Fast Audis were always… pretty fast on a straight line, which made them a massive headache for their rivals. The all-new RS5 certainly wants to continue this tradition, but first, it has some work to do.
Powered by a new twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 that makes 450PS (444hp) and 600Nm (442.5 lb-ft) of torque, the new RS5 may not trump its predecessor in the horsepower figure, but brings 170Nm (125.4 lb-ft) more torque to the table.
Combine this with the trademark Quattro all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic and what you’re left with is an Audi that can accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 3.9 seconds and up to a top speed of 174mph (280km/h), if you tick the right box in the options list.
So, can the new Audi RS5 beat the Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe and the BMW M4 Competition Pack on a straight line? To find out, CarWow gathered all three on an abandoned airfield for not just a classic drag race but a rolling start one as well.