The vast majority of Audi buyers are looking for a car that combines performance and refinement. But for those who want a true premium vehicle without sacrificing design elegance, Audi has created the RS 5. One thing’s certain, it certainly won’t disappoint them.
But what about the feeling behind the wheel? Audi Blainville, your Audi dealer of choice in the Laurentians and on the North Shore of Montreal, gives you its opinion on this model following a test drive of the 2021 Audi RS 5 Coupé, which is the latest iteration.
Design: in typical Audi RS fashion, a charismatic and muscular exterior styling.
The first chapter of our test drive is the exterior styling, which was our first contact point with the car on the dealer’s parking lot. We’ll stop the suspense right now: this car is so expressive it’s a real showstopper!
Indeed, the 2021 RS 5 Coupé is a real eye-catcher on the road, with its elegant and ultra-sporty profile and its very menacing front end, which commands respect. Large air intakes, an extra-large grille and stunning 20-inch wheels with an athletic design: the bold lines of this supersport coupé with the 4 rings seduced us instantly!
Moreover, various design packages are available, which will allow owners to add an extra touch of sportiness to their future RS 5, both inside and out. The result will be an Audi super sports vehicle that is entirely their own!
Technical Specifications
With such an impressive design, the 2021 Audi RS 5 Coupé had to measure up under the front hood. But we were instantly reassured when we saw what was inside.
The front compartment of our high-performance Audi coupé housed a powerful twinturbo V6 engine that produces 444 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. Mated to an 8-speed tiptronic transmission, it allows the 2021 Audi RS 5 Coupé to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds, according to Audi Canada, with an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.
However, Audi Canada offers a very interesting sport package for those who are more demanding. This package, which was present on our tester, raises the top speed to 280 km/h. Our RS 5 test car also featured dynamic steering as well as the Sport Plus RS suspension. As for the legendary quattro all-wheel drive system, it was of course standard.
But the most impressive thing about the RS 5 is the energy-efficiency figure claimed by the manufacturer. Indeed, despite its impressive horsepower output, the 2021 RS 5 Coupé is rated at 9.5 L/100 km on the highway. That’s simply staggering!
So, as you can imagine, the technical specifications of our ultra-high performance Audi coupé have won us over. But we still have to see for ourselves the reality behind the wheel, which we can’t wait to do!
Interior (design and on-board equipment)
After having been seduced by the exterior, it was time for us to go inside to discover the interior, or rather to admire it! Indeed, it exudes elegance and performance. The flat-bottom steering wheel, carbon fibre appliqués, red stitching on the seats and red stripes on the seat belts were a reminder of the car’s high-performance credentials in every detail. And if you add to that the flawless fit and finish and the perfect ergonomics of the controls, you get the very best when it comes to cabin design. Nothing less!
Sporty inside and out, our 2021 RS 5 Coupé did not forget anything about comfort and technology. Nappa leather upholstery (Valcona leather is standard), a 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit with 3 display modes as a dashboard, a 10.1-inch central display to control navigation and infotainment, and a 755-watt, 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system: we had all the luxury we could have dreamed of for our test drive!
Safety
Our review of the various features offered by our 2021 Audi RS 5 Coupé would not have been complete without a mention about its safety features. It’s quite simple: the high-performance Audi coupé offers the very best safety innovations. From Audi Lane Assist and adaptive cruise control with Stop&Go function to traffic sign recognition, our RS 5 Coupé offered advanced driver assistance systems that allowed us to drive in complete confidence!
Impressions on the road
It’s now time for us to start the long-awaited road test of our RS 5. We fire up the V6, which wakes up with a vengeance before settling down with a noble whine which is a characteristic of this type of engine architecture. Next, we leave the parking lot of the Audi dealer in Blainville and head for the nearest highway.
And from the very first meters, the supersport coupé with the four rings surprises us with its ride quality. The suspension of our RS 5 absorbs the roughness and the few potholes with an amazing efficiency. At no time did we feel shaken! Nor did we experience any parasitic body movement. Amazing!
We are now on the slip road to the highway. This is the perfect opportunity to test the acceleration of our RS 5! As soon as the right pedal is depressed, our Audi RS leaps forward with force, picking up kilometres per hour with dizzying speed. The 0-100 figure claimed by the manufacturer is more than confirmed, as it even seems conservative to us! We confirm these first impressions with two lightning-fast overtakings: the acceleration is dazzling.
Now comes a first fast curve, then a second. Perfect to see how our coupé corners at high speeds! And as we expected, the steering is extremely precise, placing the vehicle exactly where we want it to be. Our RS 5 is also perfectly planted on its wheels, and body roll is non-existent. The suspension is firm, but still very comfortable and efficient!
After about 30 km, we take the first exit to go back in the opposite direction. But at the same time, a heavy rain starts to fall! This is an unhoped-for opportunity to put the legendary quattro AWD system of our 2021 Audi RS 5 Coupé to the test. And as we expected, it has literally glued our vehicle to the road the whole way back, like a Velcro.
Conclusion: the 2021 RS 5 Coupé is THE benchmark in its class. Period!
That’s our opinion after our test drive with the 2021 Audi RS 5 Coupé. With its perfect balance of comfort and performance thanks to its ultra-precise handling, and its timeless and athletic yet elegant lines, the RS 5 is one of the few premium sports coupés that can offer outstanding driving enjoyment at all times!
To learn more about the new 2021 Audi RS 5 Coupé, or to book your test drive of one of our Audi RS5 models, come see us as soon as today at Audi Blainville! We are located in the Laurentians, on the North Shore of Montreal.
