Originally Posted by
blackout
Hey all, been a lurker for years but rarely post. I've had several Audis and always considered them the absolute pinnacle of fun-to-drive daily drivers that are unmatched in the balance of comfort/luxury and capability. This current 2021 RS5 SportBack I have is the best example to date and I absolutely love it.
But all that said, I've never picked an Audi as a track toy, and reserved that experience for other, more focused cars (personally, a VA STI, F82 M4, 981 Boxster GTS and 991.2 911 Carrera S).
But with all the supply chain madness driving the market insane, it looks like I'm looking at the real prospect of warm weather without a track-focused car in my garage, and am getting antsy. I'm apparently next in line at my local dealership for a 992 911 GTS allocation, but the EARLIEST that car will be delivered is probably late summer; by the time break in is done I'll be swapping to all seasons... I even considered trading the RS5 in on a BMW M2 CS but didn't fall in love with it when I test drove one, and they were asking about $10k over MSRP so I took a hard pass.
So while I didn't intend to take the RS5 on a track, it's getting more tempting. I'm thinking at least an autocross or three, maybe an HPDE. I know there are folks that do these things in their RS5s; in fact one could argue that the RS line is comparable to the BMW M line at least from a marketing perspective.
How good are these cars on the track? I'm not interested in modifying the car in any way, as I'll most likely be trading it in on the 911 and don't want to deal with parts-swapping or excessive wear and tear. One thing I noted about the M4 is how quickly the stock steel brakes got cooked. I had to stop mid-day because I was already noticing fade and vibrations, and the dealer ended up replacing the pads and rotors under warranty a week later (I've heard the newer M cars have a new brake compound that is far more resilient). I don't want to deal with that in this car, so will probably skip the HPDE... but I am genuinely wondering how capable these cars would be at autocross, a venue that's typically dominated by smaller, agile sports cars like Caymans and M2s.
I have noticed plenty of RS3s at events though but they seem generally to be pretty heavily modified. One guy had his RS7 at an autocross but it looked out of place and he didn't do that well.
Just curious how people are actually using these cars.
I have a 2019 RS5 Sportback with the sport suspension and DRC, but no changes to the suspension. I go to a few HPDEs each summer, including both track and autocross. I've had the car on smaller local tracks as well as Road America and Virginia International Raceway, and shared the track with everything from a McLaren to a GTI. I don't race. It's just between me and my car, and how to drive it effectively. Before this car, I had two S4s (B8 & B8.5). I've also logged about 280K miles in Porsches before the S4s.
I have been on the track in an R8, RS7, RS5, RS3, TTRS, S5, S4, S3, SQ5, TTS. The RS cars are simply more capable in a track environment than the S cars. The R8 and the 2023 RS3 are the best Audis for the track, but while the RS5 is as good or better than the other Audis, it is not as track focused as something like an M3/4. The M cars sacrifice sound insulation (weight savings), ride quality (stiff rear = oversteer), and cabin/luggage space (engine placement for weight distribution), for better track performance. The RS5 is less capable on the track, but not incapable, and a much nicer vehicle otherwise.
The RS5 handles well on the track and, when the tire pressures are correct, you can easily rotate the car in turns and even induce oversteer with the throttle. But, as others have mentioned, the brakes are probably not the best for dive-bombing corners after high speed straights. Personally, I back off a bit early and don't try to threshold brake, and I've not had any issues with the brakes. But, if you want to drive as aggressively as possible and get the best lap time, the brakes will probably be the limiting factor. But, they are not that fragile - just be aware and don't expect them to brake like a Porsche, or hold up to anything you can throw at them. Regarding driving technique, be smooth. Don't snap the steering wheel into turns, and consider trail braking for more difficult turns if you encounter understeer.
Whether you can get the RS5 around the track faster than an M3/4 probably depends more on the skill of the drivers. I have lapped some M3/4/5s on the track, but I have also be unable to keep up with some. So, the stock RS5 is capable and fun in that environment, but it does not really strive for cutting edge track behavior like Porsche or BMW.
The tire pressures you use will be a function of the specific tires you have and the ambient temperatures. I use Michelin PS4S tires and put 6psi more in the front than the rear. For example, on a cool track day I might use 41/35. As temperatures warm up I'll use 39/33. In a hot track environment I'll let air out to keep pressures in the 30s, but still maintain the 6psi front/rear difference. So, as long as you have enough air in the front tires to prevent scraping the sidewalls, and put about 6psi less in the rear, your handling should be balanced. If you want more oversteer, reduce the front/rear difference (e.g., 5 or 4 psi, such as 39/34 or 39/35).
So, if you are itching to do some autocross or track, do it. The car is more capable than most people are aware of, and the track helps get in touch with that. And, it's fun. But, it won't resemble a Porsche on the track, and it won't be as nimble in autocross as a shorter wheelbase car. But, it will do better than most people expect.
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