ABDC 2018: Audi RS 5 quattro

7th place

Why is it here?

For ABDC in 2017 the car representing the four-ringed brand from Ingolstadt was the sixth-placed Audi S5, a turbocharged V6 coupe with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic.

This year, the marque was represented by the S5's stablemate, the Audi RS 5 quattro. It too is a turbocharged V6 coupe with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed auto, but there's significantly more performance available – over 70kW more and 100 extra Newton-metres. And that quattro powertrain had the wherewithal to cope with that added mumbo.

Despite the similar looks, the RS 5 quattro is a markedly different animal. While the S5 earned a spot in ABDC testing because the TT RS we had requested was unavailable, the RS 5 quattro was taking part in ABDC on its own merits. This is an altogether sportier, harder-edged car than the S5, and it certainly had the credentials to warrant inclusion in this year's ABDC field.

What’s under the bonnet?

With a few notable exceptions, cars in this year's ABDC field were fed fuel by direct injection, and nine of the 14 were also turbocharged. The RS 5 quattro was one of those nine. Only three cars, the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV, the BMW M5 and the Mercedes-AMG E63 S 4MATIC+ produced more wattage per weight than the Audi. Only two of those, the M5 and the E63 S, also drove through all four wheels.

The RS 5 quattro was fitted with 20-inch alloys, which wasn't unprecedented among its ABDC rivals. Thanks to the configuration of its all-wheel drive system, the RS 5 quattro made do with the same size tyres front and rear – 275/30 Continentals.

While the all-paw traction is great in the wet, this year's ABDC was held on almost exclusively dry roads, rendering the quattro drive a lesser factor in the RS 5 quattro's final standing.

>>Get all the 2018 Australia's Best Driver's Car results here

How does it perform?

The RS 5 quattro was universally commended by the ABDC judges for its wonderful engine.

"Incredible throttle response. Relentless acceleration..." Feann Torr noted.

"Engine is great – very tractable – but doesn't rev as high as your ears tell you," Matt Brogan wrote.

"The engine in the RS 5 quattro is a monster," wrote Ken Gratton. "It begins delivering serious output from 2500rpm and hauls all the way to redline and beyond.

"Brilliant engine/trans, but lacks spirit of old RS 5," Marton Pettendy observed.

Although the Audi's road-holding was unimpeachable, judges were less enamoured of the RS 5 quattro's handling and steering.

"It feels its weight and size on tight, twisty roads, but the dampers and quattro [all-wheel drive system] make a good job of keeping things in check," wrote Matt.

"It feels a bit heavy in the nose," Ken commented.

Fourth fastest around the track at Winton, the RS 5 quattro was only beaten by those three cars that could out-gun it for power-to-weight ratio. So no surprise there. Racing driver Luke Youlden applauded the RS 5 quattro for its healthy engine output and traction.

“It’s fast alright," said Luke. "That time will surprise a few people; it has a slight understeer tendency to it, but it’s really well balanced and because its all-wheel drive you can mash it out of the corners.”

“The engine is the most impressive thing. It’s got so much torque, I am in third gear in all the tight stuff.”

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Is it worth the asking price?

This V6-engined RS 5 quattro actually starts out priced slightly lower than the V8 RS 5 it replaces. It matches the V8 for power and produces more torque.

There's more advanced safety equipment than the older car, and you'll get a basket of comfort and convenience goodies like Apple CarPlay, three-zone climate control and Audi's Virtual Cockpit system. Measured against its V8 predecessor, the latest RS 5 is certainly a better value proposition.

How does it compare against its ABDC rivals though? With the exception of the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV, the cars that were faster around Winton than the RS 5 quattro were also more expensive. Most cars in the field did cost less than the RS 5, but few were as potent or as well equipped. So we reckon the RS 5 quattro is priced right – and cashed-up fans of the Audi brand will almost certainly agree.

What do the judges think?

Judges arrived at a consensus that the RS 5 quattro warranted a solid eight out of 10. That wasn't enough to win ABDC for 2018, but came closer to the mark than perhaps many of us expected. Certainly the RS 5 was a stronger contender than the S5 last year – and that car was described as a 'surprise package' at the time.

There was much to like about the RS 5 quattro, not least of all its tenacious traction and lovely engine note – more like a pedigree V8 than a turbo V6. The RS 5 is a comfortable, long-distance tourer that also delivers a satisfying experience for the driver when punted harder in the twisty bits.

But the judges who did push it harder also found its brakes were working overtime and the Audi lacked the balance of BMW's M5 or the Mercedes-AMG E63 S 4MATIC+, let alone the rear-drive models in the running.

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2018 Audi RS 5 quattro pricing and specifications:

Price: $156,600 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo-petrol
Output: 331kW/600Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.8L/100km (ADR Combined), 17.6L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 199g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A

2018 Audi RS 5 quattro performance figures (as tested):

0-100km/h: 4.3sec
0-400m: 12.386sec @ 184.6km/h
Lap time: 1:36.207sec