Euromobil Malaysia, the guardians of the Audi brand in Malaysia had invited us to the Sepang Circuit to test drive the TTRS, Audi R8, S5 Sportback, RS5 and we just thrilled to bits with the prospect of trashing their prized products around the 5.4 kilometer Sepang racetrack. It was a regional event where not only very fortunate motoring media were invited but also Audi customers who wanted to get a taste of Ingolstad’s pride and glory. We started the morning with an introduction and launch of the Audi RS5 (which was the star of this event) and then started our drive with their latest Quattro driven RS5.
Fire up the engine and there is no way to really describe this soprano of pistons working like well-tuned orchestra. The first few corners were interestingly fast and as the instructor got more comfortable with our ability on the corners and driving lines he moved us to speed up and we followed enthusiastically as he barked instructions over the 450bhp concerto working with us.
We built up our confidence and as we picked up speed on our second lap we were however still unaware of our speedometer reaching the high 180km/h around the first long sweeping bend. This is a brutally fast and agile sports coupe by any standards.
There’s no magic trick to extracting the performance in a straight line. You simply lay your right foot down against the lightly sprung accelerator pedal and hang on firmly to the lovely steering wheel. On the corners, the RS5’s sheer handling and agility helps the driver in feeling the needs of the tarmac without having to fight the steering input. There is more excitement to be felt as the rear works its magic but caution needs to prevail to avoid meeting with gravel and grass like one hyper excited journalist did with the Audi Q7 diesel (maybe it was its immense tractor pulling torque that tricked him at the corner).
The car’s agility has also been greatly refined with a new, lighter V8 engine mated to a double clutch 7-speed transmission, which allows increased shift times combined with an all-new suspension and Audi’s legendary Quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. Despite increased performance, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced to give Audi a marginal lead in Europe over its German cousins.
Around the track there is little difference felt on the straights but at the corners the sports active’ mode where the ‘advanced’ button activates closer gear ratios. It allows the driver to feel the gearshifts reacting faster and with increased urgency and it is best enjoyed with full concentration and speed as in mild mannered fast driving the full effect is lost in city traffic.
It is best exploited and enjoyed on an open track like we had here as in city mode there is little open tarmac where cornering forces can be really felt.
As we open up the valves on our 2nd corner it was easy to get the RS5 thundering along the curve and as we took in the last corner before the long straight we could feel the tires starting to scramble to contain all the torque being transferred to the bitumen before we were ‘flung’ forward in pure acceleration with our right foot hard ‘mashing’ on top of the joy pedal. We believe all their claimed figures and even more, as this RS5 is a power machine with its engine stealing the show.
The 20-inch tires grip well beyond what is safely achievable on the tarmac, and the suspension boasts the sort of hardware that allows you to not only control the ride quality but also ensure body movements are always well in check as you throw the car into a corner. The steering is quick and the brakes are beyond reproach, and they still feel strong even after being hammered lap after lap on a racetrack.
By lunchtime it was all over and time for us to get into our modern classic 20-year-old VW Corrado coupe for a more relaxed 55-kilometer drive home.
Audi RS5 Specifications
Engine: V8-cylinder TFSi
Capacity: 4163cc
Gearbox: 7-speed Twin Clutch
Torque: 430Nm @ 4000-6000rpm
Horsepower: 450bhp @ 8250rpm
0-100km/h: 4.6 secs
Top Speed: 250km/h governed
Price: Call Euromobil
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