Fans of practical performance Audis have some time to wait for the arrival of the first-ever five-door iteration of the brand’s RS5 midsizer. Adding two extra doors and a liftback to the existing RS5’s 331kW/600Nm 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 recipe is likely to find plenty of interest in Australia after a late summer debut. The 2019 Audi RS5 Sportback will roll into dealers in February 2019 with a price pegged to the RS5 Coupe: $157,700 before on-road costs.
That shared price (which is a bump of $1,500 for the Coupe, year on year) comes despite the additional value in the Sportback, which brings two extra doors and an electrically-operated tailgate.
The specification of the RS5 Coupe and Sportback is identical apart from shape. 20-inch wheels, LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, and red brake calipers, along with an aggressive RS body kit, differentiate both cars visually. Both are also available with a cool Sonoma Green metallic colour, a hue not available on the standard A5 or S5.
On the technical side of the ledger, Austrailan-spec RS5 Sportbacks will arrive with a number of desirable features, optional in world markets, applied as standard. These include an active torque-splitting rear differential, a sports exhaust system, and adaptive dampers.
Inside, the high level of standard specification includes Audi’s ‘Fine Nappa’ grade leather, an 8.3-inch touchscreen with navigation, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Bang & Olufsen 3D stereo, and Audi’s virtual cockpit digital driver display.
For 2019, both the incoming RS5 Sportback and the existing RS5 Coupe see additional new features that were previously optional. A head-up display, wireless phone charging, and rear USB ports are all now included.
Both RS5s make use of a 2.9-litre TFSI bi-turbo V6 petrol engine producing 331kW, and 600Nm of torque in a huge wave from 1,900rpm to 5,000rpm. The power is sent via an eight-speed torque converter automatic gearbox to all four wheels via a quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system, which sees drive distributed 40/60, front to rear. The 0-100km/ sprint is achieved in the Sportback in 3.9 seconds.
Both the front and rear independent suspension uses a five-link arrangement with Dynamic Ride Control adaptive dampers with selectable softness through adjustable drive modes.
We’ll be driving the RS5 Sportback once it lands in early 2019 – so look forward to our impressions at the end of summer.
