Audi RS5 Sportback Performance Edition 2024 review – worth £14k more than a BMW M4?

Audi Sport is making a habit of dialling more aggression and involvement into its fast but somewhat strait-laced performance cars. First with the RS4 Competition – much tougher and more purposeful than the standard car – and most recently with the RS6 GT, which has hints of BMW M5 CS in its dynamic character (a huge compliment to any car). 

Following a similar recipe is the RS5 Performance, limited to just 10 units in the UK and priced at a punchy £101,645 apiece. The current RS5 has been with us for seven years now, and on the surface, the Performance slips by with the same understated aggression as the base car (although its 20-inch machined alloys do look particularly smart). But underneath there's been a thorough reworking and change in character to make this, says Audi Sport, a more intense and exciting coupe to drive. There’s definitely room for that, with the standard RS5 being a secure, effective GT but lacking the precision and adjustability of the BMW M4. 

Fundamental to this personality shift is a set of manually adjustable coilovers, like those fitted to the RS4 Competition. They come with stiffer springs and drop the ride height by 10mm (or 20mm if you get the spanners out), with three way adjustable dampers and stiffer roll bars. Working with the upgraded suspension hardware are Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres and a ‘quattro sport’ diff with a more rearward bias – particularly when Dynamic mode is selected. 

You notice a newfound sense of focus as soon as you get rolling in the Performance. At low speed the ride is firm and a little noisy, and you get the impression that it’s been set up to work best not around town, but at higher speeds and suspension loads. The supportive carbon-backed seats help plug you into the driving experience, too, while the suede-rimmed  steering is calm in your hands, if lacking ultimate precision. 

The extra attitude compared to a normal RS5 means you feel more inclined to explore the higher planes of the Performance’s, um, performance. Switch up to Dynamic, plant the throttle and the RS5 steams up the road, the 3-litre twin-turbo V6 hitting hard above 3000rpm, parping with each gearshift. In relative terms the RS5’s numbers are quite modest – the Performance gets a power boost to 464bhp, but even then it’s closer to an M2 than an M4 – but there’s real energy and flexibility in its delivery. It’ll do 186mph flat out, and 62mph in 3.7sec – two tenths quicker than the base car. 

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Though an M4 is more ballistic at full noise the RS5 still feels relentless, and ruthlessly efficient in converting its power into forward momentum. You simply plant the throttle as soon as you spot your exit, and snap through the eight-speed auto ’box. Shifts are fast, but there’s no satisfaction to be had from clicking the underwhelming plastic paddles behind the wheel. 

It’s when you carry this speed into corners that you really start to appreciate the support and control from the coilovers. There’s composure and precision to the way the body moves, which naturally dials up your confidence and commitment. So too the standard-fit carbon ceramic brakes, which have excellent power and progression. When you do push harder, though, you simply find yourself covering ground at a faster rate, rather than discovering a wide window of adjustability to play with. We drove an RS6 GT on the same day as the RS5, and though the former is a more substantial, heavier car, it somehow felt more positive on turn in with a much stronger sense of rotation when working the throttle. By contrast the RS5 is calmer and more measured but ultimately less exciting, which feels like it should be the other way around. 

Be in no doubt, though, the Performance’s extra grip and control make it more satisfying to drive quickly than the standard RS5, and it’s still usable day-to-day if you can live with the more connected ride. It comes in the more practical five-door Sportback bodystyle, and though the cabin doesn’t feel especially cutting edge nowadays, we like the fact it isn’t a total screen fest. Fit and finish is superb, the switchgear operates with tactile precision and though there are fewer pixels than you’ll find in a new M4, you still get a fully digital instrument panel and a crisp, easy-to-use central touch display. 

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Have the Performance Edition upgrades turned the RS5 into a wildly engaging M4 rival? Not quite, but it does get closer than you might expect. The trouble is, the BMW remains the benchmark sports coupe in this class for around £14k less, and its xDrive system means that Audi no longer holds all the cards when it comes to year-round usability. You have to really, really want an RS5 to spend more than £100k on one. 

Price and rivals

At £101,645, the Performance Edition attracts some serious competition. Aside from the aforementioned M4, there’s the more modern and comfortable but less involving Mercedes-AMG CLE53 to contend with (£73,075), and Alfa’s brilliant Giulia Quadrifoglio (£79,495). 

From the class above there’s BMW’s 840i for £83,990, although this is more of a GT than an out-and-out sports coupe. For something more purposeful but still usable day-to-day, Porsche will sell you a base 992.2 Carrera for just under £100k, too.