MRA5SB

And what happened to the Bronze wheel option?

IamRacerX

Too bad no flat bottom steering wheel without adding the big option packages. It’s my favorite part of the interior. Also didn’t see a Napa leather option. I assume it’s standard now. Also as mentioned no bronze wheel option here.

JohnEnglish

The Bronze wheel option is in Europe and Canada only. Europe and Canada come standard with the flat bottom steering wheel and have the round heated wheel available as no charge option.

MRA5SB

Yup definitely a bug, noticed that as well. It should gray out the options that are already included in the package but instead its adding it in as well and showing as included.

mhblaw

Have a 2018 RS5 that I paid $77k for. Just speced what I would want for a 2021, came in at $81k. Not sure I would go for that. No issues with the current car. at 38k miles.

Glisse

Soon the penny will drop that the flat bottomed steering wheel is not currently available in conjunction with active lane assist.

I have written about this before some time back, but to recap:

• The B9.5 update is using the latest version of MIB3
• Active lane assist requires the driver to respond after a prescribed period of time (legal / statutory reasons)
• The latest version of MIB3 uses capacitive touch on the steering wheel to determine whether the driver is still "there". MIB2+ required the steering wheel to be moved.
• Only the new round version of the current production B9.5 steering wheels has capacitive touch technology, the flat version does not. A new version of the flat wheel with capacitive touch will turn up, it already has on some other models. But it is a different wheel design. You can already see the new (capacitive) wheel design on the US configurator for the round version - it has a hexagonal boss. So will the new flat bottomed capacitive wheel, when it turns up.
• Whilst I guess it is possible that those in the US ordering either of the two Launch Edition packages will get a flat bottomed steering wheel along with active lane assist. But not if it's built this week, and it won't look like the wheel shown on the configurator site, because that is not capacitive.

I watched a few reviews of the facelift RS4 and RS5 models, and a couple of reviewers commented they found it strange that these very heavily optioned press cars, which had flat bottomed steering wheels, weren't configured with active lane assist. A quick look at the German configurator makes the reason clear, as per the screen shots below. John English is confusing countries (markets) and regions. Europe is a region of 27 or more countries. But in the countries I look at, mine and Germany next door, the RS4/5 come standard with the new round heated wheel. The old flat bottomed wheel is a no cost option - but as soon as you pick a driver assist package containing active lane assist, you lose it. It won't be any different in Canada. And "grip recognition" per the Google translation = capacitive touch, if that wasn't clear.

Nonn-capacitive wheel:

Source: Audi.de B9 RS5 configurator, as at 12 Nov 2020


Source: Audi.de B9 RS5 configurator, as at 12 Nov 2020

Capacitive wheel:

Source: Audi.de B9 RS5 configurator, as at 12 Nov 2020



Source: Audi.de B9 RS5 configurator, as at 12 Nov 2020

Nikon1

Yet another (though, admittedly, small) reason while I’ll be keeping my ‘18 for the long term. Rotary control ****, no touchscreen, flat bottom steering wheel, etc.

— John

RS5LOVER

I had my RS5 for a year and was offered what I paid for it, so I took it as a sign and upgraded to RS7. Guess I have to start lookin for that link. Can I link video here dji MOV files from my drone here? What about youtube! I made a video of the RS5

pbot

Just got word from my Audi dealer that my '21 RS5 is ready to pick up!

mhblaw

If the 2021 order guide just came out, how could you have ordered one a couple of months ago?