{"id":700963,"date":"2026-05-29T06:18:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T06:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/700963\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T06:18:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T06:18:14","slug":"2027-audi-rs-5-f1-inspired-sports-sedan-raises-performance-bar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/700963\/","title":{"rendered":"2027 Audi RS 5: F1-Inspired Sports Sedan Raises Performance Bar"},"content":{"rendered":"

Audi<\/a>\u2019s evolution in the world of performance is accelerating this year with its debut in Formula 1<\/a>. Similar to F1 race cars with their hybrid power units, the Ingolstadt-based automaker has electrified its latest sports sedan and simultaneously ushered in a new era of performance.<\/p>\n

Much more powerful than the S5<\/a>, the RS 5<\/a> returns to the top of the A5<\/a> fastback lineup for the 2027 model year, with units landing in Canada about 12 months from now. It\u2019s a highly sophisticated machine that incorporates numerous technologies and mechanical components without compromising everyday usability.<\/p>\n

Read also<\/p>\n

The Car Guide recently flew to Austria to put the new 2027 Audi RS 5 to the test both on the road and on the track. By the way, production takes place at the Neckarsulm factory in Germany. The car starts at \u20ac106,200 in its domestic market, so we expect it to cost around $120,000 over here.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/a>Photo: Dominic Boucher
\nA Great First Impression<\/p>\n

From the Salzburg Airport in Austria, we drove to our hotel in an RS 5 Avant, which unfortunately will not be available in North America. It didn\u2019t take long for the sleek, athletic wagon to impress with its balance and driver-friendly ways. The cabin is relatively quiet except for a good amount of road noise generated by the Bridgestone Potenza Sport performance tires mounted on 21-inch wheels. The ride is quite firm, too.<\/p>\n

We managed to appreciate the high-quality acoustics of the Bang & Olufsen sound system. Just like the A5 and S5, the new RS 5 combines an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster with a 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen that are intuitive to use. Also standard is a 10.9-inch passenger display, so your friend riding shotgun can access various functions such as music and navigation or monitor the vehicle\u2019s track performance.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/a>Photo: Dominic Boucher<\/p>\n

The cockpit features a flat-bottom steering wheel that\u2019s entirely wrapped in perforated Nappa leather save for a contrasting 12 o’clock marker in slick leather. There are dedicated buttons for selecting the RS drive modes or activating the Boost function that provides a 10-second power surge.<\/p>\n

Rear passengers will have to bend down slightly to get in. Fortunately, there’s ample headroom and shoulder room. Despite the sedan’s sloping roofline, the trunk remains capacious, although not as much as the Avant\u2019s, of course.<\/p>\n

Customers can choose from five interiors with varying materials and colours. All of them share some design elements, such as contrasting seat belts and logos on the floor mats that match the interior colour. The headliner is always black. Build quality is impeccable, further adding to the elegant and refined cabin.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/a>Photo: Dominic Boucher
\nA Few Laps Around the Track<\/p>\n

Right next to the hotel were Audi’s facilities, including a small, technical track with inclines and several chicanes in quick succession. Our driving instructor first took us on three fast laps to help us familiarize ourselves with the track while demonstrating the dynamic prowess and capabilities of the RS 5.<\/p>\n

This high-performance model features a more sophisticated quattro all-wheel drive system, which has a RWD bias. The eight-speed transmission is paired with a locking centre differential that changes torque distribution between the front and rear axles depending on the driving conditions, from 70\/30 all the way to 15\/85. You know what that means? Drifting with the RS 5 is possible when selecting the appropriate drive mode.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/a>Photo: Dominic Boucher<\/p>\n

The optional carbon-ceramic brakes (steel brakes are standard) ensure the car stops promptly. The braking system initially prioritizes energy recuperation when decelerating, then engages the mechanical brakes when greater stopping power is required. In all cases, the RS 5 is quick to respond and inspires confidence.<\/p>\n

Behind the wheel, we were pleasantly surprised by the heavy sedan’s balanced handling. Despite weighing 2,355 kg, it felt light and remarkably agile. As you can imagine, acceleration is breathtaking thanks to the twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6, with key upgrades boosting it to 510 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. Combined with a 130 kW (177 hp) electric motor generating 339 lb-ft, total output is rated at 639 horsepower while peak torque amounts to 608 lb-ft. This results in 0-100 km\/h sprints in 3.6 seconds. Equipped with the Audi Sport package, top speed increases to 285 km\/h.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/a>Photo: Dominic Boucher<\/p>\n

Although we could not exploit its full potential, we found that the RS 5 forgives novice mistakes with its predictable behaviour and numerous driving assistance systems.<\/p>\n

Attractive EV Range<\/p>\n

Off the track, the Audi RS 5 proves docile and driver-friendly. As a plug-in hybrid, it prioritizes electric propulsion in Comfort or Auto modes. Dynamic mode responds even more directly and instantly to steering wheel and accelerator inputs without being as radical as the RS modes that elevate performance further.<\/p>\n

The 400V hybrid architecture houses a 25.9kWh battery (net 22 kWh) that promises an average electric range of 84 km. We anticipate this figure to be slightly lower in North America, mind you. Upon taking possession of the car at Salzburg Airport, the onboard computer displayed a range of 79 km with 93% battery remaining, while the temperature was 10 degrees Celsius.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/a>Photo: Dominic Boucher<\/p>\n

You also need to know that a full charge takes 2.5 hours using an 11kW home charger. At the time of writing, Audi was unable to specify whether the charging port on Canadian-spec units will be CCS or NACS. We will update our review once this information is available.<\/p>\n

A New Era<\/p>\n

Audi’s foray into Formula 1 has clearly benefited the development of its new plug-in hybrid sports sedan. The RS 5 proves enjoyable to drive in all situations, whether for everyday use or on the track. Beyond its athletic prowess, it impresses with nimble handling and versatility. In hindsight, it’s not quite as radical as a BMW M5<\/a> but comes dangerously close.<\/p>\n

Watch: 2027 Audi RS 5 Presentation in Germany<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Audi\u2019s evolution in the world of performance is accelerating this year with its debut in Formula 1. Similar…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":700964,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[441],"tags":[49,48,578,576,577,82],"class_list":["post-700963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-formula-1","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-f1","tag-formula-1","tag-formula1","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/700963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=700963"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/700963\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/700964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=700963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=700963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=700963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}