Audi announced the official price of the all-new RS5 in the UK market. It’ll cost £57,480 when it hits the showroom floor in Spring, and for that money you get a 450 hp V8 engine which also develops 430 nm of torque, does 0 to 60 in 4.6 seconds and has a limited top speed if 155mph. This is the closest thing to BMW M3, only it’s not just as cool. M3 is driven by people like Usain Bolt, while the Audi is the car of choice for the geeks!

New quattro technology
This remarkable engine and transmission pairing has the very best habitat in which to demonstrate its capabilities thanks to the integration of the Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) adaptive damping system adopted from the RS 6, the sport differential which already brings acute adjustability to the S4 and S5 and the latest generation quattro all-wheel-drive system with crown gear differential.

The self-locking crown-gear centre differential can widely vary the distribution of torque between the front and rear axles. If necessary, up to 70 per cent can flow to the front or as much as 85 percent towards the rear. The 40:60 ratio of the standard rear-biased configuration ensures highly responsive handling.

Audi drive select
The Audi drive select vehicle dynamics control system is a standard feature of the new RS 5. It allows the driver to switch between three modes of operation – comfort, auto, and dynamic – to adjust the steering weighting, the shift points for the seven-speed S tronic, the sport differential, Dynamic Ride Control, the engine and the exhaust system. And if the car is equipped with the optional MMI navigation system, a fourth mode allows the driver to customize their own profile. Audi drive select also controls the exhaust system’s two throttle valves and the sound flaps, enabling the exhaust note to be varied at will.

With its RS-specific spring, damper and anti-roll bar settings, the RS 5 chassis sits 20 millimetres lower than that of the Audi A5 on 19-inch five-spoke Aero design  alloy wheels fitted with 265/35 tyres. Its purposeful body is also embellished by adaptive swivelling xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights, a speed-activated rear spoiler and the now trademark oval RS tailpipes.

Inside, black Silk Nappa leather upholstery is complemented by carbon fibre and aluminium elements and additional oil temperature and lap timer gauges for circuit use. Electrically adjustable super sports seats with pronounced side sections and integrated head restraints are standard, as of course are comforts such as a 180-watt CD sound system, deluxe three-zone climate control, the Audi Parking System Plus with front and rear sensors, tyre pressure monitoring and an RS multi-function steering wheel with aluminium-look gearshift paddles.

Key options will include 20-inch alloy wheels, a sports exhaust system, HDD-based satellite navigation, adaptive cruise control and a 505-watt Bang & Olufsen audio system.