RS5 - loses the V8 & the character?

RS5 - loses the V8 & the character?

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Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
First reviews of the new RS5 out: http://www.evo.co.uk/audi/rs5/19568/2017-audi-rs5-...

Drops to a V6, and only 444bhp from 2.9l too, and despite a hefty weight-loss programme, still comes in 100kg heavier than the M3/4 & Quadrifoglio. Appears to have borrowed the interior from BMW too?

Shame - these cars always had the potential to be great.

Baby vomit green doesn't help it's case on aesthetics either....



Edited by Ares on Monday 26th June 17:58

Murphy16

254 posts

81 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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An entirely predictable review. I can see it's appeal as a cosseting GT, but as a range topping, tantalising sports coupe it would seem it doesn't have the recipe quite right. Then again i haven't driven it. Whether it's a good car or not, people will buy it because it's an Audi with an RS badge.

I am a bit surprised Evo gave it 4 stars out of 5 though, their negatives of 'Characterless engine, lack of driver involvement' seem to fly completely in the face of what makes a hot sports coupe actually a good car.

Edited by Murphy16 on Monday 26th June 18:06

Zod

35,295 posts

257 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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What character?

AH33

2,066 posts

134 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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It's not a looker is it?

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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That's a very pretty car in any other colour except baby sick green and THOSE wheels.

The interior is lovely, however I wish the iPad wasn't stuck on but rather popped up like previous Audis.

I'll have one in Sepang with some better wheels... if I had to. I would have the Guilia thank you very much. Red with tan leather please.

Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
Zod said:
What character?
The V8 wink

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
Those RS reviews just write themselves. Pick a selection of quotes from the stock cupboard.

Pick 2 of;

  • "Peerless interior"
  • "Innovative TFT dashboard display"
  • "Quality of interior plastics unrivalled"
+

  • "Heritage of the original Quattro"
  • "After the last model was close but failed to deliver"
  • "Responded to previous criticisms"
+

  • "Not as engaging to drive as the BMW"
  • "Lacks that final sparkle"
  • "Thunderous engine and priced with the competition"
I'm sure a relatively modest programmer could knock up a programme to create an Audi RS review without a journalist having to go to the trouble of copy + paste.


Swole

693 posts

120 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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Ive looked at the photos, and I can't see that it has the usual RS wide arches. Have they done away with them?

Ares

Original Poster:

11,000 posts

119 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
Swole said:
Ive looked at the photos, and I can't see that it has the usual RS wide arches. Have they done away with them?
They've gone for 'subtly flared'!

Cupramax

10,469 posts

251 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
sleepera6 said:
That's a very pretty car in any other colour except baby sick green and THOSE wheels.
Its gopping compared to the original one. The front end is hideous.

Swole

693 posts

120 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
Ares said:
They've gone for 'subtly flared'!
I did wonder. I suppose next to an S5 it would look wider but more or less the same. I'm no Audi guy but the swollen arches on the last RS4/5 did make it look good. This just looks like a boring exec.

I'm sure the aftermarket tuners will be all over the engine, mind so it could end up interesting despite the weight.

Murphy16

254 posts

81 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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The older RS5 never really appealled to me and the reviews suggest it wasn't that great, but compared to the newer one it did look boxy and muscular with those big arches and had a V8 soundtrack.

Syndrome280

273 posts

110 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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Ares said:
Appears to have borrowed the interior from BMW too?
Edited by Ares on Monday 26th June 17:58
I have to disagree with that comment. I have tested an M4 and a new S5 (which seems to share the same interior as the RS5 bar a few minor details) and they are massively different IMHO. While the M4 is a lovely interior the S5 is a much nicer place to be and feels a cut above; though it has to be said the Mercedes C43 which I also sit in (didn't even drive it as I didn't like anything about the car) had a horrible interior, it felt very Ford-esque in places.

It does seem Audi have gone for a more relaxed approach rather than a knife-edge/skateboard hybrid. I have an S4 on order and had been wondering if I should hold out for an RS4 in December and to be honest if it is anything like the difference between the S5 and RS5 it would seem that an extra £15k would get me another 100 bhp or so (which I can get from Revo, MTM etc for much less) and some questionable aesthetics (can't stand those RS5 wheels), other than that nothing really seems massively different between the two.
I think I'll stick with the S4 and have it in Nogaro Blue for a bit of visual punch!

Begall

138 posts

90 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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Shame the engine isn't so great, from playing with them in the configurator they can be specced to look pretty nice if you avoid green

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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"Only 444 bhp"

Its a bit like when Elvis decided that four deep fried Peanut Butter, Banana and Jam Sandwiches werent quite enough.

Ruskins

221 posts

120 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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Anyone describing that colour as "baby sick" green has never seen baby sick ...

Not enough companies offer a nice deep metallic green so Audi should be commended at least for this.

This is a lot more like baby sick


LordHaveMurci

12,034 posts

168 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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Swole said:
This just looks like a boring exec.
Somebody hit the nail right on the head thumbup

hondansx

4,562 posts

224 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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In fairness, Audi have come out and said it is meant to be a sporting GT. They know their niche; we should probably accept that they are not interested in making an out-and-out sports car. It's not like they struggle to sell A5s despite them being bland to drive!

Anyway, i agree about the arches - where are they? Looks like a meek S5. However, i guess the chintz will mean it turns heads still.

Hackney

6,811 posts

207 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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I'm not that put off by the looks. As others have said perhaps it isn't differentiated from the standard car enough, but the only real fault for me is the bonnet / mouth. The ridges on the bonnet make it look like some old bird who looks a lot younger than she is until you see the lines round the mouth.

AlmostUseful

3,276 posts

199 months

Monday 26th June 2017
quotequote all
Ruskins said:
Anyone describing that colour as "baby sick" green has never seen baby sick ...
That's what I thought, what the hell are they feedin their babies if that's the colour of their vomit?!?