This is Audi, Sport: On the road

Audi Sport is on a roll. From humble beginnings in 1983, when Audi's performance vehicle brand was founded as Quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm, Germany, it has grown into a global powerhouse to rival Mercedes-AMG and BMW M.

It all started with the 1990 S2 Coupe based on the lauded Audi 80/100, which later became the A4, followed a year later by the Ur-S4 - based on the Audi 100/200, which morphed into the A6.

Audi's first hard-core RS (RennSport: German for racing sport) model didn't appear until 1994 with the RS 2 Avant, which was developed with Porsche, and since then Audi Sport - as it was renamed in November 2016 - has churned out a series of stellar performance cars.

Chief among them was the original, highly underrated R8 Coupe - Audi Sport's signature flagship supercar, a direct rival for Porsche's iconic 911 and a model for which AMG has had no answer until the much more recent GT - and the original RS 5 Coupe with its glorious 4.2-litre V8.

There've been some not-so-stellar ones too, like the flimsy RS 5 Cabriolet and the RS Q3, Audi Sport's first attempt at an SUV, the only good part of which is the company's cracking 2.5-litre inline turbo five.

Of course, we're not talking Audi S models like the S1, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, TT-S, SQ5 and SQ7, which are far greater in number and preceded similar 'warm' product ranges from BMW (M Performance models) and Mercedes-Benz (Sport and now '43').

Audi Sport sold more than 20,000 R and RS vehicles for the first time in 2016 - up 18 per cent on the previous year and doubling its sales since 2002. This is despite not all models being available in all markets (the US gets the RS 7 but not RS 6; so Australians are lucky to have access to all of them).

Unsurprisingly, the RS 3 Sportback/Sedan is Audi Sport's most popular model - both globally and Down Under, where more than 1700 have been delivered since the RS 3 Sportback first arrived in 2015.

Naturally, at the other end of the Audi Sport spectrum, far fewer examples of the R8 flagship have been sold here - just over 600 since 2007, of a global total of more than 30,000 built.

However, Audi Sport's RS range has always been smaller and pricier than its rivals from Affalterbach and Munich, in part because they have generally been more powerful than their competitors, but mostly because Neckarsulm only ever produced one limited-run model at a time.

That's all changed now though, because Audi Sport last year embarked on the most ambitious product plan it has ever undertaken - although it still says it won't produce an RS version of every Audi model.

Audi Sport already produces more RS models than ever, its current line-up totalling eight and comprising the RS 3 hatch and sedan, TT RS Coupe and Roadster, the RS 5 Coupe, RS 6 Avant, RS 7 Sportback and RS Q3.

But last year it promised to double that number to 16 by 2020, and to release eight new RS models by the end of this year alone.

These included last year's new RS 5 Coupe, facelifted RS 3 Sportback and all-new RS 3 Sedan. This year we'll see the new RS 4 Avant and, almost certainly, the first RS 4 sedan, plus the first RS Q5 and a new RS 5 Cabriolet.

By 2020, expect replacements for the RS 6 and RS 7, based on this year's new A6 and A7, RS versions of Audi's first three battery-electric models due by 2021 (starting with this year's e-tron SUV and followed by the 2019 e-tron Sportback crossover), a new-generation Q3 RS and perhaps even the first RS 1 - based on this year's new Q3 and A1 respectively.

Further afield, given Audi's Sport's stated intent to focus on SUVs, we wouldn't rule out RS versions of Audi's new Q2 baby SUV, its upcoming Q8 flagship, the yet-to-confirmed Q4 and Q6 crossovers, and maybe even this year's new A8 limousine.

But with a new version of Audi's most famous model, the RS 5 Coupe, arriving Down Under most recently - in December 2017 - and the new RS 4 Avant and rear-drive R8 RWS Coupe not due here until March, what better time to celebrate the Audi Sport expansion?

As with last year's BMW M Party, we selected the five best RS models currently available and enlisted our very own Bathurst winner Luke Youlden to track test them at Wodonga TAFE.

But to warm up, this time we also took them on a two-day road drive over the rooftop of Australia, taking in some of the best driving roads in the Victorian High Country at the bottom end of the nation's Great Dividing Range.

Released here in June - shortly after the facelifted RS 3 Sportback - the handsome all-wheel drive small sedan is priced about $4000 higher at $84,611 plus on-road costs - just under BMW's M240i Coupe ($85,510) and well under the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 sedan ($92,611).

It's powered by the same upgraded 294kW/480Nm version of Audi's characterful 2.5-litre inline turbo five as the facelifted 2017 RS 3 hatch that arrived in November, and also comes standard with a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission.

The same 400hp all-aluminium turbo five powers Audi's latest TT RS Coupe, which also shares the RS 3's MQB transverse-engine platform, five-cylinder powertrain and Haldex-based quattro all-wheel drive system.

At 3.7sec, the 75kg-lighter (1515kg) two-seat TT RS Coupe's 0-100km/h acceleration time is 0.4sec quicker (and also two-tenths quicker than the 1605kg, $141,611 TT RS Roadster).

But it costs about $53,000 more at $137,611 plus ORCs - lineball with Mercedes-AMG's SLC 43 roadster (BMW's Z4 is between generations right now).

Next comes the second-generation RS 5 Coupe, which landed in November powered by Porsche's 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, pumping 331kW and 600Nm - the same power but less torque than the old RS 5 V8 - to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

A direct rival for BMW's M4 Coupe (from $139,900) and the Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe ($163,611), the $156,600 RS 5 also splits the RS 3 and TT RS in terms of 0-100km/h acceleration (3.9sec), but is the first RS model to sprout from Audi's latest longitudinal-engine MLB Evo platform. Our RS 5 press car came with an optional BMW-style carbon-fibre roof - a first for Audi Sport.

Moving up the range, the RS 6 Avant 'performance' packs a mega 445kW/700Nm twin-turbo V8, proper quattro AWD, eight-speed auto and a cool $248,726 price tag, making it Audi's (wagon) answer to the BMW circa-$200K M5 and Mercedes-AMG E 63 S ($239,611) super sedans.

But that's just the starting price; our Vegas Yellow test RS 6 was loaded with options including privacy glass ($1100), black suede pack ($1700), black styling package ($2200, including black wing mirrors, roof rails and high-gloss front spoiler, grille surround and window frames), 'exclusive' seat belts ($3400), 'exclusive' paint ($6250), Valcona honeycomb leather trim ($9000) and a 1200-Watt/15-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system ($12,000).

Throw in the cracking Audi Sport titanium exhaust system ($17,000) and a $25,840 'Dynamic package plus' comprising ceramic brakes, dynamic steering, RS sport suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) and a 305km/h speed limit, and the list price hikes to a mammoth $324,901 plus ORCs.

Like the RS 6 performance, our pearl-effect Daytona Grey RS 7 performance rides on no-cost optional 21-inch alloy wheels and is fitted with the same options, although the black exterior styling package is replaced by an $8500 carbon theme (for the front spoiler, mirrors, rear diffuser, side flaps and air intake), raising the standard price from $259,011 to $323,451 plus ORCs.

Both the RS 6 and RS 7 ride on Audi's original MLB platform and, in 'performance' form, the beefy bi-turbo V8 allows both big five-door muscle-cars to match the TT RS' 3.7sec 0-100km/h pace - despite weighing almost 50 per cent more at 2025kg. (The TT RS is the lightest of this bunch at 1465kg, followed by the RS 3 Sedan at 1560kg, the R8 Spyder at 1695kg and, surprisingly, the RS 5 Coupe at a relatively porky 1735kg.)

While the current RS 6 was first launched in 2014, the RS 7 dates back to 2012, making it by far the oldest models here, although the go-faster performance versions of both cars only arrived in 2016.

Finally, the new R8 Spyder - based on the second-generation R8 Coupe launched in 2016 - lowers that number by a tenth (3.6sec), thanks to a 397kW/540Nm 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 and seven-speed S tronic quattro combination that makes it Audi's quickest model.

Based on a bespoke two-seat, mid-engine platform that's shared with the Lamborghini Huracan, our standard R8 convertible costs $388,200 plus ORCs.

In all, these six RS models (two transverse inline turbo fives, two turbo V8s, a turbo V6 and a nat-atmo V10, all matched with AWD and an automatic transmission) dish out almost 2200kW of power, produce about 3500Nm of torque and cost a combined total of $1.275 million.

All models tested consume 98 RON premium unleaded and come with Audi's 36-month/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty and 12-month/15,000km service intervals.

The route
The Great Alpine Road between the Princes Highway at Bairnsdale and the Old Hume Highway at Wangaratta - via picturesque Omeo, Bright and Myrtleford - is one of Australia's great touring roads and a regular haunt of motoring.com.au.

Cutting a swathe through the heart of the magnificent Victorian High Country in the north-east of the state, 300km-plus tourist route is remote enough to be home to only a few locals and log trucks, and to attract only the most intrepid motorhomes.

And because the section between Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain was sealed only in 1998, when the route was renamed Great Alpine Road (the mountain equivalent of Victoria's Great Ocean Road), the B500 remains relatively uncrowded.

This leaves its fast sweeping corners, tight hairpin bends and endless snaking esses - which weave their way up over mountains, down into valleys and alongside crisp mountain waterways - mostly to car and bike enthusiasts.

But not content with staying on Australia's highest all-season accessible sealed road, this time we decided to leave the Great Alpine Road about halfway north at Omeo, turning north onto the C543 and passing through Angler's Rest and Mitta Mitta on the way to Tallangatta on the Murray River.

The gnarly 175km stretch between Omeo and Tallangatta became Victoria's first gazetted highway in 1925, but - unbelievably - it wasn't completely sealed until 2014, so this twisty, narrow, low-grip and mostly Armco-less ribbon of smooth bitumen provides the perfect place to identify the strengths and weaknesses of any vehicle.

Leg 1: Melbourne to Bairnsdale
For the familiar 280km transport stage from Melbourne to the southern end of the famous Great Alpine Road at Bairnsdale, the RS 7 was by far the most comfortable conveyance of this sextet.

Not because the big five-door liftback is any less competent in corners than, say, the RS 6 but because it delivers the best ride comfort, which is important for a three-hour highway drive like this.

And because, with more than 600hp on tap - not to mention 700Nm of torque over a broad 1750-6000rpm, rising to an even mightier 750Nm over 2500-5500rpm on overboost - the RS 7 slams down more power and torque than any other Audi RS model, making for effortless overtaking at any speed.

But the RS 7 needs all that grunt because at more than two tonnes it's equal heaviest with the RS 6. And with a new RS 7 coming this year it's no secret it's also the oldest model in this field.

As with the RS 6, there's clear evidence of this in the lack of Audi's fancy Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster, but with all of Audi's latest safety technologies plus its trademark build quality, exquisite interior finish and the undeniable exterior presence of this big, sleek hatchback, we all agree the RS7 has aged remarkably well.

Leg 2: Bairnsdale to Swift's Creek
The RS 6 made mincemeat of the first 90km of the Great Alpine Road - taking in Bruthen, Tambo Crossing and Ensay, before morning tea at Swift's Creek at the southern end of the Omeo Valley.

Powered by the same glorious V8 as the RS 7 and fitted with the same expensive optional titanium exhaust (allowing it to remain quiet at low engine speeds but sound like a Boeing at full noise), our particular example was showing its age with a few vibrations from the door trims.

But that didn't prevent the big RS 6 from delivering crushing performance in a practical five-door wagon body that would almost have gone unnoticed but for its lurid Vegas Yellow paint and spine-tingling exhaust crackle.

Making this epic road even more of an occasion was the sound of this hairy-chested V8 bouncing off the rocky sandstone and granite cuttings and outcrops. Punctuated by copper and iron oxide scars that go red in the wet, they line the narrow bitumen sinew that twists its way through the eucalypt covered hills as far as the eye can see.

With a big range of suspension damping adjustment available via the various Audi drive select modes, the RS 6 is also relatively comfortable given its flat cornering stance and corner exit grip.

That said, it's nowhere near as supple as the RS 7 - even in Comfort mode - and the big gap between second and third gear ratios of the otherwise slick eight-speed auto became a chore in tight going.

In fact, some described the RS 6 suspension as rock-hard, and almost all of us tired of wrestling the big, bulky estate car around corners about halfway into any given drive leg. Luckily, like the RS 7, the RS 6 also came with optional ceramic brakes, which are expensive but mandatory if you plan on doing this sort of driving.

This sharper focus maintains the RS 6 Avant's position as logical alternative to the E 63 even BMW's newest M5, although this year's all-new A6 will form the basis of an even more formidable full-size super-wagon from Audi.

Leg 3: Swift's Creek to Angler's Rest
With 45 solid minutes of relentless 25-45km/h switchbacks, varied surfaces and all kinds of undulations, this section of road belonged to the TT RS.

The contrast between Audi's biggest and smallest RS car couldn't be more striking, with the small coupe's snug two-seat cabin placing you close to the ground - and to far more tyre noise on coarse-chip tarmac.

The TT RS places you directly in front of Audi's brilliant digital instrument cluster, which completely replaces the large central display in the other RS cars. Underlining its sportier focus, the hottest TT also positions its drive select controller - and red starter button - on the small, flat-bottom steering wheel.

The new TT RS is a devastatingly rapid sports car in anyone's language, its sheer speed, pin-sharp steering and pop and crackle theatrics on the overrun making it intoxicating to drive on a road like this.

But it's also more complete than ever, as evidenced by composed ride quality and a distinct lack of steering kick or rattle, and less understeer and a little more lift-off oversteer than the RS 3.

The RS-tuned TT's characterful turbo five might spin up so quickly it's sometimes hard to keep up with, but its more pedestrian talents still extend to seamless Bluetooth pairing on the move and typically impeccable Audi design and build quality, all wrapped up in an undiluted, unmistakable design.

After punishing the TT RS brakes until they got smelly, it was easy to see why this was one of the roads most favoured by the Holden engineers that developed generations of homegrown Commodores, and why this is the best TT RS yet.

Leg 4: Angler's Rest to Mitta Mitta
After a quick car swap at the rustic Blue Duck Inn on the banks of the Cobungra River at Swift's Creek, it was into the R8 Spyder for the breathtaking 78km, hour-long ride to the splendid Mitta Pub for lunch.

And what a ride it was. Top down and with the manic Lambo-sourced atmo V10 screaming to almost 9000rpm behind me, it was hard to think of a better car for this job.

The (slightly) wider surface and (slightly) faster corners were the perfect place to stretch the Spyder's long legs as the old Omeo Highway opened up into a relentless series of undulating bends - up and then down the side of the range, but mostly under the canopy of tall timbers.

Even better, there was next to no traffic - just the odd adventure motorcyclist and log truck - and a thick layer of rubber laid down by the latter on the steep 35km/h hairpins gave the R8 an extra shot of grip.

Every part of the R8 is sharper than all of its RS cousins. Powered by the only non-turbo engine here, the Spyder's big-bore V10 is not only almost unique in the automotive world, it's by far the most responsive and best sounding of this bunch.

Its broad spread of power and equally big footprint make it effortless to drive quickly, but it spins up to its peak output speeds (torque at 6500rpm, power at a stratospheric 7800) so quickly you're thankful of the seven-speed dual-clutch's whipcrack-quick shift speeds.

That said, it suffers from the same conservative software tune that afflicts almost all the RS models here: it won't downshift as readily as it should, even if it's safe to do so. That's not just a bugbear on the track, but while braking hard into tight turns, when it often makes you wait longer than necessary for the last in a series of downshifts.

In the bigger scheme of things, that's a minor complaint about a cracking mid-mounted powertrain that easily overwhelms the R8's significant AWD traction out of second-gear bends, consistently and controllably.

And when you've got a screaming old-school V10 that's so effective and delivers such a sense of occasion, we're prepared to forgive it. Sure it does its best work above 3500rpm, but with such a wide rev range this thing just begs to be driven.

Besides, as the only other two-seater here, the Audi Sport flagship also has the sharpest, most direct and most responsive steering (that also delivers the feedback), the strongest and most fade-resistant brakes and the most hip-hugging seats.

So it should for close to $400K you say, and you'd be right. But the R8 Spyder also does stuff that some cars this price just don't, like ride well.

Thanks to one of the stiffest feeling bodies we've ever sampled and well sorted variable damping suspension, the R8 delivers cosseting ride comfort on any surface. Even in Dynamic mode on a rough surface, it doesn't hop, skip or jolt - it just hunkers down, maintains its composure and is always ready to fire out of corners before you are.

Ultimately, it might not deliver the sensory feedback of, say, a Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet, but this is a driver's car par excellence and anyone who says it lacks theatre should go see Mamma Mia! The balance between comfort, refinement and style on one hand and acceleration, grip and emotion on the other is hard to beat.

Leg 5: Mitta Mitta to Tallangatta
In fairness to our Catalunya Red RS 3 Sedan, the stretch down through Eskdale and Tallandoon to the Murray Valley Highway didn't really highlight the strengths of the cheapest RS model here.

Then again, as we've discovered with the RS 3 Sportback, Audi's A3-based RS models are rapid point-to-point pocket-rockets, but their shortcoming are quickly exposed when the pace picks up on a demanding road - let alone a racetrack.

Even compared to the TT RS, which shares its drivetrain and platform, the RS 3 feels less agile and understeers more readily, and its too-tall driver's seat cancels out the practicality of its extra two doors and boot.

Maybe it's the gear ratios, but the RS 3 feels like it lacks the torque of the TT on the road, and its firm suspension also bounces the car around more on mid-corner bumps - even in Comfort mode - making you less confident to drive fast.

The difference between the two RS MQB cars at the track was telling. Ultimately both cars understeer at the limit and both models come with super-sensitive stability control systems. But oversteer can be provoked in the lighter, lower and stiffer TT RS, while the RS 3's corner speed is always limited by front-end push - and the tighter the road the more it understeers.

That's disappointing for a compact sports sedan that promises so much and looks so handsome, especially when AWD hot hatches like the Ford Focus RS - and even front-drive ones like the Honda Civic Type R - are so much cheaper and so much more accomplished.

Having said that, although it's nose-heavier than the sharper TT RS, for more than $50K less the Audi RS 3 is still a compelling hot hatch.

Leg 6: Tallangatta to Wodonga
In stark contrast, the Nardo Grey RS 5 Coupe was simply stunning on any stretch of road. It wasn't just the only car here to downshift every time it was asked, but delivered an even better ride/handling compromise than the R8 Spyder.

Always composed, superbly balanced and with masses of grip, the RS 5 rarely felt out of its element - whether being pushed hard on a smooth surfaces or bounced around on a wet, slick, bumpy road.

Its steering doesn't offer the feedback of the R8 nor - as you'd expect from a car that also drives its front wheels - rear-drive competitors like the M4 and C 63, but it's beautifully weighted, completely free of kick and rattle, and closer to its rivals than ever when it comes to front-end feel.

Yes, the RS 5 ultimately understeers, but nowhere near as soon as everything else here except the R8, yet this is the first example that can actually be balanced on the throttle, not only making it the second quickest point to point, but making you supremely confident to drive it quickly.

Of course we lament the loss of the old RS 5's glorious atmo V8, but the new bi-turbo V6 makes up for it with a broad spread of usable power, impressive response and a fantastic exhaust rumble on the overrun.

Throw in an exquisite interior with all of Audi's latest technologies, unrivalled ride/handling in its segment and unquestionable capability on any road, and the RS 5 is not only a genuine wolf in sheep's clothing, but the best all-round performance car ever produced by Audi Sport.

COMING SOON: We take the Audi Festival to the track...

2018 Audi RS 3 Sedan pricing and specifications:
Price: $84,611 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Output: 294kW/480Nm
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
0-100km/h: 4.1sec (claimed)

2018 Audi TT RS Coupe pricing and specifications:
Price: $137,611 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Output: 294kW/480Nm
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
0-100km/h: 3.7sec (claimed)

2018 RS 5 Coupe pricing and specifications:
Price: $156,600 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 2.9-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Output: 331kW/600Nm
Fuel: 8.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
0-100km/h: 3.9sec (claimed)

2018 RS 6 Avant performance pricing and specifications:
Price: $248,726 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Output: 445kW/700Nm
Fuel: 9.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
0-100km/h: 3.7sec (claimed)

2018 RS 7 Sportback performance pricing and specifications:
Price: $257,426 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Output: 445kW/700Nm
Fuel: 9.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
0-100km/h: 3.7sec (claimed)

2018 R8 Spyder pricing and specifications:
Price: $388,500 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 5.2-litre V10 petrol
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Output: 397kW/540Nm
Fuel: 11.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
0-100km/h: 3.6sec (claimed)