2023 Audi RS5 Competition Finally Finds Its Voice

Of the many memorable engine notes throughout history, Audi has offered up a couple of great bangers. The whoosh and warble of the turbo inline-five from the groundbreaking Quattro conjures up peak rally greatness and is a brand-defining classic. More recently, the first-generation RS5 thrummed to the palpable beat of a 4.2-liter V-8. Capable of spinning up to a dizzying 8250 rpm redline, its baritone scream created a lusty, lasting impression. But when the second-generation RS5 debuted for 2018, it lost not only its V-8 but also its attendant sonorous beauty. Although quicker than and technologically superior to the old 4.2-liter, the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6 delivered its stouter punch with all the emotional engagement of Mark Zuckerberg testifying before Congress. Someone at Audi must have been listening to this deafening silence because the 2023 Audi RS5 Competition finally has something interesting to say.

In its quest to make some noise, Audi started by ditching nearly 18 pounds of sound insulation at the firewall to allow more of the natural engine sound to filter into the cabin. A new exhaust system helps to further uncork some combustive clamor. We suspect Audi has also turned up the digital enhancement, but at least now it’s working with better source material.

No longer going about its duty with bland stoicism, this newly vociferous mill responds with an authoritative growl even at partial throttle. Throughout the rev range, the engine is now a much more willing accomplice, communicating its joy rather than concealing it.

While the character of the V-6 is vastly improved, its output ratings remain the same as before: 444 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, sent to all four wheels. We feel Audi missed an opportunity here to join the ranks of Alfa Romeo and BMW, whose blown sixes both push out more than 500 horsepower from similar displacement. Audi claims that revised engine software increases responsiveness and trims 0.1 second from the zero-to-60-mph sprint. The last RS5 coupe we tested managed 3.5 seconds—quicker than the Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio’s 3.6-second run but far shy of the BMW M4 Competition xDrive’s 2.8-second blitz. The RS5’s top speed rises to a lofty 180 mph.

Similarly, the chassis also benefits from a personality makeover. A highly tunable coil-over suspension offers a variety of manual adjustments to ride height, compression, and rebound. Hunkered down at its most pavement-hugging setting, the RS5 Competition sits a full 0.8 inch lower than the stock RS5. We applaud this intriguingly mechanical flexibility, even as we question how many drivers will take advantage of its capabilities. Despite being lower and stiffer, this trick suspension sacrifices little in ride quality, as we discovered on the twisty and bumpy mountain roads in southern Spain.

This renewed sense of vigor carries over to the track as well. The Ascari raceway outside of Ronda features an entertaining sequence of downhill bowls, off-camber sweepers, and a couple of sharp left-handers that always arrive sooner than you expect. The RS5 charged through the course with a fervent glee. The eight-speed automatic will now hold shifts at redline in manual mode, but we found the programming to be so good we simply let the gearbox do its thing. Upshifts are announced with a decisive, kinetic shove, as if high-fiving the engine’s friskier demeanor. Dive into a corner and the transmission holds steadfast onto the proper gear for exit, even tickling the rev limiter if necessary. Lap after lap, the carbon-ceramic brakes kept their cool, repeatedly erasing two tons of momentum without fade and drama.

When we last invited the RS5 to our Lightning Lap, in 2018, we fought to tame its hyperactive torque-vectoring rear differential. Audi seems to have exorcised those tail-happy demons; the RS5 Competition now rotates predictably, rather than impulsively, through a corner. The fixed-ratio steering also made navigating through turns more confidence inspiring, though we felt it could stand to be even a hair quicker. Grippy Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber provides tremendous stick and highlights the directional stability of the stiffer chassis. This RS5 wants to play.

As for its appearance, the RS5 Competition is not as extroverted as its mechanical side. In lieu of specific badging, the Competition package can be identified by its matte-black tailpipes and 20-inch bicolor wheels. The front splitter, rear diffuser, and exterior mirror housings are treated to a matte-carbon finish. The Audi four-rings logo joins the blackout. An exclusive color for the Competition package is Sebring Black, though it’s more of a sparkly, deep celestial blue in person. Apparently unsatisfied with the amount of black inside the cabin, Audi has paired it with an even darker shade called “super black.” Red accents provide a pop of color on the seatbelts and floor mats. Contrasting red stitching highlights the steering wheel, shift lever, and center console.

Alas, this bold newfound character comes at an equally assertive cost. The Competition package runs a hefty $16,100, and selecting it also triggers a seemingly unrelated $500 side-assist option. Together they bump the price of the RS5 coupe to $93,595 and the Sportback to $93,895. While that’s a significant premium over the quicker and more powerful BMW M3/M4 Competition xDrive, adding carbon-ceramic brakes and carbon bits to the BMW puts the two Germans on relatively equal footing. For 2023, the Mercedes-AMG C63 returns, this time sporting a turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid making 671 horsepower. With the Audi’s much-improved engine note and driving dynamics, though, it’s not so much about the numbers. It’s more about the song you want to sing.

Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com