SOME firms pay celebs to endorse their motors.
Others don’t need to.
Power from the RS-5’s 2.9-litre V6 has been hiked 60hp to 510hp and the e-motor increases the total output to 639hp and 825Nm of torques. Dang. The acceleration is relentless Credit: Supplied
The RS 5 packs 40 per cent more power, plus drift mode and clever tech to make drivers feel like pros Credit: Supplied
Because good cars speak for themselves.
Take Audi.
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Even the Royal Family is a fan.
Whenever Charlie boy, Camilla, William or Kate fancy a new motor, they jump on the Audi configurator.
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You can imagine them being quite particular about what car they drive privately. But they choose Audi.
The other day I was testing RS models at a racetrack and actor Matt Smith rocked up.
Y’know, the short, weedy, unimpressive goofball who starred in Doctor Who?
Him.
He’s not on Audi’s payroll, either.
Doctor Who star Matt Smith joined Audi’s test day at the racetrack Credit: Supplied
The RS 5 (the rebadged RS 4) moves the game on considerably as Audi’s first performance plug-in hybrid Credit: Supplied
But he likes the brand and likes being around it. First up, Matt pinned a 400hp RS 3 around Goodwood’s famous old circuit. He looked quick, to be fair.
Then he climbed aboard the brand-spanking 639hp RS 5.
You could see the adrenalin running through him afterwards.
He said: “Woooooo. I’ve been trying. I’m not sure if I was doing it all right but I was having a go.
“I did the lap on Top Gear but that was in a Kia. With this, you’re really approaching stuff at speed. I’m buzzing. How can I not be buzzing? They’re such great cars.”
He’s right, of course.
The RS 4 and RS 6 Avant (Audi speak for estate) are widely regarded as the ultimate family wagons, combining that supercar performance and sticky quattro 4WD with enough space to take four people and all their stuff across Europe.
Now the RS 5 (the rebadged RS 4) moves the game on considerably as Audi’s first performance plug-in hybrid. It has 40 per cent more power for starters, plus all sorts of clever chassis control systems, drift mode, boost button and other onboard tech to make the average driver feel like a pro.
No stunt double required here.
Matt was giving it his best on the track Credit: Supplied
The car will hold your hand and walk you through it.
Matt was impressed – and he’s not even employed by Audi Credit: Supplied
Power from the 2.9-litre V6 has been hiked 60hp to 510hp and the e-motor increases the total output to 639hp and 825Nm of torques. Dang. The acceleration is relentless.
But it’s the way this car changes direction, the front-end grip, together with the ability to switch from super sticky to super slide-y on the rear axle that impresses the most.
Without being too technical, the centre differential is supported by rear Dynamic Torque Vectoring which can vary torque loads between each wheel in just 15 milliseconds, quicker than the blink of an eye.
Maybe even a Tardis.
As for looks? Blistered arches. Oval tailpipes. Forged alloys. Chequered flag-style matrix lights. They all please.
The cabin is typical Audi and by that I mean classy and driver-focused with lap and sector times recorded, if you want them to be.
I suppose I should finish by saying that, in EV mode, the RS 5 can do 50-odd miles and 87mph without waking the petrol engine.
So it can be mean and green.
I didn’t bother trying EV mode.
I’m pretty sure Matt didn’t either.
Matt in his role as Doctor Who Credit: Adrian Rogers Photography
KEY FACTS: AUDI RS 5 AVANT
Price: £91,300
Engine: 2.9-litre V6 plug-in hybrid
Power: 639hp
0-62mph: 3.6 secs
Top speed: 155mph
Economy: 72mpg
CO2: 89g/km
