2023 Audi RS 5 Competition Package Is Even Angrier Than Usual
New components help reduce weight and improve driving dynamics.
There's always room for a little extra somethin'-somethin' at the top of an automaker's performance lineup. Take the Audi RS 5, for example. It is a competent sports car in its standard guise, but Audi still believes there's some room for improvement, which is where a new options package comes in.
Audi on Tuesday unveiled the 2023 RS 5 Competition package. Available on both the RS 5 Coupe and the RS 5 Sportback, the goal of the package is to expand the car's performance envelope. There are a million ways to crack that egg, and Audi didn't just limit itself to one specific upgrade.
The RS 5 Competition will be a bit louder, thanks to a unique sport exhaust with matte-black tailpipes and a little less sound insulation, which contributes 18 fewer pounds to the car's curb weight. A new coilover suspension system drops the ride height by 0.4 inches (with the option to lower it another 0.4 on top of that), while new front and rear sway bars help stiffen the body during lateral movement.
The RS 5's computer also gets some tweaks, too, improving shift speeds in sportier vehicle modes and raising the top speed to 174 mph. Overall dynamics are further boosted through a retuned sport steering system, tweaks to the rear differential and sticky Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires.
Audi didn't gloss over aesthetic improvements, either. The RS 5 Competition package adds microfiber suede to the existing Nappa leather, in addition to a number of glossy black elements, as well as unique puddle lamps and a special Competition-specific graphic for the digital gauge cluster. Outside, matte carbon fiber covers the splitter, diffuser and mirror caps. Buyers can opt for a Sebring Black paint job with a crystal effect that's only available with the Competition package, too.
This is one of Audi's premier performance cars, so it's no surprise that neither the RS 5 nor the Competition package would be considered inexpensive. A 2023 RS 5 Coupe starts at $76,995 including destination, while the Sportback only adds $300 to the bottom line, and the Competition package will ask for an additional $16,100 on top of that. Orders are expected to commence this June.