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It's been about a week since Audi's American chief Johan De Nysschen confirmed the much anticipated RS 5 for the American market by the summer of 2012 and fortunatley two magazines have already begun to consider the field. Certainly the car will be benchmarked against the BMW M3 and Americans will also be well aware of the Cadillac CTS-V coupe as well. That in mind, we thought you'd enjoy these two YouTube videos from Car & Driver and Motor Trend.

 

[fxhomie]

RS5 came in last in the C&D comparo.

 

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I just had a chance to read that last night. I didn't get the picture that the other two were appreciably better other than they were rear-wheel drive. If that's your priority than of course M3 or even Caddy is for you. At the end of the day though these tests are more often than not subjective and as you can see the order was different in Motor Trend. I suspect the RS 5 is still the best day-to-day on the road, certainly the only year-round driver in the mix and easier to drive fast with less skill (admittedly in that article).

The other thing I find is that those with a higher degree of driving skills or training tend not to like cars that are performance levelers. It's kind of like the manual transmission... a right of passage that most of us want people to learn. The RS 5, like many modern Audis, is easy for 'lesser' drivers to drive fast too and, well, if you've spent a lot of money on driver training you may not be that appreciative when someone you view as slow hits lap times close to yours on a track day whereas were you and he had been driving the BMW you'd have stomped him more thoroughly.

I wonder too what would have happened if it had rained while they were at the Ring.

 

[fxhomie]

According to C&D, the RS5 will be priced around 90K. This true?

 

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According to C&D, the RS5 will be priced around 90K. This true?

Yeah, that struck me too. I HIGHLY doubt it.... maybe one loaded up with some Audi Exclusive paint and options but I expect it to be around or just above a loaded S5.

 

[06TornadoGTIPete]

That seemed quite high to me as well. That would represent $20k in options if the base is going to be around $70k.

If it is anything like the B7 RS4, then options will be light. The RS4 only had the Premium Package which added $4k and put right about $70k LOADED. I see the RS5 being no different.

Im not even sure where they found an $80k M3. It must have had 100% of the options possible. The norm for M3's is in the $65k-$70k range. There is a guy at work who has an M3 Convertible and his wasn't even $80k.

 

[cnimativ]

That seemed quite high to me as well. That would represent $20k in options if the base is going to be around $70k.

If it is anything like the B7 RS4, then options will be light. The RS4 only had the Premium Package which added $4k and put right about $70k LOADED. I see the RS5 being no different.

Im not even sure where they found an $80k M3. It must have had 100% of the options possible. The norm for M3's is in the $65k-$70k range. There is a guy at work who has an M3 Convertible and his wasn't even $80k.

ON the UK site, RS5 is 15.4k GBP above S5, so ya. Not going to be an easy sell at that price point compare to M3.