SA Roadtests
South Africa
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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.
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Posted: April 20, 2019
The numbers:
Base price: R1 213 000
Engine: 2984 cc, DOHC, direct injection V6, turbocharged
Power and torque: See text
Zero to 100 km/h: 4.1 seconds (independent source)
Maximum speed: See text
Real life fuel consumption: About 9.6 l/100 km
Tank: 70 litres
Luggage: 480 – 1300 litres
Ground clearance: 109 mm
Turning circle: 11.6 metres
Standard tyre size: 275/30ZR20
Spare: Spacesaver
Warranty: One-year, unlimited distance
Audi Freeway Plan: 5 years / 100 000 km
In the beginning it was called ur-quattro, meaning “original quattro” but the ur-prefix also means “primal” – as in primeval, primordial, almost primitive. I like that version better because this Audi RS5 Sportback quattro evokes emotions we believed long-suppressed; emotions that make one long to club the world into submission, take it by the horns and own it.
Looking more sinister, by far, than its Coupé sister, Sportback is longer, sleeker and visually better balanced. Standard Audi Sport forged alloy wheels, shod with 275/30RZ20 rubberware, fill the arches perfectly. RS (Renn-Sport) badges promise excitement, while its lushly pleated and ambience-lit interior seduces you right in.
The familiar tablet-style touch screen is still there along with the rotating controller and the usual dials. New this year are boost gauges detailing how much power and torque are being unleashed – should you be able to snatch your eyes away, mid-corner, to sneak a look.
Although Sportback is identical to its two-door sibling from the B-pillar forward, wheelbase and overall length are 60 mm longer than the Coupé’s to accommodate the rear doors, while the roof is 28 mm higher to improve passenger headroom. Those extra doors and luxurious rear hatch mean the Sportback weighs 185 kg more than the Coupé. This, says Audi USA, accounts for it being a tenth of a second slower to 60 mph.
Its 2.9-litre, V6 engine, fitted with individual turbochargers for each bank, spits out 331 kilowatts in a flat line from 5400 rpm to 6700. Maximum torque is equally linear, hauling 600 Newton-metres of ass-kicking surge between 1900- and 5000 rpm. It snarls menacingly with each meaningful application of right foot, while pressing seatbacks hard up against spines and reeling the horizon ever closer, in a glorious rush of something indefinable. That has to be illegal.
You’d think it would be difficult to drive but it isn’t. Full-time all-wheel drive (more coming up), its handling systems and seemingly-magical balance, make driving ridiculously easy. The biggest danger is that it might lull you into believing that you’re a better pilot than you deserve to believe, so shake off the machismo when changing cars. Please.
The central differential, that apportions power to each axle as needed, is now in its sixth generation. Audi debuted this in the 2010 RS5. The key change is replacement of the Torsen Type "C" centre differential with an Audi-developed crown gear unit. It apportions up to 70 per cent of torque to the front wheels while as much as 85 per cent can be diverted to the rear when necessary. This permits the electronics to fully manage vehicle dynamics in all traction situations; cornering, acceleration, braking, in snow or any combination thereof.
So, what about basic kit? There’s a lot of it and more can be added. You really need the pricelist open in front of you but here are some items of possible interest. It’s electronically governed to 250 km/h but for maximum, 280 km/h, bragging rights there are two ways to go: A mere R24 615 at box-ticking time secures that option on its own. Or go the whole hog and order the RS Dynamic Package.
This adds the desired velocity along with dynamic steering, a quattro sports differential (different unit, with torque vectoring), RS sports suspension with dynamic ride control and matrix LED headlights. For you, only R97 649 – a pittance when you’ve already committed to R1 312 000 plus paint upgrade at R2 784. That’s because there’s only one standard colour, Nardo Grey, that looks too much like it sounds, for my taste. And you’re in for a lot more anyway.
Odd exclusions from the list of standard stuff include the R14 627 City and Parking Assistance Package that gives you park assist with front, rear and side cameras, lane change warning and rear cross-traffic assist. Then there are the R15 939 Assistance Package that adds adaptive cruise control plus a couple of other items, HUD at R15 132 and Auto Matrix LED (self-dipping) headlamps at R13 013. Or you could save this money by keeping your eyes open and senses sharp, like you’re supposed to.
But all this is academic; the real reason you’d buy one of these is that it’s so deliciously primordial.
Test unit from Audi SA press fleet.
This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.
I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.
If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.
Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles. And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.
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SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8