2013 Audi RS 5 Coupe quattro S tronic
Engine: 4.2L FSI 8-cylinder
Power: 450hp
Torque: 317-lb
Fuel Economy: 18mph combined
Price Driven: $77,320.00
"That guy is taking a picture of us."
We're on the Saw Mill Parkway, stopped due to the traffic light near Hastings-on-Hudson and slowed by a Friday night escape from Manhattan. I scan left to right. Nobody. "He's there," my companion points. He's in a matte black Maserati GrandTurismo. The car has a novelty license plate to match the boldness of the ride. The thing is stunning, and unlike anything else on the highway. Sill, the driver (who appears in his early-20s) needs a photo of me. Or, rather, he's become smitten with the Sepang Blue Audi RS 5 Couple I'm pushing. The Audi is a gorgeous automobile. It's also, I'm slowly discovering, an enviable one, too.
Several hours earlier, I took possession of the RS 5 on the corner of 50th street and Sixth Avenue. "Sorry I'm late," said the guy dropping it off. "I've been stopped twice by cops who just wanted to take a look at this thing."
His remarkable statement, later revealed in full, relays the reality of the RS 5: It turns heads. The look starts up front. All Audi RS performance models sport a big, open mesh grill that manages an elegant menace—you can tell the car roars, but you can also tell it's pretty damn smooth. The lines follow the S5 with an athletic, low, and lean stance. This thing is a gazelle. It bursts to attention and bolts from trot to sprint in 4.5 seconds. As speed increases, handling tightens and the sportiness of the vehicle blossoms. Naturally, wonder as to why driver's swoon over the RS 5 dissipates after a few swift curves.
The car also sounds great. It starts with a reassuring rumble. And from there, the car purrs. Audi calls it a "throaty growl." Regardless of your definition, you don't need any music. Why distract from the glory of engineering, right?
Perhaps because you are with a lady (or inclined to simply hear how Pusha's album sounds on the road). An optional Ban & Olufsen Sound System pumps tunes in the RS 5. Everything runs through Audi's outstanding 7" driver information system. The interior sings in black leather. Driver and passenger both sink in and down into the car. You are part of the road. You are also in command of the road. More important, because sometimes it's good to be noticed, you command attention.
The Audi RS 5 Coupe quattro S tronic ticks all the right boxes: Fast, fun, and (yes) a little bit fancy. It is muscular, and it is elegant. It is a balance of sport and luxury. The luxury comes in the appointment of the interior. The sport comes in the mellow growl of the engine and the singular negative of the car—for some it might ride a little rough, but it's a small price to pay for whip appeal.
Bottom line: The Audi RS 5 has sex appeal. The car also has the performance to match. And, further, the creature comforts to make it an everyday ride.
