Car review: Audi RS 5, RS 3 and TT RS
Some days are just so much better than others, and yesterday was one such day. It was a day spent with Audi Sport, the sub-brand of Audi, which brings you the performance cars you long you drive.
Audi Sport launched in South Africa in July 2016 with the new Audi R8. It is a sub-brand characterised by a distinctive red rhombus and the RS badge. “Born on the track, built for the road,” this is Audi Sport!
The Audi Sport line up now boasts nine models in total. Yesterday, we got to sample the Audi RS 5 Coupé, Audi TT RS Coupé and Audi RS 3 Sportback.
Audi RS 5 Coupé
Let me start with the first model to feature the current RS design idiom, the second generation Audi RS 5 Coupé. This is the gran turismo among the RS models from Audi Sport and it is a pleasure to drive! The first thing I noticed was just how instantaneous the power delivery is. The newly developed 2.9 TFSI bi-turbo engine produces 331 kW and delivers 600 N.m of torque.
Throwing it around a gymkhana proved to be more fun than expected. I was completely mistaken in thinking its size would make it a little less agile around the tightly positioned cones. Then you hit the open road and cruising is as comfortable as one has come to expect from Audi. Navigation and the Virtual cockpit is now standard on the RS 5.
The Audi RS 5 Coupé is priced at R1 285 500
Audi RS 3 Sportback
I recently drove the RS 3 Sedan, take a look at that here:
The Audi RS 3 Sportback is priced at R895 500
Audi TT RS Coupé
I attended the launch of the new Audi TT back in 2015 and I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel of the TT RS Coupé. Yesterday, that moment came, and I was not not left disappointed. There is a huge amount of fun to be had with this car on a track, especially around a gymkhana. It is, after all, the most powerful TT of all time with a newly developed five-cylinder engine accompanied by an even more impressive sound. A jury of international motor journalists has voted the 2.5 TFSI “Engine of the Year” seven times in a row. And it is now gains a 17 percent increase in performance.
Controls and display in the new TT RS are focused completely on the driver. And so they should be, this car is for pure driving enjoyment.
The Audi TT RS Coupé is priced at R963 000
After a day spent in each of these incredible machines, it becomes abundantly clear that these cars are performance orientated, but fit in to everyday living seamlessly. This is a feat many a manufacturer attempts, but few execute as well as Audi.