Audi RS 5 Sportback to debut at the New York International Auto Show

This is the first time that Audi RS 5 will be available as a Sportback and Audi states that it is being promoted as an International car in its truest sense.

The new Audi RS 5 Sportback will get a longer wheelbase, short overhangs and long, wraparound engine hood with power dome. The rear gets an RS-specific diffuser insert, RS exhaust system with oval tailpipes and fixed spoiler lip.

The new car comes with 19-inch wheels as standard and 20-inch wheels are available as an optional extra. The new Audi RS 5 Sportback can be customized with the Gloss Black, Carbon, and Matte Aluminum optic packages.

The new 2.9-litre TFSI V6 twin turbo engine can achieve 331 kW, with a maximum torque of 600 Nm and a top speed of 174 mph (280 kmph). The two turbochargers of the 2.9 TFSI V6 twin turbo engine generate up to 1.5 bar of charge pressure. They are mounted at a 90-degree angle to the cylinder banks, which means that the exhaust side of the cylinder heads is inside, and the intake side is outside. The power of the 2.9 TFSI is transferred to the ‘quattro permanent all-wheel drive’ with center differential via an eight-speed tiptronic transmission with optimized shift times that is specially tuned to sporty driving. The B-cycle combustion process with central direct injection contributes to the overall efficiency.

The five-link design on the front and rear axles allow for substantially enhanced comfort, even in the sportiest of driving modes. The RS 5 Sportback is seven millimetres (0.3 in) lower than the Audi S5 Sportback. The car offers RS sport suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC), ceramic brakes and RS-specific dynamic steering. It provides space for five people and the rear seat backrest is divided in a 40:20:40 ratio as standard. The RS 5 Sportback weighs 1,840 kilograms (4,056.5 lbs).

Special RS information displays in the Audi virtual cockpit provide information on tire pressure, torque and G forces. Particular highlights of the RS design package include the contrasting red stitching on the steering wheel and selector lever, the Alcantara knee pads, and the red-trimmed seat belts and floor mats featuring the RS logo. For the Audi RS 5, Audi Sport offers Sonoma Green Metallic as an exclusive paint option.

The Audi RS 5 Sportback will initially be available in dealerships in the USA and Canada from the second half of 2018.