VIDEO: Audi RS5 at the Nurburgring is "böse" - that's German for "evil"
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi RS5 undergoing testing
Audi's RS engines have never failed to deliver aurally. They don't even require you to wring them out -- just turn them on, and your ears and body cavities tingle with the sound and resonance. The Audi RS5 will continue that tradition admirably, if this video of it running The 'Ring is any indication. Based on that note, unless they've tweaked the exhaust from the 4.2-liter V8, it sounds to us like there's a certain V10 lurking in that engine bay. And if that's the case, this car has just made the number one slot on our Every Day Audi wish list. Follow the jump for the symphony. Thanks for the tip, Mike!
Gallery: Audi RS5 - spy shots
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
tizzyd 7:37PM (1/19/2009)
Wow. That sounds fantastic, but that is definitely a V8 under the hood, and from the fast shifts and closely-spaced gear ratios, id bet its a 7-Speed DSG to compete with BMW's 7-Speed M-DCT. I'll always like the M3 more, just because its RWD, and getting the tail out is too much fun to give up. I'd rather oversteer than understeer.
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Tim 7:49PM (1/19/2009)
I completely disagree.
There's definitely an unusual pulse pattern in that exhaust note.
It's smoother than a V-8, but not quite the ripping silk of a V-12. And given that Audi has a V-10 available AND this is an RS5, I'm gonna have to agree with Mr. Ramsey.
It's a V-10.
Tim 7:53PM (1/19/2009)
I just took a quick look at the Top Gear from Series 11 where Hamster test drives an RS6, and I'm convinced that's a V-10 in the RS5.
gdn86 8:34PM (1/19/2009)
I agree with you tizzyd. There is no way that is a V10. It is too throaty to be a V10 and has the same whine as the motor in the RS4. Even if there was turbo muffle due to them using the twin turbo 10 in the RS6, it sounds nothing like that. And also, lets not forget that this is basically the coupe version of the A4 with virtually all of the same underpinnings. My money is on a slightly different tune with a slightly different exhaust set-up.
B 9:47PM (1/19/2009)
Its the v10, listen to some S8 v10 exhaust videos on youtube.
Chase 10:30PM (1/19/2009)
For everyone's enjoyment (the S8 accelerating):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H8U2Em0zUc
It does have an uncanny similarity to the NA V10. 500 hp in an A4? What is this world coming to...
gdn86 11:34PM (1/19/2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZFc0NBArZA&feature=related
Thats the sound of an RS4 at the ring. The sounds are almost identical.
tizzyd 12:12AM (1/20/2009)
yeah, its got that same platting noise that the V8 in the RS4, R8, and even the B6 and B7 S4s make. It's a V8, no doubt in my mind. Can everyone agree that its a DSG though, those gearchanges are definitely being made by a twin clutch system
Kevin C 12:38AM (1/20/2009)
its definitely a dsg box, my 2.0t gti makes a similar pulse/popping sound between shifts. as does any other vag dsg box out there.
tizzyd 7:39PM (1/19/2009)
I'd also bet the M3 is the better handling car, Audi's (save the R8) tend to have their engines mounted so far up that they understeer, the RS4 does.
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Valentino Amoro 11:01PM (1/19/2009)
Thats actually incorrect. The S4 and the new RS5 have latitudinal torque vectoring in addition to the rear biased quattro. In front engine mounted cars that have a front wt bias (like the Evo X and Nissan GTR), this provides a turning moment around a pivot (the engine/front axle). This inturn allows you to accelerate out of corners just turning the wheel and mashing the gas.
It's what makes the Evo X and GTR stand out compared to it's rivals. The 911 turbo for example cannot do this and an M3 will drift or oversteer if you mash the gas on the corner.
The RS5 can be expected to be a killer. As far as steering feel and overall delicacy goes, the M3 probably may be a more 'fine tuned' machine, but I expect this car to be faster (and unfortunately, a lot more expensive).
I'll take a Z06 in cyber gray please. (Not that these compete)
Valentino Amoro 11:04PM (1/19/2009)
Sorry I didnt clarify, the new S4 has it as an option, although the rest of the car is not optimized as much (being an S model compared to an RS).
tizzyd 12:14AM (1/20/2009)
didn't know that, thanks for correcting me
Kiiks 5:06AM (1/20/2009)
So the handling of the RS5 should be a marked improvement on the last RS4. It's about time Quattro caught up to the front of the pack with lateral torque vectoring. I can't wait for R&T's instrumented testing numbers.
MJL 7:42PM (1/19/2009)
Böse = more like "angry" than anything, but I guess that's a good word for the RS5 too
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tech9 7:43PM (1/19/2009)
i wish they would keep the tradition of the fender flares on the RS models...
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Jared 7:45PM (1/19/2009)
Going round those turns, I'd guess the car has dialed in understeer
but you also gotta think, they gotta do it on purpose b/c a car that understeers is a little easier to control when it breaks loose then a car that oversteers... Especially when this car is avalible to the large % of drivers who are complete idiots.
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Berto 7:59PM (1/19/2009)
I've always had my money on V10 for the RS5 and I plan to keep it there.
This thing is awesome.
I know a few will cry about this not being "eco-friendly." My response to you guys... Anytime is the right time for a V10 that awesome, so stop crying.
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Patrick 8:01PM (1/19/2009)
WTF was a Benz R-class doing on the track? That RS5 does sound delicious!
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SilverAero 12:57AM (1/20/2009)
i know, i saw that too