We test the 2023 Audi RS5 Competioon to see if it is indeed better than the BNW Mw.

This is certainly no ordinary Audi RS5, it’s Audi’s attempt to turn one of its great cars into a very special one. It's the 2023 Audi RS 5 Competition, which looks like an RS5 but is faster, lighter, more expensive, and is jumping into the ring to take on the likes of the BMW M3/M4, and the muscular C63 AMG. Today we'll test it and see if they've done enough.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:32 What is the Competition trim?
2:36 Under the hood
3:18 Exterior
3:39 Cargo Space
4:01 Pricing
4:30 Interior
6:39 Driving
13:44 Verdict

So, what is the Competition?

First off you get Pirelli P Zero Corsas 275/30 on some very nice looking 20-inch wheels which are 4.4 pounds lighter apiece. The ABS has been reprogrammed, and in the US carbon-ceramic brakes are standard.

Audi has removed more than 17 pounds of sound deadening mostly from the firewall, between the engine and the driver. The suspension has been tweaked too since the 2023 Audi RS5 Competition now sits nearly 0.4 inch lower than the standard car, and you can lower it manually by another 0.4 inch with a tool kit handily placed in the trunk.

The standard car’s electronic dampers have been replaced by fully adjustable coil-overs, the adaptive anti-roll bars are new, and the rear bar has been stiffened. One of the best changes in my opinion is the fixed 13:1 steering ratio, instead of the dynamic ratio offered in the standard RS5. The rear differential has also been modified.

At the back the exhaust has been worked on for a more sonorous sound, it isn't great but there is one feature accessory mode, switch it to Dynamic mode, and the exhaust will spit out "an overshoot in revolutions.". It's entertaining but a Cadillac CT5 Blackwing does it better.

Under The Hood

Sadly Audi hasn’t made any changes under the hood, the 2.9-liter twin turbo six still has 444 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque, however, due to the weight savings it is now quicker by 0.1 second quicker to 60 mph, so, expect times under 3.5 seconds. The transmission has been remapped for quicker shifts in Dynamic Mode for quicker shifts, Comfort mode remains the same, although it still shifts very quickly. The RS 5's top speed is now 180mph.


2023 Audi RS 5 Competition Numbers

BASE PRICE: $77,900
PRICE AS TESTED: $100,565
VEHICLE LAYOUT: Front-engine,all-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
ENGINE: 2.9 liter, twin-turbocharged and inter-cooled DOHC 24-valve V-6
POWER: 444 hp @ 6,700 rpm
TORQUE: 443 lb-ft @ 1,900 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
CURB WEIGHT: 4,056 lbs 
0-60 MPH: 3.5 seconds
TOP SPEED: 180 mph
EPA CITY/HWY/COMBINED: 21/18/26 mpg
OUR OBSERVED: 17.5 mpg
CARGO SPACE: 11.9 ft³
PROS: Incredible grip, very quick, sublime handling, beautiful interior.
CONS: The competition package doesn't come cheap