saltwater1

Thinking about trading my 08' 911 Turbo for an new RS5. The RS5 is the best looking Coupe out there IMO.

I Feel the need for something new and the kids are getting older (=bigger). I don't drive much so when I do I like it to feel kind of "special". Need AWD (Michigan). The TT is currently a daily driver - even in Winter (I put on snow tires). I've had a couple of Audis (B5 S4 and B6 S4) but have been driving P Cars since...

Thoughts? Am I going to regret it????

blinsc

I don't want to dampen your spirits any, but this just doesn't seem like a good trade to me. I think most would agree that just about any 911 Turbo is going to seem more "special" than an RS5. Audi enthusiasts and some folks can tell the difference between an RS5 and a regular A5 (particularly up close and looking at the front and back), but there's not much. At worst, the 911 Turbo gets mistaken for a regular 911, which is still pretty special, and I think most people know a Turbo when they see one.

Then there is the performance... the 911 Turbo is a beast and the 2008 is probably half a second quicker to 60 than the RS5, if not more. Past 60, it gets worse for the RS5. I don't know how much that matters to you.

Having said that, you have the 911 Turbo and something is obviously making you want something else, so I would definitely encourage you to drive one. And I also agree that the Audi A/S/RS5 is about the best looking coupe around.

Do you have any specific reasons why you want to get out of the 911?

KarlFEvans

The back seats in the A5/S5/RS5 are not that usable. I also agree that the Porsche Turbo is more special than the RS5.

When I bought my S5 I fully expected to sell my old 944 Turbo. But I could not. The feel of that old Porsche is magical- so I kept it. I have the best of both worlds now.

saltwater1

The Turbo is starting to feel a little 'long in the tooth' with its dated interior etc. It drives great and is fun but I never really bonded with the car for some reason? I had a Cayman S before that and actually felt more attached to it? The power is not that important as you really never get to use it around where I am. Really I think I'm just craving that new car smell...

blinsc

Well, if that's the case, then I definitely say give the RS5 a shot. The S5, which I have, has practically the same interior as the RS5 and it feels very sleek to me. I have gotten more than a few "holy ****, this is nice!" comments from passengers. The only complaint I have about it is the system doesn't have dedicated prev/next track buttons. You have to push the volume **** left or right, which I can't stand! That's seriously my only gripe about the A/S/RS5 interior. If power is not that important, the RS5 is definitely fast enough.

But I still feel like if what you are after are looks and stares, I'd keep the 911 Turbo, or perhaps consider a 2014 Cayman S (you said you liked your previous, and I hear the new ones are great).

Good luck deciding!

RS5Will

Try the RS5. I think you will like to. And if you supercharge the car, you would be most satisfied. Trust me.

tmiele

I had both a Boxster S and a 911 C4 cab and while a Porsche is a “Porsche”, an Audi to me is fun, fun, fun 365 days a year. I let the 911 go for a V10 S6 (and 4 snow tires) and now have a S5 cab.

Living in Wisconsin and now in Illinois, the P cars spent 4 months under the covers, while I was out driving the Audis (I had a S4 while I had the Boxster).

I guess I came to my senses one day and weighed the advantages of giving up some performance for the practicability of a rear seat, a real trunk, fold-down seats for hauling bigger things and driving a great car all year long (and saving some money on not having 3rd car insurance premiums and the additional maintenance/storage charges for it).

I was very happy with the S6, still happy with my S5 cab, and looking at the future in the new S6.

I think you could be very happy in a RS5 too!

DoubleA4

I own an S5 now but before making the dive I was seriously looking at 997's. I went back and forth so many times. It hurts to write it down now even...

So, IMO, here is what I came up with that made my decision final:

1) Good Looks. Lets face it, not many cars on the road are as naturally gorgeous as the S5/RS5 (sorry I am not going to include the A5, my pref).

2) It combines levels of practical (AWD and rear seats) with performance (V8, 6spd, suspension). Again, not a lot of cars can make the claim and stand up to it.

3) Interior: Audi has made a name for itself by building cars with interiors that you struggle to find anywhere close to their price-points.

4) I appreciate the thumbs up and gawks from bystanders. I feel special getting in and out of it every single time.

5) Despite the gawks and such the car is classy and understated. The RS5 may not qualify as understated but compared to a winged 911 turbo I would say the RS5 gets the understated nod.

6) Have we discussed sounds? The V8 makes great sounds. Sorry, no turbo will ever hold up against a NA V8. Its visceral in a way that reminds you there is a lot of potential under your right foot.

7) The RS is the best that Audi offers for any particular model. There is something to be said about driving a car who has benefited from a more focused effort. Granted, it may not win any battles against its peers but how many of us really drag race our cars on a daily basis anyway. Few, if any.

8) Driving Events and weekend races: yep, I want to live the dream so my car is destined for the track for me to live out that dream. The Audi can accommodate you. The RS, more so. Some pads and rotors and you can brake late care-free and feel like a hero for a few laps. Love it, but I'm ok with not winning the race. Again, there are faster cars ('08 997 turbo) that would put some serious distance between it and the RS5. My ego isn't that big.

visualguy

Then just get the S5 which is already supercharged... Or wait for the next-gen B9 RS5 which is expected to be a twin-turbo V6. I don't think the current RS5 makes sense quite frankly - way too heavy (particularly in the front), unimpressive torque, lack of adaptive suspension, etc. It should all be addressed in the next-gen RS5.

For something that's available sooner, I would just get the new BMW M3 or M4 unless you really need AWD. The weight reduction on those is amazing, engine with great specs, handling is expected to be superb, etc.

visualguy

Why not include the A5? It looks almost identical to the other ones...

I don't get the impression that anyone notices my S5 or considers it to be anything special where I live (CA). I think the only Audi that people notice is the R8.