The Audi RS badge is back on the A5 Coupé range with the new-generation RS 5, with new styling, mechanical and specification revisions and a 450PS V8 engine.
Styling updates include a slight revision to the single frame grille design, sharper and more pronounced bonnet contours, new 'solid band' wraparound LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights, new look front and rear bumpers and a new '10-spoke' design for the 19-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, there's now Bluetooth mobile phone preparation, cruise control, DVD-based satellite navigation and Audi Music Interface iPod connection as standard equipment. The cruise control system can also now be upgraded at extra cost to the adaptive system with braking guard, which uses radar sensors to control distance from traffic in front of the car between 19mph and 155mph, and can also initiate partial braking or full deceleration if its sensors detect an impending collision.
Interior design changes extend to a new flat-bottomed RS three-spoke steering wheel and detail improvements to the air conditioning, Multi Media Interface, mirror adjustment and electric window switchgear, the gear lever and the instrument stalks. New look optional inlays are also now available.
The naturally-aspirated 4.2-litre V8 delivers 450PS at 8,250 rpm and peak torque of 430 Nm at between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm. 0-62mph is 4.5 seconds, and the 155mph top speed is electronically-limited, which can be taken up to 174mph if the extra cost speed limit de-restriction option is specified.
Combined economy of 26.9mpg and CO2 output of 246g/km are respectively slightly higher, and slightly lower, than before.
New electromechanical power steering which demands no input from the alternator while in the 'straight-ahead' position works in favour of efficiency, as does the familiar seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission with its long top gear, lightning-fast shifts and steering wheel paddle control.
As with all other RS models, the RS 5 Coupé applies its power to the road with quattro permanent all-wheel-drive. The electronic stability program (ESP) integrates a sport mode which ensures that it intervenes at a later stage. It can also be switched off entirely.
The dynamic ride control and dynamic steering options are available individually or combined as part of a new Sport Package, which also includes larger 20-inch rotor design titanium-look alloy wheels to replace the standard 19-inch examples and a sports exhaust system. Priced at £2,250, it offers a saving of £2,915 compared with specifying the options individually.
