So, would you have one over the BMW M3?
That's likely what you're asking right now, even if the magnificent 2011 Audi RS5 is yet to be officially confirmed for sale in North America. It's a question we've pondered time and again since Ingolstadt's new performance coupe was first unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show over a month ago. It's what we were thinking as we travelled to Munich last week to drive it for the first time. And it's the one thing on our mind when we're finally handed the ignition key.Defining the Enthusiast
Up to this point, we're fairly sure the answer would actually be no. After all, the BMW M3 continues to remain the yardstick by which all performance coupes are invariably measured. As common as it has become after 25 years of uninterrupted production, the M3 is still ahead of the field and, what's more, a hugely rewarding drive. But as we get close to the 2011 Audi RS5 for the first time and catch a glimpse of its muscular rear bodywork, prominent aero diffuser, oversized tailpipes and integrated trunk-mounted spoiler, we begin to doubt the BMW. Then we spot our test car's wheels, a set of the optional graphite-color 20-inchers, and they're carrying 265/35R20 tires in front and 275/30R20 tires in the rear. It is suddenly time to reappraise. We stand and stare, suddenly wondering if the M3 might finally have met its match. On looks alone, the BMW is certainly closely challenged. The Audi RS5 has an instant air of aggressiveness harking back to Audi's most celebrated road car of all time, the original Quattro. You could argue that Audi really didn't need to build this car. The Audi S5 is an excellent car in its own right, after all. But the Audi RS5 exists purely on the premise that more is better. A guilty pleasure, if you like.
The Heartbeat of Ingolstadt
At the heart of the RS5 beats the latest evolution of Audi's naturally aspirated, direct-injection 4.2-liter V8. Spinning it to 8,250 rpm produces 444 horsepower, while 317 pound-feet of torque is available from 4,000-6,000 rpm. This is 95 hp more than the Audi S5's V8 has on hand (although only 8 lb-ft of torque more), and this power plant also surpasses the output of the M3's 4.0-liter V8 by 24 hp and 22 lb-ft of torque. This is essentially the same engine Audi slots into the midengine R8, and the way it delivers its considerable level of thrust makes the RS5 a truly memorable car to drive. At low revs the engine is surprisingly subdued for a car boasting such headline-grabbing acceleration, and it has a pleasingly relaxed character that makes it a sublime companion for long-distance motoring. Regardless of what gear you find yourself in, there's always plenty of urge on tap and a compelling eagerness in the way the engine goes about its business. As the torque figure indicates, however, this engine needs to be worked fairly hard before delivering its best. But that's not a great hardship. The big V8 loves to rev, and it only gets better the more you pour into it, feeling particularly gutsy as you wind it around to the redline. Indeed, the sheer energy released through the final section of the rev range is especially impressive for such a large engine. Another reason to run this V8 hard is the hearty baritone it sings when you've got lots of throttle applied. The camshaft alters, the engine note hardens and the acceleration crystallizes into a terrific crescendo of speed and blaring exhaust.
Shifting for SpeedYou'll find Audi's latest seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission as the only gearbox of choice here. In manual mode, the gears change smoothly, precisely and rapidly — enough to persuade you that you'd be no better off with a conventional six-speed manual transmission. In automatic mode the gearchanges are slower, more hesitant and not quite as crisp. But it is nevertheless handy to be able to nudge the shift lever across the gate and go hands-free at times, especially in slow-moving city traffic. The best bit, however, is the integral launch control program. Find a suitable piece of road, dial up Dynamic mode on the Drive Select menu, switch off the electronic stability program, apply the brakes with your left foot and lay down the throttle with your right foot, then release the stoppers. Audi claims acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.6 seconds — a scant 0.1 second slower than the time BMW quotes for the M3 with its own dual-clutch transmission. Top speed is 155 mph, although it can be raised to 174 mph as part of the optional Performance package for this car.
Power to the Road
Like the RS4 before it, the RS5 is fitted with Audi's excellent Drive Select system, which allows you to tailor the characteristics of the car's steering, throttle, gearbox, suspension and even the torque split between the front and rear wheels. The problem, of course, is that in an effort to extract the best from the new Audi you find yourself constantly turning the rotary dial down on the center console to alter each setting rather than concentrating on the road ahead. Deciding on a definitive setting could take you weeks, and that's without taking into account the variations in road conditions. It's easier to accept the preselected modes. If asked to define the main difference between the RS5 and the S5 upon which it is largely based, we would say that it's the sharpness of the new car's responses. Everything its lesser two-door sibling does, the RS5 executes with greater precision. And that also goes for the way it swallows up great distances at high speed. The RS5 is a straight-line weapon with few peers. It's a car that feels immensely fast and right at home on the wide autobahn running south of Munich and beyond, with unflinching stability all the way to its claimed top speed. There's just the right amount of torque to make rapid progress simple. However, there's considerable incentive to run the engine to its limiter, because that's where the power is as well as the exhaust music.
Off the AutobahnIn ultimate terms the 3,803-pound Audi RS5 doesn't possess quite the same clarity of response or overall feedback as a BMW M3, but it has more than enough to make it a genuinely rewarding car to drive hard — and fast. The steering is pleasingly fluid in its actions and extremely accurate, allowing you to place the Audi on the road with great confidence and providing impressive agility at all speeds. With its all-wheel drive apportioning power to all four wheels and a torque-vectoring device between the rear wheels helping to provide neutral handling, the RS5 has so much grip at very high cornering speeds that there's nothing more than a hint of understeer to warn you that the enormous purchase from the tires is about to run out. Fling the RS5 into a tightening-radius bend and you get some lean, but it builds progressively without any unruly pitch to throw you off line and force you to back off prematurely. With such high levels of grip you can afford to be late on the brakes into corners and still have the confidence to get hard on the throttle before the apex to take full advantage of the tremendous traction on the exit. Indeed, the way the RS5 blasts out of corners is one of its finest dynamic traits. And the ride? Fast Audis haven't always been known to combine compliance and control in equal measure. In fact, some performance-oriented models out of Ingolstadt in recent years have been downright harsh. The RS5, however, is different. With the suspension setting in the Drive Select menu switched to automatic, the ride is so good that you wonder how Audi could have gotten it so wrong for so many years.
More Than Just Fast
The 2011 Audi RS5 feels like a class act the moment you pull the door handle and climb inside. Audi has a well-deserved reputation for turning out some of the best production car interiors, and this car upholds that honor with one of the most stylish and high-quality cabins you'll find in any car at any price. If the primary objective of the 2011 Audi RS5 has been to put one over on the BMW M3, then it's hard to see how it has failed. Stylistically, it scores with its aggressive demeanor. See it in the street and you're in no doubt that this is one badass car. It's also hard to argue about the overall effectiveness of its driveline, especially the action of its dual-clutch gearbox. In terms of overall quality, it also scores highly. In the end, it comes down to the driving experience. In ultimate terms, there is very little separating the two cars. You'd buy the Audi for the secure feel it delivers, whether in the dry or the wet. On the other hand, you'd have the BMW purely on entertainment value, as it has a kind of fizz that makes a car so desirable. Clearly it's time for a reappraisal.
