Audi’s 444bhp RS 5 Coupe available in time for summer

Audi has taken the covers off the hot version of its latest A5 Coupe – the eagerly awaited RS 5.

Fitted with a Porsche-sourced 2.9-litre V6, if there was ever a car to take on the BMW M4 and Mercedes C63 AMG, this is it.

Click here for more Audi A5 lease deals

A quick glance confirms that this is no ordinary A5. It benefits from the new RS look which will eventually be rolled out across Audi’s sporting range.

Larger air intakes, a splitter and beefier bits of trim that can be specced in gloss, carbon fibre or aluminium are all immediately noticeable up front.

Review: New Audi A5 Cabriolet

Extended wheel arches are filled out by standard 19in alloy wheels. Round the back you’ll find a sporty looking diffuser, as well as a pair of huge chromed exhaust pipes.

More sedate A5s already boast one of the nicest interiors on the market, but the RS 5 takes it to a whole new level.

all the trim is covered in leather or Alcantara while, like the exterior, a number of different trim materials can be specced.

The driver also gets one of the best-looking steering wheels we’ve seen in a long time – it’s flat-bottomed and is made up entirely of Alcantara, with intricate red stitching finishing the look.

There’s a ton of standard equipment too, with Audi’s excellent Virtual Cockpit replacing the instrument cluster.

Fancy something else with an RS badge? How about one of these five?

The touchscreen infotainment system comes with Audi’s navigation system, Apple Car Play and Android Auto Compatibility, and is even wifi-enabled.

The 2.9-litre V6 under the bonnet produces 444bhp – that’s almost identical to its predecessor’s figure.

However, thanks a 170Nm increase in torque, the new twin-turbo engine is even swifter; 0-62 mph takes 3.9 seconds and with the dynamic package, goes on to 174mph.

As for the drivetrain, Audi’s famed Quattro 4WD system is present, while a new system allows you to adjust the engine’s torque levels.

All RS 5s come with a high-tech eight-speed automatic gearbox, although as usual the dual-clutch transmission allows you to make manual shifts when you want to.

The new, smaller engine also means it’s more efficient than the old car – by 17% to be exact. It’s capable of 32.5mpg (combined), while CO2 figures have dropped to 197g/km too.

Available to order later this month, Audi’s flagship coupe gets a list price of £62,900, and lease deals will be on our site soon. If you can’t wait though, you can check out deals on the new, standard A5 here.