Audi has just held their European “long lead” first drive of the new RS 5 (B10) in Morocco. So This website did not attend the launch so has no first hand impressions of the car, but the event does provide plenty of context in the form of new photos, videos, quotes from Audi executives and also quotes from press.
Audi chose Morocco — specifically the Circuit de Marrakech and the switchbacks of the Atlas Mountains — to demonstrate that this added mass and complexity have not diluted the RS character. Instead, according to the brand, electrification enhances immediacy, torque delivery and chassis precision.
This post serves two purposes:
First, to curate quote and early impressions with links to select publications who had the chance to sample the car on both circuit and mountain roads.
Second, to include new photo and video assets released in coordination with the event. Further, more specific specs and details also revealed have been added to the RS 5 Sedan and RS 5 Avant entries on the ooooIYKYK Audi Archive project.
PRINT QUOTES & REVIEW LINKS
TONY QUIROGA FOR CAR & DRIVER – LINK
“Don’t fat-shame the Audi RS5 until you drive it.”
“The idea that you can only save yourself from yourself is happening at Audi. The latest generation of electrics, such as the Q6 e-tron, and gas-powered vehicles like the A5 and the Q5, have left us cold. Measured against the competition, the new Audis are good, not great. Fortunately, Audi has a small group of people who work independently of the mothership and know Audi’s greatest hits, because they made most of them.”
TIM STEVENS FOR MOTOR TREND – LINK
“Let’s get the bad news right out of the way: Audi is saying the long-roof Avant flavor of the RS5 is not destined for American shores. That’s despite the company blessing us with the RS6 Avant earlier and BMW recently following suit with its own high-power plug-in, the M5 Touring.”
TOM BAKER FOR EDMUNDS – LINK
“Audi experimented with different powertrain options for the new RS 5 before settling on a twin-turbo V6 with a plug-in hybrid system. But brand bosses said downsizing cylinder count was never on the agenda. Following the backlash Mercedes-AMG faced from its four-cylinder hybrid-powered C 63 sedan, Audi Sport managing director Rolf Michl and head of research and development Steffen Bamberger said that preserving the RS 5’s V6 was a decision that came easily.”
“‘Not for a single second” did Audi consider putting a four-cylinder engine in the RS 5’, Michi told Edmunds at an event in Morocco last week.
“Bamberger said Audi briefly experimented with a non-plug-in RS 5 hybrid with a smaller battery and nominal electric range, but its weight was not far off the 5,200-pound spec of the production RS 5 PHEV.”
JASON BARLOW FOR TOP GEAR – LINK
“Rather than wring their hands at the weight penalty, Audi’s RS team has taken the opportunities the hybrid system presents and run with it. Forget the drift mode – as fun as it is – the RS5 torque vectors its way out of trouble very convincingly. It might be heavy but there’s light and shade to its dynamics, and some real personality here, too.”
HENRY CATCHPOLE FOR EVO MAGAZINE – LINK
“Just as the circle of white smoke is completed and any view of the Marrakech street circuit obscured, there is a sudden, scolding sound from the new £92,120 Audi RS5, a tell-tale tack-tack-tack-tack. I can feel it, too, not just the percussive beat in the arch but the slightly lopsided change in balance. The right rear Pirelli P Zero R has delaminated, spectacularly.”
AUTHOR NOT SPECIFIED FOR PISTONHEADS – LINK
“Apparently, only a couple of race teams have so far used this e-torque vectoring idea; it hasn’t shown up in a road car before. But Audi Sport is so pleased with it that it’s going to use it again, and I wouldn’t be surprised if other car makers did too as an alternative to active rear steer. I don’t doubt that here it makes what could feel an oversized wagon considerably more nimble. Would the oversteering Audi be nicer if it was half a tonne lighter? Of course. But given it can’t be, they’ve chucked everything at it, and developed a car with a broad spread of ability – and no little entertainment.”
CALLUM TOKODY FOR SUPERCAR BLONDIE – LINK
“This chameleon ability to switch from a zero-emission city cruiser to a track-ready weapon is exactly what a modern enthusiast needs.”
TIM STEVENS FOR ENGADGET – LINK
“For maximum fun in the new RS5, dial it over to what Audi calls Torque Rear mode. This configures the new rear differential to send maximum twist to the outside rear wheel.”
PETER BLEAKNEY FOR SHARP MAGAZINE – LINK
“The good news? The rear-mounted 22 kWh battery helps give the sedan a favourable 51/49 front to rear weight distribution, and it does drive much lighter than the scales would suggest. Miraculously, Rolf Michl and Co. have managed to ensure there’s nary a whiff of understeer when attacking corners in the 2027 RS5.”
PETER BLEAKNEY FOR DRIVING.CA – LINK
“Audi RS-badged all-wheel drive sedans are not supposed to do this, but here I am on a racetrack in Marrakesh, Morocco hanging the 2027 RS5 sedan’s tail out in controllable power oversteer while negotiating a left-hand sweeper. I’m no driving hero, but after a few laps of this, I’m kinda feeling like one.”
VIDEO REVIEWS
AUDI STAFF QUOTES
GERNOT DÖLLNER CEO OF AUDI AG
“Driving here in Morocco – with scorching heat, dust, and challenging mountain roads – shows just how confidently and reliably our first high-performance plug-in hybrid handles real-world conditions. This is what Vorsprung durch Technik is all about: true innovation proves itself not on a test rig but out on roads around the world. The new Audi RS 5 stands for exactly that – high performance that delivers everywhere.”
“Our world-first technology, quattro with Dynamic Torque Control, really demonstrates that ultimate agility and absolute stability aren’t opposites – they actually complement each other. Electromechanical torque vectoring at the rear axle gives the new Audi RS 5 precision and control that seamlessly blend sporty dynamics and safety. In Morocco’s tight mountain bends, you instantly feel how harmoniously these capabilities interact to create a completely new driving experience.”
ROLF MICHL MANAGING DIRECTOR OF AUDI SPORT GMBH
“As an Audi subsidiary, Audi Sport stands for high-performance models, small series, and fully customizable vehicles with Audi exclusive. The Audi RS 5 is the dynamic flagship model of the A5 line, setting new standards in technology – more than ever, the red rhombus symbolizes the perfect alliance of next-gen engineering and quattro-driven performance. And now, we’re bringing everyday usability to a new level, paired with bold, expressive design.”
“With the Audi RS 5, we’re launching a new performance class in the segment – thanks to cutting-edge PHEV technology, it’s nearly 200 PS stronger than its successful predecessor, the RS 4, and offers up to 825 Nm of torque. Plug-in hybrid hardware does add some weight, but that opens fresh possibilities for driving dynamics. Our electromechanical torque vectoring at the rear axle, together with the RS sport suspension, use that weight smartly. The result is a new RS 5 that drives with more precision and stability but still feels agile and light on its feet.”
“With our Audi exclusive customization program, we offer new sporty and elegant design packages for the RS 5 that perfectly complement the high-quality materials. Extensive use of carbon – Carbon Camouflage is also available as an exterior option – accentuates the muscular look of our top athlete, continuing the widebody tradition RS models are known for.”
STEFFAN BAMBERGER HEAD OF TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT AT AUDI SPORT GMBH
“We had a clear goal: a car that feels nimble, precise, and always under control. The new center differential has a preload to always remain partially locked, managing longitudinal torque distribution. Transverse torque distribution at the rear is provided by a new differential that can shift torque between the wheels in milliseconds. The RS 5 lifts traction and steering to a new level.”
“Our RS sport suspension with twin-valve shock absorbers reacts incredibly fast, keeping the ten-percent-stiffer body perfectly in check. Whether you’re carving through twisty back roads or pushing hard on a closed course, the RS 5 offers a driving feel that’s more direct and controlled than ever.”
“With the advanced twin-turbo V6 and electric motor working in tandem, the RS 5 gets off the line with class-leading power, covering more than 22 meters in just 2.5 seconds. Customers will feel this instant power delivery, especially in dynamic acceleration.”
MOROCCO LAUNCH FOOTAGE
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PHOTO GALLERY
