German automaker Audi is bringing to North America its 2019 RS 5 Sportback, a super-sporty variant of what is at heart an A5. The versions of the A5 have multiplied over the years – a sign that the model resonates with consumers.
Now, Audi is delivering to North American consumers what they’d been hoping to see for several years, on a silver platter. Or make that a gold-plated one, since the starting price listed by Audi is set at $74,200 USD, or what we predict will be around $90,000 CAD, once Canadian details are announced. We arrived at this figure by looking at the difference in the American and Canadian pricing for the RS 3 ($54,900 USD and $62,900 CAD, respectively).
We’ll await conformation from Audi Canada before we set the new numbers in stone, but the actual pricing should be in that ballpark.
And what does the buyer get for all that?
A beast, is what. In fact, the RS 5 Sportback, which belongs to the same Audi Sport family at the RS 7, the RS 5 Coupe, the TT RS Coupe, the R8 and the R8 Spyder, is powered by a 2.9L twin-turbo V6 generating 444 hp and 443 lb-ft f torque. The car can go from 0-100 km/h in a mere 3.8 seconds, officially fast enough to make you swallow your dentures.
Mechanically, the menu of equipment features a wide range of advanced technologies. The V-shaped engine contains two turbochargers, improving speed and performance. Combustion is achieved differently in this powertrain, with the compression periods being shortened, while the expansion phases are longer.
All of these changes are in the service of maximizing both power AND efficiency.
No surprise, Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system is present, and the powertrain includes a Tiptronic 8-speed automatic transmission.
For the rest, the suspension of the new RS 5 has been lowered by 7 mm in comparison with the 2018 editions of the model, and bene tweaked to optimize performance, particularly when cornering. Buyers can choose an option for accessing adjustable settings – a luxury add-on that is well worth the extra cost given the infamous quality of many Canadian roads.
The 2019 RS 5 Sportback is expected at dealerships before the end of 2018. Ironically, Audi is debuting this highly sports-minded model in North America at the same time that it announces the removal of manual transmissions from all of its models sold in the market here, starting next year.
