AUDI RS 5 Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Even though an all-new generation of the Audi RS5 Coupe was unveiled in the first half of 2018, Audi thought that it would be a good idea to refresh the model just a year and a half later. The very early mid-cycle facelift is a minor one regarding the car's overall design and technical areas, with Ingolstadt preferring to simply refine the model's design language and bring it more in line with its other Audi Sport stablemates.

The refresh also came at the right time to mark the quattro brand's 25th anniversary, and the car was unveiled alongside its five-door brother, the Audi RS5 Sportback. Design wise, you'd need a magnifying glass to observe all the modifications, but almost very single design motif has been revamped. The recognizable Singleframe engine grille is now wider and flatter, while the faux air vents sitting above it are inspired by the original Audi Sport quattro from 1984, the model that started the Audi Sport lineage. Wheel arches have been widened by 40 mm (1.6 in), while the optional matrix LED headlights with laser light technology now feature darkened bezels. The side sills and faux aerodynamic diffuser in the rear bumper have also been refreshed and can be further individualized with gloss black, matte aluminum or even carbon fiber styling packages. The 2.9-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 has the same output as its predecessor, with 450 horsepower and 600 Nm (442.5 lb-ft) of torque on tap sent to all four wheels.

The second generation of the Audi RS5 was launched in 2017 was the top of the range version for the A5 Coupe. It was lighter, faster, and far more fuel-efficient than its predecessor.

There are the small details that will tell to the connoisseurs that the 2017 Audi RS5 had some design cues inspired by the Audi 90 IMSA GTO race-car. But since the difference in the bodywork look was changed dramatically since then, the RS5 could take only the black rearview mirrors and the small air-scoops next to the front, big, single-frame, grille.

When compared with the rest of the Audi S5 lineup, the RS5 had a lot of differences. The grille was wider and narrower, the honeycomb mesh inside it and the air-scoops and vents next to the Matrix-LED headlights were some of the cues. In the rear, the diffuser under the bumper wasn't there only for the show. It had an active role in keeping the car on the road.

Inside the cabin, the bucket-seats had the RS badges on the seatbacks. The MMI infotainment unit featured a 7" screen, while an 8.5" monitor was an option. The instrument cluster featured as standard large analog dials, but as an option, it was offered the Audi virtual cockpit with a 12.3" TFT display.

The technical improvements were important. The front and rear suspension were changed when compared with the previous RS5. A new 5-link suspension was installed in the rear that replaced the trapezoidal one as before. Thanks to the smaller engine, a bi-turbo V6 instead of the older V8, and the extensive use of the aluminum, the 2017 RS5 was 60 kg (132.2 lbs) lighter than before. And, after all, it was faster, more fuel-efficient and more planted to the road.

Audi already had a good history of making performance coupes in 2010 when it launched the RS version for the A5 coupe model. And it offered supercar performance.

The world was not recovered yet from the economic crisis, but Audi considered that the RS5 had to be launched “now or never”. Considering this, it showed the car and it increased its sporting image on the market. It was the car that could stand against the CLK AMG versions and the BMW M3 Coupe. Unlike its main rivals, the RS5 featured a new all-wheel-drive system.

When Audi launches an RS version, some specific design cues will tell the bystanders that that was not a regular vehicle. The silver lip-spoiler placed on the bottom of a sculptured front bumper with big air intakes, the single-frame grille with silver contour and mesh-design, the silver rearview mirrors, were all part of a complete package for a high-performance coupe. Two big large exhausts in the rear and an automatic trunk-spoiler completed the package.

Inside, the car featured sport-bucket seats and a plethora of leather upholstery. A thick steering wheel was installed. The instrument cluster featured the dials in circles and the RS5 letters on the background.

Under the hood, there was a big 4.2-liter V8 with direct fuel injection. The 7-speed S-Tronic gearbox sent the power to a specially tuned and developed all-wheel-drive system, that sent more torque to the rear axle, to a sport differential. Audi tried to make the car feel more like a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, with some help from the electronics.