk]

68 k base price, less than I thought. Nice.

[Shomegrown]

Also, there is something to Reil's argument about the character of the V8, I think. It's a wonderful engine that makes incredible noises, and I'm glad to see it in the RS5, personally.

-Tim

There's truth to that. The 4.0T is a lot of fun in the big sedans, but it doesn't fit the character of the RS5. It's a low revving torque monster.

[Shomegrown]

68 k base price, less than I thought. Nice.

Yeah, it's aligned with the M3 for price/content.

[zerotosixty]

Awesome looking car. Needs a plate to break up the huge front grill though

[jepva]

I don't know if I could justify one of these knowing that the new S5 with the 3.0T is only a tune away from being faster and cheaper at the same time. Sort of like the whole 335is/M3 proposition I suppose.

Either way, it'd be a hard pill to swallow over a C63 AMG.

[Uberhare]

The trick there is that the 2.5T won't fit longitudinally in the engine bay. It's actually longer than either the 4.2 V8 or the 5.2 V10 engines, and so while it will fit transversely in a TT, it won't fit longitudinally in an A5. Yes, they stuffed one into the quattro concept, but a LOT of changes had to be made that were just not production ready.

Also, there is something to Reil's argument about the character of the V8, I think. It's a wonderful engine that makes incredible noises, and I'm glad to see it in the RS5, personally.

-Tim

I get that but the 5-cylinder is a symbol of Audi engineering and racing. It's what made Audi stand out from all the other manufacturers in the 80's. IMHO any "smaller" Audi RS vehicle should have the 5-pot engine harken back to the good old days.

I enjoy V8's like every other red blooded American male, but it just doesn't have the unique "soul" that the TT-RS seems to have.

[Jan PL S6]

How do you get your hands on these cars?

[Tim@Fourtitude]

I get that but the 5-cylinder is a symbol of Audi engineering and racing. It's what made Audi stand out from all the other manufacturers in the 80's. IMHO any "smaller" Audi RS vehicle should have the 5-pot engine harken back to the good old days.

I enjoy V8's like every other red blooded American male, but it just doesn't have the unique "soul" that the TT-RS seems to have.

I hear you on the five cylinder heritage argument, loud and clear. I was rooting incredibly hard for them to build the quattro concept, even though I knew it would be stratospherically priced and very limited production.

However, arguing that the hi-rev 4.2 V8 lacks soul I would argue with. I've spent a fair amount of time driving various vehicles with that engine (and TT-RSes with the 2.5T) and they're both very special engines - just in different ways. Pinning the throttle in second gear in a 4.2 V8 car is an event, for sure. Pinning the throttle in 2nd gear in a TT-RS is also an event, but in a different way - 5 cylinder warble vs. V8 roar (and the 2.5T is not aided in the aural department by being turbocharged), the power delivery is a little different, etc.

And really, Audi has plenty of V8 racing heritage as well, though people forget that in light of the Gruppe B halo, I think.

Either way, you can't loose. People downplay the V8 because it's not the V10, or because it "should be" more powerful or whatever, but I freely admit that I think it's a fantastic engine and I jump at the chance to drive cars with one under the hood.

-Tim

[SoSuMi]

... It's a wonderful engine that makes incredible noises...

That's just the engine throwing a timing chain

[StringTheory]

IMHO, they should have made it with a 5.2 V10 and 450ish hp. Nothing wrong with the V8, but it could use more torque with all that weight.

[Fritz27]

I don't know if I could justify one of these knowing that the new S5 with the 3.0T is only a tune away from being faster and cheaper at the same time. Sort of like the whole 335is/M3 proposition I suppose.

Either way, it'd be a hard pill to swallow over a C63 AMG.

Yet that 3.0"T" would never sound as sexy as a naturally aspirated V8 revving up to 8500 RPM. The governments of the US and Europe are likely to make these amazing naturally aspirated powerplants a thing of the past so I will keep on enjoying them while they exist. There's nothing like the sound of a well-sorted naturally aspirated motor that can rev to the stratosphere while a turbocharged engines wheezes and farts up to fuel cut.

[SchnellFowVay]

That's just the engine throwing a timing chain

Oh come on. You are overreacting. You know these engines can go 40, sometimes 50,000 miles before needing a new timing chain, tensioners, etc.

[HEH]

That grille looks horrendous in the first pic while econd picture makes the front end look much more cohesive. Definitely like the pre-facelift noses better.

[Saintor]

Yet that 3.0"T" would never sound as sexy as a naturally aspirated V8 revving up to 8500 RPM. The governments of the US and Europe are likely to make these amazing naturally aspirated powerplants a thing of the past so I will keep on enjoying them while they exist. There's nothing like the sound of a well-sorted naturally aspirated motor that can rev to the stratosphere while a turbocharged engines wheezes and farts up to fuel cut.

Quoted for truth. V8 sound is just sexy.

[bbk]

I personally like the aluminum pack look on the red car as shown in the R and T pictures. If its options are anything like the TT-RS (and I think they are), you can have your choice of silver accent pieces that match the mirrors, or the blacked out look of the Ti package. I think it's all relative to the body color which looks best. I ordered my Sepang Blue car with the aluminum accents and think it looks great.

Agree, I like the aluminum.

Personally, I like some contrast between the main color and grille/trim: Dark car color with silver accents, white or silver paint with black or titanium accents.