Even among the swath of electric vehicles entering the market, fast petrol-powered German sedans will forever hold a special place in the hearts of enthusiasts.
The happy medium for decades, these cars have the attitude and performance of a sports car but with the practicality of an SUV. Sadly, they’re a dying breed in a world where crossovers rule the sales charts. But that isn’t stopping the world’s greatest automakers from filling the niche petrolheads so desperately lust over, and even with a clear focus on an electrified future, Audi just released another tasty dish—the Audi RS 5 Competition Plus.
Three names come to mind when you think about fast German sedans: BMW M3, Mercedes-AMG C63, and Audi RS 5. However, the Audi has fallen behind the 8-ball in recent years, becoming far too sensible and restrained in the eyes of many. So does this new hardcore Audi RS 5 Competition Plus swansong give Audi loyalists their fix? I spent a week with the car to find out.
RELATED: 2024 Audi RS 6 Avant Performance Review.
The standard Audi RS 5 costs from AUD$168,015 plus on-road costs, which puts it up against the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance (from AUD$187,900 plus on-roads) and BMW M3 Competition (from AUD$177,800 plus on-roads).
The Competition Plus package is a $13,990 option that raises the Audi RS 5 Competition Plus price to AUD$182,005, plus on-road costs. Here’s the complete list of pricing:
- Audi RS 5 – $168,015
- Audi RS 5 Sportback competition plus package – $182,005 (+$13,990)
- Audi RS 5 Sportback competition plus package with RS bucket seats – $183,305 (+$15,290)
It’s a pricey vehicle, but considering just 75 Competition Plus vehicles will be coming to Australia across the RS 4 Avant and RS 5 Sportback range, it’s likely to be a highly sought-after vehicle, according to Jeff Mannering, Director of Audi Australia: “I anticipate these will become highly sought-after collectibles for those fortunate enough to secure one,” he said. “These specially-packaged cars offer an elevated level of performance to what was already a powerhouse duo.”
Like the Audi RS 6 Performance and Audi RS 7 Performance that I drove earlier this year, it’s the sum of all the parts that make the Audi RS 5 Competition Plus a special vehicle to drive.
The Biturbo 3.0-litre V6’s power remains the same, producing 331kW of power from 5,700-6,700rpm and 600Nm of torque from 1,900-5,000rpm. However, it’s quicker in a straight line, thanks to changes in the TCU and ECU, which reduce the 0-100km/h time by 0.1 seconds to 3.8 seconds.
It might not hold a torch to the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance and BMW M3 Competition, but that probably says more about how ridiculously fast those cars are because the RS 5 is very quick.
Like every Audi with the brand’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, I love that you can use all of the power all the time. This is made all the more obvious by the updated software in the transmission control unit, which reduces shifting times and increases the spread between the driving modes, and the ECU software changes which result in tighter load changes in S mode when “Dynamic” drive select is active.
It’s fair to say that the standard car suffered from a lack-lustre engine character, but the combination of the new RS sports exhaust system plus (with tailpipes in matt black) and the reduced insulation between the engine compartment and interior has added some much-needed character to the car. This also helps reduce weight by 8 kilograms, which is always a bonus.
Get under the skin of the Audi RS 5 Competition Plus, and you’ll find the biggest change is the RS Sport Suspension Pro manually adjustable coilover suspension. This reduces the ride height by 10 mm over the standard RS model, and you can manually drop it another 10 mm for an overall ride height that is 20 mm lower than the series standard.
Not only does this create a meaner look from the outside, but the lower centre of gravity and higher spring rate mean the car feels more glued to the tarmac while attacking corners.
The three-way adjustable dampers and stiffer stabilisers also make it keener to attack corners. Meanwhile, the dynamic steering is fixed at a ratio of 1:13.1, which lets you better place the car in the mid-corner. It’s simply a more agile and keen driving experience. Oh, and it’s significantly more fun, too.
Finally, there’s an enhanced quattro sport differential, which is particularly obvious in the “dynamic” driving mode, and specially tuned ABS software, which reduces the braking distance from 100 km/h by up to two metres in combination with the optional Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres.
You could critique the interior of the Audi RS 5 Competition Plus for being a little old-school. However, I quite like the abundance of physical buttons and the lack of giant touchscreen displays.
There’s a simple 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto in the centre of the cabin, a wireless phone charger, a 19-speaker, 755-watt Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System, and wireless phone charging, head-up display, and a digital drivers display up front. This just about rounds out the technology, and it gives you everything you want – nothing more, nothing less.
The panoramic sunroof remains, as does the fine Nappa leather upholstery with honeycomb-patterned stitching. However, the seats and materials have changed, and the optional RS front bucket seats are an absolute necessity for us.
Finished in Dinamica, they can be paired with the existing ‘RS design package’ in red ($3,400), which also adds an Alcantara steering wheel, shifter knob, centre console knee pads with contrasting stitching in crescendo red, seat belts in black with red edging, and front RS logo floor mats in black with contrasting red stitching.
Finally, the exterior is now available in a matching crystal-effect “Sebring Black” finish, while the four rings on the hood and the trunk lid are finished in matching gloss black. I’d also recommend optioning the 20-inch 5-Y spoke-milled, gloss-turned wheels, which let everyone know you’re driving a limited-edition ‘Competition Plus’ Audi RS5, not one of those basic standard models. Wrap them in optional Pirelli P Zero Corsa high-performance tyres if you want to set lap times.
Priced from $182,005 plus on-road costs, the Audi RS 5 Sportback competition plus package celebrates everything great about fast German sedans.
While there are faster, more affordable, and newer vehicles at this price point, none have the limited-edition 75 model run allure that the Audi RS 5 Sportback Competition Plus can offer. It might be a niche model for a small group of Audi loyalists, but what they’re getting is a significantly improved car and, quite simply, the best RS 5 created.
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