X

Audi RS 5 is a brute in a suit (pictures)

Beneath some of the sexiest sheet metal on the road today, the 2013 Audi RS 5 is a bit of a brute.

Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Antuan Goodwin
AudiRS5_01.jpg
1 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

2013 Audi RS 5 is a brute in a suit

Beneath some of the sexiest sheet metal on the road today, the 2013 Audi RS 5 is a bit of a brute.
AudiRS5_03.jpg
2 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Hunker down

When compared with the A5/S5 upon which it is based, the RS coupe features a larger grille that dips closer to the road below and a more aggressive stance thanks to slightly flared fenders and a lower ride height.
AudiRS5_06.jpg
3 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

V-8 FSI engine

Behind that large intake breathes a V-8 engine that makes its 450 horsepower the old-fashioned way: with 4.2 liters of displacement and a lot of noise. Torque is stated at 317 pound-feet and hits like a sledgehammer when you pin the go pedal.
AudiRS5_17.jpg
4 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Seven-speed transmission

Before reaching the wheels, the torque is multiplied by a seven-speed S Tronic automatic transmission. The gearbox features three modes -- comfort, sport, and manual -- and can be controlled with this console shift lever or a pair of steering-wheel paddle shifters.
AudiRS5_05.jpg
5 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Quattro all-wheel drive

This variant of Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive system defaults to a 40:60 front-to-rear torque split. The rear bias is in keeping with the RS 5's sporty character, but that split can vary between 70:30 and 15:85 on demand.
AudiRS5_08.jpg
6 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Sports active differential

On the rear axle, the RS 5 features a standard sports rear differential, which can actively torque vector power to either rear wheel to help tuck the coupe into a turn.
AudiRS5_07.jpg
7 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Sport suspension

The RS 5's sport-tuned suspension is fixed and no adaptive system is available. With no "comfort" mode available, the coupe's ride is rough, but not punishing, and transmits a lot of road noise into the cabin. Still, I think I prefer the simplicity of a fixed suspension to an expensive adaptive rig.
AudiRS5_10.jpg
8 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Rear spoiler

The RS 5 is almost too much car for public use. You'll almost never do more than scratch the surface of its ability outside of a closed course without endangering yourself or others. Take it to a track, however, and it will deliver plenty of grins.
AudiRS5_11.jpg
9 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Rear spoiler

At 75 mph, the RS 5's rear spoiler extends to reduce lift and aerodynamic drag and remains elevated unless the speed drops below 50 mph. It can also be raised and lowered at the touch of a button.
AudiRS5_12.jpg
10 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

20-inch wheels

The RS 5 rolls off of the assembly line with standard 19-inch wheels, but our tester was fitted with 20-inchers shod with summer rubber, a $1,000 option.
AudiRS5_13.jpg
11 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Interior

The RS 5's cabin is standard Audi fare, which is to say that it features excellent fit and finish and an understated design.
AudiRS5_14.jpg
12 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Steering wheel

RS-specific sport seats hold the driver and front passenger in place. The RS also features this flat-bottomed, leather-trimmed steering wheel. Steering with your knees is not only a bad idea, it's also nigh impossible.
AudiRS5_15.jpg
13 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Audi MMI Navigation plus

The standard cabin tech package is probably pretty good, but our tester was equipped with the $3,550 Audi MMI Navigation Plus package. Optioning this all-inclusive infotainment package is money well spent.
AudiRS5_16.jpg
14 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Audi MMI controller

The MMI system is commanded via this MMI controller, which is located on the center console. The control knob is surrounded by shortcuts to the infotainment system's various operation modes.
AudiRS5_18.jpg
15 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Instrumentation

This is a sports car, not a video game, so the RS 5's instrumentation is suitably simple and easy to read at a glance. However, I was annoyed that the digital speedometer would disappear during navigation (replaced, understandably, with turn-by-turn directions) and I never, even after a long weekend of driving, figured out how to change the information displayed by the trip computer.
AudiRS5_19.jpg
16 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Keyless entry and start

The RS 5 can be started without removing the key from your pocket by pushing this start button. Additionally, the smart-key transponder itself can be plugged into an indentation on the dashboard and pressed to fire up the engine. When started this way, the car also recharges the transponder's battery.
AudiRS5_20.jpg
17 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Nvidia-powered maps

Audi's hard-drive-based navigation system is able to overlay Google Maps satellite imagery onto its maps, as you may have seen earlier in this gallery. However, I preferred the crisp Nvidia-powered graphics of the standard maps.
AudiRS5_21.jpg
18 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Input options

Many parts of the Audi MMI feature this sort of rotary character input that seems a bit too clunky. Fortunately, most parts of the interface can be accessed via voice command. I appreciate that the Audi system will allow full address input such as, "123 Main Street, San Francisco, California," without prompts for each part.
AudiRS5_22.jpg
19 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Address book sync

Bluetooth hands-free calling features address book syncing that actually syncs your contacts' addresses and makes possible quick navigation at the touch of a shortcut button.
AudiRS5_23.jpg
20 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

SiriusXM

SiriusXM Satellite Radio is standard on the RS 5.
AudiRS5_24.jpg
21 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

HD Radio

Terrestrial radio lovers will appreciate that the MMI Navigation Plus option also adds HD Radio tuning to the RS 5's bag of audio sources. Here we can see how the system breaks out digital substations.
AudiRS5_25.jpg
22 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Bluetooth audio streaming

USB and iPod connectivity are standard, but users of Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone devices will appreciate Bluetooth audio streaming. My Samsung Galaxy Nexus didn't display metadata, but then it never does.
AudiRS5_26.jpg
23 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Audi Drive Select

Audi's Drive Select system lets users change the steering feel, transmission mode, and sport-differential performance, with three presets and one user-customizable setting.
AudiRS5_27.jpg
24 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Car menu

The Car menu also gives users a way to change a number of convenience and safety settings, including the behavior of the lights, locks, and parking-aid proximity sensors.
AudiRS5_29.jpg
25 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Bang & Olufsen premium audio

Perhaps one of the most transparent, but worthwhile, upgrades that comes with the MMI Navigation Plus package is the Bang & Olufsen premium audio system. It won't make your crappy MP3s sound much better, but give it clean lossless or CD audio and this 15-speaker system really shines.
AudiRS5_30.jpg
26 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Carbon fiber inlays

The RS 5 further distinguishes itself from the A5/S5 with standard carbon fiber inlays throughout the cabin. Don't worry, these carbon fiber bits don't look at all cheesy or cheap.
AudiRS5_02.jpg
27 of 27 Josh Miller/CNET

Which do you prefer?

Would you choose the Audi RS 5 over the BMW M3 or the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG? Let us know in the comments.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos