The Audi RS 5 Sportback will arrive here in February 2019 boasting 331kW and 600Nm and priced from $157,700+ORC.

The Audi RS 5 Sportback will join the new Coupe Down Under in February next year priced from $157,700+ORC. Both variants will be available for the same price.

In a statement announcing the RS 5 Sportback, Shawn Ticehurst, Director of Product Planning and Pricing at Audi Australia, said: “The very first Audi RS 5 Sportback is an outstanding concept for a contemporary performance car. It combines incredible pace and poise you expect from the legendary RS 5, with five-door versatility for those who do not want to compromise on the classic Gran Turismo styling.

“Together with attractive pricing and an outstanding level of standard features that cover all facets of performance, technology, connectivity and infotainment, we anticipate that the RS 5 Sportback has enormous opportunity in the Australian performance car market.” 

With a 2.9 TFSI V6 biturbo engine under the bonnet, the RS 5 offers 331kW and 600Nm of torque which is available from 1900 to 5000 rpm. It sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds which is a little quicker than the very rapid RS 4. It drinks a claimed combined 8.9L/100km but don’t expect to get near that in the real world.

Backed onto the engine is an eight-speed automatic transmission channelling drive to the ground via a quattro all-wheel drive system with a generic 40:60 split. Running RS sport suspension with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC), the new Audi RS 5 Sportback sits much lower than the garden variety A5 Sportback models. Audi also offers cost-optional ceramic brakes and dynamic steering with RS-specific tuning. Drivers can choose from individual, dynamic or comfortable using the Audi drive select system.

Like the Coupe, a range of performance features will be standard on all Australian RS 5 Sportback vehicles, including the quattro sport rear differential, RS sports exhaust system, as well as Dynamic Ride Control with adaptive dampers.

Standard infotainment includes the Audi virtual cockpit, Audi connect, and DAB+ digital radio, as well as a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system. On top of this, the RS 5 Sportback boasts head-up display, phone box light wireless smartphone charging and USB outlets for rear passengers.

From a design point of view, Audi claims its designers drew inspiration from the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO when designing the RS 5, and you can see that most obviously in the pumped guards (extended over standard by 15mm). At the front, the Audi RS 5 Sportback features a wide, flat single-frame grille, solid air intakes, and a front spoiler with quattro lettering. There’s also an RS-specific diffuser insert, RS exhaust system with oval tailpipes and fixed spoiler lip give the rear end its sportiness. The new Audi RS 5 Sportback can be customised with the Gloss Black and Carbon, styling packages.