Audi RS5 review

The saloon costs £90,220, the Avant £92,120, so the RS5 is priced to undercut the BMW M3. Albeit by less than a grand and a half.

Of course, that’s just the start of the journey for any of the contenders in this high-flying segment. As ever, the configurator is there to entrap the unwary, and the product marketing managers are geniuses when it comes to pushing buyers’ buttons. Especially if the buttons in question are surrounded by carbon fibre trim…

Certainly, the new RS5 features more kit as standard than its Munich arch rival: dynamic cornering lights, head-up display, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, and an electric tailgate are all included. And it has three-zone climate control to the BMW’s piffling two-zone set-up.

For quick reference, the Mercedes-AMG C63 Carbon edition costs £107k, while the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio – recently confirmed to continue in the UK for another 18 months – starts at just under £87k. Proudly ICE-only, it remains sensational to drive, if less substantial feeling than its German rivals.

Back to the Audi. Any extras worth my time?

The Performance Vorsprung package adds even more dynamism to the front and rear bumpers, including a Carbon Camouflage look on the front and rear, inserts in the sills, and exterior mirror housings, and two-tone diamond cut, phantom black 21in wheels with matte accents.

You also get a panoramic sunroof with switchable transparency, the RS Sport exhaust system (the top speed is lifted to 177mph as a result), and an upgraded Bang and Olufsen 3D premium sound system with headrest speakers (we’re not totally on-board with those). OLED rear lights with ‘dynamic light staging’ and a fancy turn signal are part of this pack, too. And park assist pro with remote functionality. Tick the Vorsprung box and the price rises to £107,400. Yikes.

Running costs… as expected?

More or less. Audi claims 74mpg combined but even with the battery discharged the RS5 should nudge 29mpg overall. And while it might be packing 630bhp overall, its PHEV status obviously reduces its CO2 emissions and makes it easier to tax.
The hybrid bit of the RS5 can charge at up to 11kW, taking the high voltage battery to 100 per cent in 2.5 hours. Note that the fuel tank only holds 48 litres, though.