- Audi RS5 is coming to North America by September 2011.
- European sales of the left-hand-drive RS5 start in June 2010.
- RS5 base pretax price in Germany is 65,300 euros (U.S. $88,650), 32.4 percent over the S5 price.
MALAGA, Spain — After a long period of hemming and hawing about the issue, Audi has decided to bring the long-awaited RS5 coupe to the United States.
A product marketing contact from Quattro GmbH, the division at the Neckarsulm factory that builds the RS models, tells Inside Line, "We have voted on it and the car is coming over definitely. But," he adds, "it will be more than a year out from the start of deliveries in Western Europe."
As the general feeling among the Quattro specialists is that an S5 coupe V8 with 444 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque tied to an 8,250-rpm redline, no matter how desirable, will not sell in really huge numbers, every RS5 coupe shipped over will be fully optioned. This includes the rear-axle sport differential, Dynamic Ride Control software upgrades, and possibly the chromed thundering Boysen sport exhaust — all optional in other markets.
The RS5 coupe is Audi's first production car to carry the third-generation Quattro all-wheel drive system, which is almost 15 pounds lighter overall, uses a crown-wheel center differential for a wider distribution of torque to either the front (up to 70 percent) or rear axle (up to 85 percent), and incorporates standard torque vectoring between the four wheels in the ESP software to combat notorious understeer.
If we're to go by the German-market 32.4 percent price hike for the Audi RS5 coupe over the S5 coupe, U.S. pricing would start at around $69,500. With the options list tossed in as standard North American kit, however, make it an MSRP of just over $75,000.
The Quattro folks threw a dart at the end of August or early September 2011 for the first North American deliveries.
Inside Line says: The A5-bodied family is so appealing that even the two-door RS5 should find a larger audience than Audi anticipates. This is one that really can take it hard-core to the BMW M3 coupe and future Mercedes C63 coupe. Couldn't they bring it sooner, though? — Matt Davis, Correspondent
Add A Comment »
evokiller says:
06:54 AM, 08/26/2010
You people are idiots if you are trying to compare an RS5 and a GTR.
GTR is faster in every aspect of the game, 0-60 1.5 seconds faster.
Faster Quarter mile, faster salom, better breaking, better engine performance and bhp output and torque.
And to VVVVVVVV who thinks they compare because the rs5 doesn't have navi....
It has audi's version of Idrive and http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/10q2/audi_rs5_confirmed_for_u.s.-car_news/gallery/2010_audi_rs5_interior_photo_42
Take a look....
Audi is being ridiculas about prices.
I could maybe see the car selling for 3-4 grand more than an M3... but 30% more?
Idiots are out of their minds.
Your better off buying an S5 and putting an exhaust system on from mtm and a supercharger.
Puts out over 510 bhp for 2/3 the total cost of the rs5.
benzbmwfan says:
02:21 PM, 05/04/2010
Thats pretty stupid logic if you ask me, did you ever think of why you see some many people buy m3's? Just think about it for a second...and as far as the rs5 being exclusive, thats jsut plain dumb. A 90,000 car is by no means exclusive. An s class is well over 100,000 but its not an exclusive car, mad people have them because they are just about the best in their class! I do not see that many s5's..does that make it exclusive? NO! Its because its not as popular as a 335 or m3 and does not carry the same driving feel you get with BMW. When you get into the 200k range you can talk exclusive. An AMG black series is an exlcusive car and it would shit on the rs5. Audi is just a glorified VW with a good AWD system and after test driving many of them I would never buy one.
truecarfan says:
05:53 AM, 04/25/2010
jeremy_c: in regard to the incentives - you are correct that the accountants are deciding where Audi should sell it's cars. If you have two lemonade stands on the opposite ends of town and you can sell a cup for $1.00 at one but on the other side of town the people are only willing to pay $.50 - where would you send most of your product???? It's called smart business - however unfortunate it is for us...
in terms of the development of the vehicles - i think just by looking at the materials used (inside and out) - Audi has a reason to want back as much of a return on investment as they can get!
truecarfan says:
11:34 AM, 04/24/2010
Why do people compare an AMG Benz or RS Audi to a Nissan GTR??? Those are luxury cars pushed towards the sporting end....whereas the Nissan is a purely hardcore car. The Nissan compares to a 911 GT2 or 3. I would even say the 911 Turbo since that is also AWD.
That is not even serious comparing the RS5 and a GTR. Which owner can drive a GTR every day on every street (regardless of AWD)??
vvvvvvv says:
01:54 PM, 04/22/2010
stingray454 bob lutz hosted a track day to challenge the ctsv around a track and a m3 beat it
vvvvvvv says:
01:53 PM, 04/22/2010
desmolicious the audi wont have navi, leather, sunroof, auto, and other as standard
vvvvvvv says:
01:52 PM, 04/22/2010
bmw m3 is better at a cheaper price 100 grand for an audi the bme will be better
ChromieD says:
01:28 AM, 04/22/2010
jeremy_c - Stop flailing around with your argument. You're right, but more of us are a little more right than you are. Live with it. The suspension alone on a GT-R feels like bricks packed with mud. The design is literally based on some juvenile slab-sided boombox/Transformers idea that only a Far Easterner could create and live with as a final product to sell. It is a fast muzzerfugger, yeah, but it is chunky style with absolutely no creamy side to it.
The Germans and Caddie and others that sort of compete are all giving us a car that can raise hell but which can also drive us sweetly around pretty much any day. And the Germans are all filled with comfort-enabling tech that actually does give great comfort. The GT-R is always a baseball bat to the head and is ridiculous as an everyday driver, especially in the city or at any slower speeds whatsoever.
They may be cross-shopped, but not very sincerely. More out of pure curiosity. Those who take the GT-R are never going to be won over by the more refined alternatives from everyone else. Maybe, as others have indicated rightly, the Porsche GT3 and its RS version, too. On the other hand, those who have one of the Germans or a CTS-V might easily also buy a GT-R for some quality "alone time".
jeremy_c says:
12:11 PM, 04/21/2010
Not a die hard Nissan fan but seems like you tick off a few nerves (as expecteded) when the GT-R is mentioned around these Euro hot rods. I never hurled insults and personal attack, just based my points on fact but I see some emotions and reference to "manhood" etc in the responses. hmmm, insecurity perhaps?
So the RS5, C63 are considered luxury car, with their stiff punichsing ride and all?
Yes there will always difference between GT-R and these cars, but they compete for a small number of buys who are interested in performance. (if someone is not interested in speed, peformance, they will buy an A4 or A6). How can you argue that someone wants a RS5 for its luxury features and acceleration is not a factor? And you really think someone paying $80K for a RS badge has no interest in any bragging rights? And I am the one not seeing reality? Talk about sucking and blowing at the same time.
You can say that a Mexican restaurant and a Chinese restaurant are not direct competitors but if they are located across from each other and patrons can and will choose to spend their money in either one, then they do compete with each other.
half_ton says:
11:31 AM, 04/21/2010
It appears that REALITY is being left out of these discussions so let's consider the following:
The GT-R is a world class performance machine and that is what the vehicle was designed for. Much Like a Porsche or Ferrari for example, these cars are NOT equal parts luxury and performance nor do they pretend to be. When I hear, read or see these vehicles I think of them for what they are; street legal racecars built for speed.
As I stated earlier the performance vehicles from Cadillac, Audi, Mercedes and BMW all start as luxury vehicles as the building block of their DNA and they are tuned in-house to be performance vehicles. Can they also go fast; absolutely. Can they match the pure performance of a Corvette Z06 (amongst others) probably not.
Besides, how fast a car can hit 60 is only relevant on the track and for bragging rights. Exactly where in the REAL world are you going to put a car's performance credentials to the test? In city driving while trying to avoid an accident with the teenager texting next to you? Or how about the grocery store parking lot while you try to beat the soccer mom in her minivan/CUV for the closest parking spot? When you're doing 75-80mph on the highway are you REALLY going to care that your car can get to 100mph 0.01 second faster than the guy in the next lane?
If you want to compare apples to apples take a GT-R and put it next to a Porsche 911GT3. Just make sure you leave your small manhood and fragile ego at home since performance means SO MUCH to you.