mhblaw

Have had my '18 S5 since last September. A real nice car, but miss my '13 RS5. As no mo V-8's I ordered an RS5 that is now on the boat bound for Houston. Should be here in ND in a few weeks. Looking forward to it.

Audirs518

Have you also wondered that there are multi-millionaires here and that 20k means nothing to he or she. LOL

superswiss

I think what gets me the most about the B9 platform in general is just how much of a parts bin project it is. There's nothing new or innovative about this platform, well maybe perhaps the new chassis ECU. If you think back to the B8, the B8 S4 brought us the sport differential and the S-tronic dual clutch gearbox, then the B8 RS5 introduced a new generation quattro system with a more lightweight, more dynamic center differential and torque vectoring on both front and rear axle. It was quite a shift in driving dynamics compared to the B7. Like other manufactures, Audi is focusing on self-driving tech and electric cars now. Neither one interests me all that much. There's a certain mainstreaming taking place of the RS models. The engine in the new RS5 also isn't unique. The core is shared with the S5 and the same engine can be found in the Panamera, whereas the old RS5 engine was a new development based on the R8 V10 and only found in the RS4 and 5. RS cars used to be rare and limited production, but are now becoming just as mainstream as the S models. Chances are I'll be picking up a 2019 C63 S Coupe next. The 2018 didn't quite do it for me, but the facelift fixed most of the complaints I had and with Apple finally adding Google Maps and Waze to CarPlay and Mercedes making CarPlay/AA standard with the new Infotainment system, I won't lose access to Google services. AMG still seems to understand how to make performance cars that have a soul and character and are different enough from the lower trims, even though they have started doing their AMG lite models. BMW M are also sufficiently distinct from their base models, with equipment such as the DCT and limited slip differentials and e-diffs only available in M models. I've posted my own impression after extensively driving the new RS5 on my own thread for those who have missed it and while it's not a bad car it's just a bit too ho-hum. The best part about it is the DRC suspension and I would pay money for that, but what's kinda telling for me is that I haven't felt the urge of wanting to take it out again and drive it. One of the YouTube reviewers hit the nail on the head when he said the new RS5 is a nice car to travel in from A to B, but it's not a car that you just wanna take out and drive for the sake of driving and I have to totally agree with that.

CtheW0rld

I love my A5, but if I were a multimillionaire, I wouldn't be driving any Audi. I might have one for the housekeeper to run errands in.

NoMoreBMWs

"I think what gets me the most about the B9 platform in general is just how much of a parts bin project it is."

Short term Audi spent the R&D on the new A6, A7 and A8. The B9 is the last development prior to the 48V systems on which the new technologies will hang. But there isn't much sport in autonomous systems. My guess is that Audi Sport, M, and AMG have only one generation left to go.

superswiss

Yeah, I fear emotional drivers cars are going the way of the horse. We'll be driving them on the racetrack and other closed circuits for fun, while on a daily basis we'll whir around in less than exciting electric cars that'll do much of the driving themselves. Can't blame the car manufacturers. To be honest, traffic is getting so bad, that you really have to seek out empty roads to enjoy a performance car. I'm lucky that I don't have to commute to an office everyday, so driving for me is mostly recreational, but I can understand that Audi Sport is trying to stay relevant and cater to the majority a customers who spend most of the time in mundane driving situations and stuck in traffic. I've come to accept that I'm no longer the target customer for Audi Sport, except for the R8, but rumor has it that this is the last generation of the R8. There might be a class of emotional EVs such as the Porsche Mission E, but so far electric cars such as the Tesla are somewhat one trick ponies with a fast 0-60 time that most probably don't even utilize. I'm not sure how many use ludicrous mode on a regular basis, especially since you have to condition the battery for 10 minutes first and if you beat on the car too long it goes into thermal limp mode, something Porsche is promising won't be the case with the Mission E. We'll have to wait and see.

CiscoS4

ryanjm

I'm one of them, but it doesn't mean I don't care about money anymore.
No offense taken, it was just my personal opinion. The performance numbers are all out there and factual. The RS beats the S by .4 sec in 0-60, so it's faster, just not much.

synergize

From reading this thread it sounds like comparing the S5 to the RS5 is like comparing a 911 Carrera to a 911 Carrera S.

markcincinnati

I am on my second S4. Previous car a 2014 S4. Before that 2009 A4 Prestige w/ sport package, ADS, and dynamic steering. Before that 30 Audis starting with a 1978 5000S. I also had an S6 in the late 1990's that had the 20V turbo five-cylinder and manual transmission.

With this experience in ownership as a backdrop, I can not disagree more. When I was considering yet another tarted up A4 when the B9's came out, I was driving a 2014 S4. When I got in the VERY nice 2017 A4, I thought it was broken it lacked so much responsiveness to my right foot. I ordered a 2018 S4 (despite the lack of the 7-speed DSG) and the differences are not at all subtle. My 2018 S4 Prestige with three or four options was about $60,750. An A4 all tarted up was north, a bit, of $50,000. It was EASY to discern the nearly $10,000 difference.

After some 10 months with the S4 my dealer called me for the first RS5 test drive of the dealership. I drove it for an hour and my review is posted in the S4 forum. I would probably say that an RS5 with a few options on it is worth MAYBE $10,000 more than an S5 (or adjusted for the difference in base price an S4). I would, however, point out that the RS5 equipped fairly well is $20K more than an S car. I looked in the glove box and there wasn't $10,000 there. The S version is much closer to its RS sibling than an S is to an A. The slight differences in the interior are so minor as to suggest to the driver that he/she is not driving something special. The exterior differences are somewhat more noticable and I did like the dual oval tailpipes and the high bling wheels -- but other than a tad more power, I did say "where's the beef?" The RS simply isn't worth the upcharge for many folks if they are looking simultaneously at an S version. For a bit of money, the S cars can be slightly tarted up vial the Audi Exclusive option -- you could spend perhaps $5K to $10K and really make your S car look special.

Yes the RS is a bit quicker and for some folks, the difference in the price won't even phase them.

S is a somewhat milder RS in my opinion -- from the perspective of driving this on the streets, roads, highways, and Interstates that is.

Even if I had "calling in well money," I just can't see the price premium's justification on the RS's at this point.

The S's, however, are a HUUUUUGE improvement over the A's.

Often wrong, never uncertain, I remain.

Yours truly.