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Next-gen Audi RS5 debuts at New York auto show

  • Audi RS 5 available as Sportback for the first time
  • V6 twin turbo: 2.9 TFSI with 330kW and 600Nm

Germany - Audi brings a little extra bite to the Big Apple as it debuts the first five-door Sportback  of its  mighty RS 5 at the 2018 New York International Auto Show.

Placed alongside the RS 5 Coupe, it sports a 330kW bi-turbo V6 and quattro all-wheel-drive.

Michael-Julius Renz, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH said: "The Audi RS 5 Sportback is more than just an international trade fair novelty – it offers something new to our customers. Our innovative interpretation of a five-door high-performance coupé has neither predecessor models, nor a direct competitor.

"The new Audi RS 5 Sportback will carry the RS genes out onto the road."

Image: Newspress

At the front, the Audi RS 5 Sportback features a wide, flat single-frame grille, solid air intakes with a honeycomb structure typical of an RS, gloss black design elements and a front spoiler with matte aluminium quattro lettering.

At the rear an RS-specific diffuser insert, RS exhaust system with oval tailpipes and fixed spoiler lip further distance the car from its A5 series siblings; 19" wheels are standard, and the list of optional extras contains upgrades to various 20" designs, as well as personalisation features such as optic packages in Gloss Black, Carbon, and Matte Aluminium.

With 330kW and 600Nm, the new 2.9-litre V6 powering both RS 5 variants delivers slingshot performance that is reflected in a 3.9-second 0-100km/h sprint time for the new Sportback and the potential for a top speed of up to 280km/h.

That output managed by the eight-speed tiptronic transmission and supported by quattro permanent all-wheel drive. As an alternative to the standard set-up Audi Sport also offers RS sport suspension with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) featuring adjustable, electronically controlled damping, along with features such as ceramic brakes and dynamic steering with RS-specific tuning.

Image: Newspress

The cabin provides space for five people, and the square-shaped profile of the luggage bay with its useful width of exactly one metre allows passengers to make the most of the 480 litre luggage capacity. Folding down the rear seats with their 40:20:40 split ratio increases that to 1 300 litres.

Image: Newspress

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