Performance car enthusiasts salivate at the very sight of Audi’s RS badge – the RS 5 and RS 7 are, without any doubt, the finest four-door supercars to ever emerge from Germany. And now, Audi has launched the new RS 5 in India, powered by a 2.9-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine that produces a massive 450 horsepower and 600Nm of torque.
Thanks to Audi quattro permanent all-wheel-drive, which gives the RS 5 vast levels of grip, the car goes from zero to 100kph in just 3.9 seconds ( in comparison, the V10-engined Audi R8’s 0-100 time is 3.2 seconds!). The top speed is an electronically limited 250kph.
Interesting bits on the new edition include two RS driving modes, RS sports suspension, matrix LED headlights with dynamic turn indicators, and quattro AWD with self-locking centre differential. The RS 5 also gets the latest iteration of Audi’s ‘virtual cockpit’ fully digital instrumentation and touchscreen infotainment system, a massage function for the front seats, three-zone climate control and Alcantara leather upholstery. Audi’s 8-speed ‘Tiptronic’ automatic is standard on the RS 5, as is electro-mechanical power steering, 19-inch alloy wheels and six-piston brake callipers at the front, with RS badging.
‘The Audi RS 5 is coming to India as a Sportback for the very first time. It 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 in India,’ says Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India.
Indeed, the RS 5 is one of those rare high-performance cars that offer a near-perfect blend of extreme driving dynamics allied to daily-use practicality. Audi is bringing the car to India as a CBU import. It has been priced at Rs 1.04 crore, ex-showroom. The company says the introductory price might go up soon.
The RS 5’s competition include the Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster models and forthcoming BMW M3. This is Audi’s fifth launch in India in 2021, and the company says it’s not done just yet; ‘We look forward to fuelling the appetite for performance cars – stay tuned for a lot more action from brand Audi in India,’ says Dhillon.