Audi RS5 V8 caught on video ahead of official debut
Audi’s upcoming RS5, powered by a 4.2-litre V8 producing over 450hp, has been filmed during mountain testing, revealing its engine note and hinting at future model plans.
Audi’s RS5 development car has been captured on video during mountain road testing, giving a first listen to the 4.2-litre V8 that will power the new high-performance coupe. The footage, published in June 2009, shows the RS5 climbing through tight bends, its exhaust note confirming the engine’s character and intent.
Audi will fit the RS5 with its well-established 4.2-litre V8, already familiar from the RS4. For the RS5, the engine’s output is set at just above 450hp, positioning the car as a direct rival to BMW’s M3 Coupe and Mercedes’ C63 AMG. The naturally aspirated V8 is paired with Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system, a combination aimed at delivering both straight-line performance and control through corners.
The prototype’s appearance in the video confirms that Audi is well advanced with testing. The car’s bodywork remains closely related to the standard A5 coupe, but the RS5 is expected to feature more aggressive styling and uprated brakes when it reaches showrooms. There is speculation that a convertible version will follow, mirroring the S5’s format, but Audi had not confirmed this at the time of filming.
RS5 joins Audi’s expanding performance range
The RS5 will sit above the S5 in Audi’s line-up, offering more power and a sharper chassis setup. With the RS4 no longer in production at the time, the RS5 becomes Audi’s flagship performance coupe. The combination of a high-revving V8 and quattro drivetrain is aimed squarely at buyers seeking track-ready performance in a road car.
Audi has not announced a launch date for the RS5, but testing activity and the appearance of this video suggest the car is nearing its final development stages. For more on the RS5’s evolution and later special editions, see Audi RS4 Avant and RS5 Coupe gain Carbon Edition models for UK.
