These are the 2023 Audi RS5 Sportback Competition Plus's best features.
When the Competition Plus pack is added to the 2023 Audi RS5 Sportback, it makes it faster.
When Audi's high-end A5 sedan ended up in the hands of Audi's performance division, Audi Sport, the incredibly fast Audi RS5 was born. The RS badge on the car is like the AMG badge on a Mercedes or the M badge on a BMW.
Audi's lineup of high-performance cars is one of the best in its class. The cars' signature quattro all-wheel-drive system lets them perform well no matter what the road conditions are like. When it came out in April 2013, the Audi RS5 was powered by a big, naturally aspirated V8 engine that made almost 450 HP. Since then, the car has changed. The engine is now smaller, but the power numbers are so much higher that they are hard to believe. The model comes as both the RS5 Coupe, which has two doors, and the RS5 Sportback, which has four doors.
The RS5 Sportback from 2023 is much better than the ones that came before it, and the Competition Plus package is the cherry on top.
For an extra fee, the Competition Plus adds a louder exhaust, some performance-oriented tires that stick well, and some minor chassis changes that make the car a great driver's car.
The RS5 Sportback has more power, and its exhaust is louder.
The 2023 Audi RS5 Competition Plus has a few small changes that make the car better all around. It has the same 444 HP as its predecessor, and the tune of the 2.9-liter V6 engine is also the same. The torque output is 438 lb-ft, which is a good number for a car of this size. However, the top speed is the most important difference between the two. The sedan's top speed used to be electronically limited to 155 mph, but the Competition Plus package got rid of that limit, so it could now go up to 180 mph. Even though this trim costs an extra $16,100, it has some features that are added and some that are taken away. With a sports exhaust, the sound of the car's exhaust is much louder and more aggressive than before. Also, the carmaker took out nearly 18 pounds of soundproofing material from the cabin, so drivers can enjoy this exhaust note. The RS5 still has an 8-speed automatic transmission, and the quattro all-wheel-drive system sends power to all four wheels. The gear ratios are slightly changed with new ratios that make the car go faster off the line. Compared to the standard car, the Competition Plus cuts a full tenth of a second off the time it takes to reach 60 mph.
The RS5 Sportback can turn better because the chassis has been made stronger.
Along with improvements in technology, Audi also makes great changes to the chassis. Even though the quattro all-wheel-drive system only sends power to the back wheels, the mechanical rear differential has been changed to make it more rear-wheel-drive oriented. The steering ratio has also been changed to make the car easier to drive. Audi calls this "sports direct steering." The coil-over springs have been lowered by 0.4 inches compared to the standard RS5, and the ride height can be lowered by another 0.4 inches if needed. The springs are stiffer, which makes it easier for the car to turn, and the Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires on the 20-inch wheels make the car look even better. Carbon fiber has been used to change the way this beast looks. The hood, wing mirrors, front splitter, and rear diffuser are all made of carbon fiber to save weight. It's hard to tell the difference between the regular RS5 and the Competition Plus because the changes are small but useful.
The inside of the RS5 Competition Plus is now gloss black.
Audi has made the Sportback more sporty, but they haven't taken away any of its usefulness. It still has enough room in the back seats for two adults. Even though the sloping roof might cut into the headroom for people in the back, people under 6 feet tall can fit in there comfortably. The Competition Plus's interior has a lot of gloss black accents and carbon fiber inserts to make it look more sporty. The car also has an infotainment system with a 10.1-inch touch screen that looks great and works like a charm. The screen can be used wirelessly and has basic features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The very important g-force meter and boost pressure are shown on the sports display. The best part of the standard RS5's interior has been kept, like the digital driver's gauge, which shows a lot of information about how the car drives and has features like wireless phone charging, ambient lighting, and dual-zone climate control.
When the Competition Plus package is added to the 2023 Audi RS5 Sportback, the car's overall dynamics get a lot better. The base price of an RS5 is about $77,000, and adding the Competition Plus package costs an extra $16,100. That makes it a bit more expensive than its closest competitors, like the BMW M3 Competition, which has more power for the same price. But there's something about the Audi RS5 Sportback that naturally draws you in and gets you just as excited. We think it's the sleek look of the four-door coupe.