Audi RS5 Sportback and Coupe ‘Audi Sport Editions’ revealed

The Audi RS5 has returned to Audi’s model line-up and is now available as a coupe and a new five-door Sportback version for the first time. Both will initially be sold in a special Audi Sport Edition trim level and just 250 of each model will be available in 2019. The cars are available to buy now for £68,985, with first deliveries scheduled for the end of June.

The Audi RS5 Coupe and RS5 Sportback use the same 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine. It produces 444bhp and is combined with quattro all-wheel-drive, which catapults the cars from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds. An eight-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox is the only one available.

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Unlike Audi’s other recently revealed performance models, the RS5 Coupe and Sportback don’t feature mild-hybrid technology or a diesel engine. Audi claims up to 30.1mpg for the Coupe and 29.7mpg for the Sportback in mixed driving, while CO2 emissions are 213-215g/km.

In the RS5 models, the all-wheel-drive system distributes 40% of power to the front wheels and 60% to the rear wheels, and it’s able to measure power to each rear wheel to maximise grip and handling ability. The five-link front suspension is joined by a rear setup that’s unique to RS models, and there are four different driving modes consisting of Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual.

Both cars are now exclusively available in a new Audi Sport Edition trim level, which adds 20-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, gloss-black exterior trim pieces and an Audi Sport exhaust system. The Audi Sport Edition models will only be available this year; when the RS5 enters a normal production run in 2020, the cars will come in standard RS spec.

The RS sports seats are trimmed in a combination of Nappa leather and Alcantara suede fabric with contrasting diamond stitching. Both RS models are well equipped, with a panoramic glass sunroof, full LED lights, a digital instrument cluster (called Virtual Cockpit), Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Audi’s Parking System Plus. Blindspot warning is fitted as standard, too.

While it’s marginally less economical, the five-door Sportback is more practical thanks to its rear doors. Behind the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats is a slightly larger 480-litre boot too (the Coupe has 465 litres), with a metre-wide boot opening. When you need to carry more cargo, folding the seats down frees up to 1,300 litres of space.

See how the Audi RS5 Coupe compares to rivals like the Mercedes-AMG C63 and the BMW M4.