RS 5 is Here
03-20-2018, 12:44 PM
#31
AudiWorld Senior Member
Not a fan of the wheels but it wouldn't stop me from buying it.. And it's already in the color I would get too...
03-20-2018, 01:43 PM
#32
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03-20-2018, 02:09 PM
#33
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Probably a contrarian perspective, but, for that much money, an S6 seems to have more presence. I'm assuming (could be wrong) that the new S6 will be able to be had once one goes north of $80K. My problem (or issue) is that the RS5's front end doesn't seem (to me) to justify some $17K over what would be an undoubtedly similarly equipped (albeit lower performing) S5. I love the look of the RS5, see very little difference inside and, well, I can't see most of us tracking one of these, so -- Meh. And, I so wanted to be compelled to go for one -- now I'm back thinking an S6 may be just right. But, this opinion might be different if I really thought that I would ever drive one of these anywhere but on the public potholes, er, Interstates.
03-20-2018, 04:23 PM
#34
AudiWorld Senior Member
RS5 starting price =$69,900; S6 starts @ $71,900, but probably heavily discounted now compared to the RS5. Much different cars, but a fair comparison @ that price point.
03-20-2018, 04:23 PM
#35
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03-20-2018, 04:48 PM
#36
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Interesting as I’m not sure who is getting a better deal on which car, but in Canada starting prices are $82.5k and $91.2k for RS5 and S6. Gap should be even greater once the new S6 he referenced comes out.
03-20-2018, 05:23 PM
#37
AudiWorld Super User
03-21-2018, 08:38 AM
#38
the existing RS5 is an odd duck...
The two have been cross shopped even with the outgoing RS5. Back then it was definitely comparing quite different animals. The outgoing RS5 had a very different engine philosophy and was much rougher and had more drama. Some folks moved from an RS5 to an S6, because they wanted less drama. I test drove the S6 and it was not for me. However, the new RS5 lost a lot of the drama and both cars now have biturbo engines and the RS5 has gone more GT than sports car, so the comparison actually has become less apples and oranges and is now more 2 door vs 4 door GT comparison. The RS5 still has some RS unique bits such as the DRC suspension vs the more floaty air suspension, but the comparison is somewhat fair.
Speaking of GTs, I still think there needs to be some allusion to a 2 seater (or 2+2) in the styling/packaging. But maybe I'm too fussy both about automotive styling history and language: I don't even recognize an M5 as either a GT or a sports car. What attracted me to Audi recently is that cars like the S5 Sportback and A7 manage to walk the line so well between a GT and a practical sedan. Which really compromises any claim to a traditionalist view on my part. And I wouldn't even attempt the even trickier category of "sports car".
03-21-2018, 08:47 AM
#39
AudiWorld Super User
Given it's scarcity, I don't see the whole identity crisis thing at all tbh. It's simply for someone who likes what an S5 brings to the table, but wants it to go a bit more, be a bit more exclusive, or for an M4 customer who doesn't want something so hard edged (because they are....although a bad *** car no doubt about it) Previous gen RS5's had no issues selling, this will be no different,
On the previous gen, the difference in quoted HP was around 120 and torque around 60 ft/lbs between S5 and RS5
On the new car, the difference is a bit less on hp, but way more torque. And a car that is much faster all around than the previous car
Price difference before was about $20k. Price difference now is about the same.
On the previous gen, the difference in quoted HP was around 120 and torque around 60 ft/lbs between S5 and RS5
On the new car, the difference is a bit less on hp, but way more torque. And a car that is much faster all around than the previous car
Price difference before was about $20k. Price difference now is about the same.
03-21-2018, 10:21 AM
#40
AudiWorld Super User
Too harsh for a GT, too heavy for a sports car. Still, blisteringly fast. The identity problem for the new RS5 is that the S5 is already a pretty good GT, leading Top Gear to proclaim "I might have taken it for a healthy S5".
Speaking of GTs, I still think there needs to be some allusion to a 2 seater (or 2+2) in the styling/packaging. But maybe I'm too fussy both about automotive styling history and language: I don't even recognize an M5 as either a GT or a sports car. What attracted me to Audi recently is that cars like the S5 Sportback and A7 manage to walk the line so well between a GT and a practical sedan. Which really compromises any claim to a traditionalist view on my part. And I wouldn't even attempt the even trickier category of "sports car".
Speaking of GTs, I still think there needs to be some allusion to a 2 seater (or 2+2) in the styling/packaging. But maybe I'm too fussy both about automotive styling history and language: I don't even recognize an M5 as either a GT or a sports car. What attracted me to Audi recently is that cars like the S5 Sportback and A7 manage to walk the line so well between a GT and a practical sedan. Which really compromises any claim to a traditionalist view on my part. And I wouldn't even attempt the even trickier category of "sports car".
I'm not a fan of the SB cars, especially not A7 and up. They are boats and as said I have no need for 4-doors, but occasionally have more than one additional passenger so the 2+2 configuration is pretty perfect. I saw an A5 SB the other day and wasn't impressed at all with the design. Looks kind of awkward, but that's all personal taste. Again, the SB adds no value for me.
I think some of the identity crisis thoughts between the S5 and RS5 stem from the fact that most people don't really get to drive these cars on roads where the difference becomes obvious. For those living in the boring, flat, straight road parts of the USA really won't get any value from the RS5. I've said this in another thread already. The RS5 is at home in the mountains and canyons and especially the German Autobahn. We don't have the latter, but to give you an idea, after I took delivery of my current RS5 in Ingolstadt, I visited a customer of mine for the following two weeks. I commuted to their office at speeds above 150 mph and the most amazing thing was how confident and stable it was at that speed. Here in the USA I have no German Autobahn and no commute in the first place, but I have mountain and canyon roads to get my thrill from a car like this, but if all one does is commute to work and battle traffic, the RS5 is a complete overkill and makes no sense compared to the S5. The S5 is frankly already overkill for this kind of driving.
Last edited by superswiss; 03-21-2018 at 10:51 AM.