2013 Audi RS 5: Photo Gallery

Cars.com's test cars are parked amid a vast sea of vehicles in a multistory parking tower; Audi's RS 5 was easy to spot with its unmistakable LED headlights, aggressive grille, carbon fiber accents and Sepang Blue pearl paint. Likewise, its throaty exhaust note is hard to miss.

The performance-oriented RS 5 slots above the already amped up S5 and regular A5 in price and power. It's equipped with a 4.2-liter V-8 good for 450 horsepower and 317 pounds-feet of torque.

Our test RS 5 coupe Quattro started at $68,900 but had an as-tested price of $77,320, including destination, thanks to goodies like the pearly paint, MMI Navigation Package, Titanium Package and sport exhaust system. Even without the options, it commands a hefty premium over the S5's $51,795 starting price and makes the A5, which bases at, $38,745, look like a bargain.

Check out Cars.com photographer Evan Sears' photos below.

2013 Audi RS 5 at Roebling Road Raceway Video

If the 2013 Audi RS 5 didn't quite have Cars.com reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder at "hello," it had him saying "You complete me" within a few turns around the track at Roebling Road Raceway in Georgia. Wiesenfelder was initially enticed by the exterior styling, which is more imposing than the A5 with its "giant" grilles, lower profile and aggressive diffuser. But the S5-besting 450 horsepower courtesy of the RS 5's 4.2-liter V-8, along with the cohesion of the powertrain, brakes, all-wheel-drive system and overall driving dynamics, was what really made this a case of love at first drive. For more of this Roebling romance, watch the video above.

Related
2013 Audi RS 5: Up Close
2013 Audi A5, S5: First Look
More Audi News on Cars.com

Audi Teases 2012 S5 4.2 Special Edition on Facebook

For 2013, Audi's S5 is trading its V-8 powertrain for a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6. Before the model changeover, the automaker is offering V-8 S5 loyalists one last version of the coupe.

The new 2012 Audi S5 4.2 Special Edition was first unveiled on the automaker's Facebook page, an increasingly popular place for carmakers to leak news. (Buick Facebook fans saw teaser shots of its new Encore compact SUV before the official reveal at the 2012 Detroit auto show.)

2013 Audi RS 5 at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

• Competes with: BMW M3 coupe, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG coupe, Cadillac CTS-V coupe
• Looks like: A beefed-up S5 which is, in turn, a beefed-up A5
• Drivetrain: 450-hp, 4.2-liter V-8; seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Summer 2012

Audi’s promise of an even hotter version of its S5 for U.S. buyers will come to fruition when the RS 5 goes on sale next year. The 450-horsepower RS 5 has been available overseas, but it gets new front and rear styling — like the newly tweaked 2013 A5 and S5 — before coming stateside.

Unlike the recently announced S6, S7 and S8, there are no turbochargers lurking under the RS 5’s hood. The 4.2-liter’s power comes naturally aspirated, making peak power at a screaming 8,250 rpm. For those mourning the upcoming demise of the V-8-powered S5 coupe — replaced by a similarly powered and more efficient supercharged V-6 for 2013 — the RS 5 will be the only V-8 option in the A5/S5 lineup. Teamed with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, zero to 62 mph comes in 4.6 seconds.

2013 Audi A5, S5: First Look

• Competes with: BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Infiniti G37
• Looks like: A current A5 with the A7’s nose
• Drivetrain: 211-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, six-speed manual or CVT transmission with front or all-wheel drive (A5); 333-hp, supercharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder with all-wheel drive(S5)
• Hits dealerships: Midyear 2012

The Audi A5 and higher-performance S5 are getting a slightly new look for the 2013 model with mostly exterior updates, though the S5 loses one of its defining characteristics, but perhaps that’s not a bad thing.

Up front, the A5’s new headlights, bumper and fog lights are more chiseled and closely match its 2012 A6 and A7 siblings. The rear lights have been redesigned, too, but it’s harder to differentiate those compared with the more dramatic changes up front.

The S5 gains similar aesthetic alterations but loses the 4.2-liter V-8 that’s been available since its launch as a 2008 model. We’ll miss the burly sounds of the 354-horsepower V-8, but we are quite fond of the S5’s new engine: a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 making 333 hp. It also powers the A6 and A7.

Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Audi S5

Audi goes old school with the S5 convertible and its soft-top, but Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays assures readers that bucking the trend of hardtops in no way detracts from the fun of driving an S5. Yet with a price tag heftier than its BMW, Infiniti and Lexus competitors, Audi has made a bet that you’re going to really like the convertible’s performance and overlook the extra cash you’d spend. Check out Mays’ full review to find out if this is a worthwhile trade-off.

2010 Audi S5 Review

2010 Audi S5 Video

The 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet is a desirable convertible that proves to be one of the most accommodating vehicles in its class, according to Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays. Still, he has a question for Audi: a soft-top convertible? Why no metal hardtop like its competitors? Check out the video for answers, not to mention a non-Chicago filming locale.