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A massive thank you to James for taking the time to meet up, and more importantly, taking my car out for a blast. He is a true gent. The engine truly is the soul of the car. I love it as my daily driver! 😎 PS The suspension was adjusted after the video. 😁
This year I stood on the platform of a heritage railway that is a thing here in the UK. A steam train came past me working hard, making lots of noise - smoke and steam, the whole platform rumbled under My feet, magnificent! No EV with no matter how much BHP it has, can replicate that! Progress is inevitable, but sometimes by progressing onwards we lose something on the way.
Well, this is the 3rd time you've featured a B8/B8.5 RS5 on the channel, so there must be something in it you enjoy, and the engine is the absolutely screaming highlight of the RS5! It's a bloody glorious thing and I'll never, ever get tired of the way it performs.
because it' s the best looking audi ever made except for maybe R8 which is a different category so doesn't really count. Now they have nice lines on the RS6 but it's rather extravagant.
I have a 2013 RS5 convertible. Is it without faults or weaknesses? No. Can it break in terrifyingly expensive ways? Yes. But bloody hell is it fun and glorious to drive on our mountain roads. And as you point out too, the quattro is a big advantage over the M3 and the C63 in certain regions (Switzerland for me). It makes me smile every time I get in. And it makes me grin ear to ear when I get to rev it out. Just a marvelous machine.
I consider myself fortunate to own my dream car! I purchased a 2008 4.2 R8 back in 2015 it's a joy to drive & the exhaust note (especially on the boil) is glorious 😊
Now you understand why I love my lowered, Naturally Aspirated V8, Lexus SC430 with a muffler delete. She is heavy, but I don't need a race-car to drive top-down to the beach. When I put my foot down, she has soul. 😀
I had a s5 v8 manual few years ago. Bought for 7k.. I have since had 3 v8 cars costing 30k plus.. I still regret getting rid of that car. Such a great drive and sounded great with the mufflers chopped off. Can beat it for value for the money..
Great sound, great engine; and a perfect analysis of why so many people who actually like cars and driving them, are left cold by the prospect of owning an EV.
Have been watching your videos for years and you have absolutely nailed it in this one on ALL the points you make. I am a die hard petrolhead and have had many different EVs since 2015 (company cars) but not a single one has had the ability to replace the sense of connection you get with a ICE car. It's the different characteristics of an engine, when and how it makes it's power, how you have to learn to get the most out of it, how it sounds and even how to play with the gearbox to best advantage too. I think there is a 'golden era' of cars where (like you said) there is just enough electronics/safety stuff and not too much. Automatic headlights and wipes, yes, auto high beam, yes, xenons yes, lane assist et-al, no. I have always tended to have a ICE alongside my EV and currently have an 8J TTS. Thinking on your last point. It's the car I wanted, but it's not the RS 5cyl... Hmmmmm.....
C63 AMG, V8 M3, RS5… We really did not realise how good we had it back then… I’ve said this about a lot of modern ICEs as well as EVs; if all manufacturers care about is the Top Trumps stats and thinking that’s all Petrol Heads want, then they’ve missed the point. Being a car enthusiast is about the whole experience. I’m a biker as well as car lover, and on a bike, I can look down and see my front suspension working, I can feel the engine through the seat, my clutch lever is connected to the actual clutch by a metal cable… I can connect and engage with my machine. Both ICEs and EVs try to remove that connection, which guts a car of its soul. For me, the late 90’s to early ‘10s is where car design peaked and we’ve been on a downhill slope ever since.
I had one. It was fast, reliable, sounded incredible, nice interior, comfortable ride and because of AWD you always have traction. Bear car I ever owned. If the newer RS5s had V8s I'd still be driving them.
@@rar23424 An RS5 is way more expensive to maintain. Look at the servicing costs alone. And when the gearbox or clutches need replacing, it's like half the value of the entire car.
I knew I'd find you here... I've just bought the RS5s replacement, a 2016 manual M3 F80. I spent ages looking for the right spec. It obviously doesn't sound anywhere near as good as the RS5 and it's doesn't feel as well built inside but it drives soooo much better and you can feel that it's much lighter. Anyways, hope the cars still treating you well. I see it's MOT time soon so good luck with that 🤞
@ Nice to see you here. I saw your M3, it is absolutely stunning. I’m sure the manual is a lot easier to parallel park with than the practical nightmare the DCT was haha. It took a host of small jobs but I’ve gotten the RS5 where I want it, more turn in bite and consistency mid corner. The M4 never inspired much confidence whilst it was here, most days it had to be treated very delicately at low and medium speeds. You guys definitely have the great blessing of much better weather and road conditions. Best of luck with the M3, I’m sure I’ll be seeing it on instagram again
Spot on about reviewers, head-to-head tests, and the Real World. So many very good and capable cars get overlooked or frowned upon for doing poorly in a review while being amazing cars to daily.
@muinarc0 Indeed. I often think back to Throttle House's comparison video of the V8 RS5 with its newer V6 version. Review metrics and track times are all well and good, but at the end of the day, I want something that brings me joy. And while they acknowledge it's not perfect, they were grinning ear to ear in every sequence they were driving the older version. And I think that says a lot given all the cool stuff they get to drive.
Could not agree more, took a punt on a 15k £ with 50k mls 2010 V8 xk, spent 1k on gearbox and water pump and now often do 500 mile trips in it and I love it. Other car is an outlander PHEV that has also served me very well. It's about balance. 😊
I fully agree with you on buying what you want and it being at least interesting. In part thanks to your DB9 video's I'm currently on the look-out for one as an object of desire for fair weather driving. Here in the Netherlands they're quite rare because they were massively expensive (230K euros), so most have been very well kept. I've always wanted one and now nearing my 40th birthday, I'm ready to pull the trigger when the right one comes along. Even if it does not increase in value fifteen years or so, I'll still enjoy having it I'm sure. Thanks for all your great content!
@lukeshardlow768 cool, I do believe that it is the last generation of real cars, fairly uncomplicated tech and not too much of a bear to work on. What year and color combo is yours? Last few weekse I've been lusting over an 08 in (almost black) dark ruby red with a cream interior, non-sport pack (because I prefer the normal ten spoke alloys). Looks absolutely mint inside, outside and underside. Only 45K miles on it. I am somewhat in doubt about whether I want a phase II car with the 470hp engine, but the only one in a spec I want currently for sale is in Belgium at AM Antwerp. I think I'll have to go and see them both.
@ mines an 08 in sapphire blue and sandstone interior, the 470 cars are good to go for if the price is right. I’d go and drive both and see if you notice any difference.
i agree cars have become overload of safety which is dangerous to many beeps and warning lights which takes you attention of the road! Have gone backwards old boxster with narrow body and manual box no toys but love it it has feeling
@@Sean-if7rp Yup, I have an RS5 convertible, and while at two metric tons it's not something I would track, it's amazing fun on our mountain roads here. Just perfect.
The B8/.5 platform was full of bangers, and they've all depreciated sufficiently such that anyone can get involved. Had an A5 myself, 3.0 TDI. It's gotten me to-and-fro in snow, and comfortably munches away motorway miles. Great car.
I remember a guy on my street used to have one of these, used to rip up the street at all hours like an absolute arse. One day he tore up and left a huge trail of oil after whacking the sump off on a huge pothole. Sometimes life just finds a way of sorting things out
Thank you so much for this video James. For years I've lusted after the B7 S4 and RS4 but never attained one. Now I'm VERY close to buying one of these 8T RS5s. Your analysis has confirmed I'm doing the right thing. One test drive and I fell in love!
I recently returned my 2020 V60 estate and reactivated my old E46 and immediately get, what you are talking about. The E46 keeps me "sharper". The Volvo made me complacent.
I used to have one of these (Daytona Grey with red leather which was a gorgeous spec (IMO) and as far as a daily driver it's still right up my street... I don't really care about racetrack dynamics (it's a bit numb), but more so a comfortable, capable car, quite understated but sporty styling and a fantastic rumbling soundtrack. It's the kind of car Audi used to do so well. Big fan.
Having owned a lot of cars with just about every single engine configuration apart from a V10 or V12 albeit I've driven both plenty of times. Engines change the character of a car so much and I've become a bit of a V8 fan.. Albeit I absolutely love a 2.0L modern turbo 4 banger, you can do a lot in one of those!
I've just bought a B6 S4 for exactly this reason, but it needs an exhaust to fully exploit the noise. I'm concerned about taxation for over 255g/km Co2 for V8 trickling down like EV's new £190 fee, plus the luxury tax for new cars over £40k. I do have an EV (12yrs in fact), but my petrol head heart is really in the noise, feel, and passion of charging up through the gears of a glorious baritone engine note.
Certain cars are dominated by the engine, and this is one of them. Having driven a BMW M6 V10, again, another car where the engine is everything. I also own two 5 pot Focus ST's and in the same way the engine makes the car and they have a character the later 4 pot lacks.
An engine is absolutely the soul of a car. And just like I would never buy an electronic Rolex, I would also not buy an electric sports car. If it's electric, I would rather get an affordable, disposable "Casio".
People who buy cars based on the numbers on paper usually get bored of them after a short time. You can't go around everywhere with your foot to the floor. I don't care if a car has 70hp or 700hp. The thing you are listening to ALL THE TIME is the engine. Yes it's nice to have overtaking power, but the other 98% of the time you aren't doing that. A friend of mine bought a Hyundai Elantra N. It's very quick. Handles beautifully. Nice interior. But the sound is just not there. It sounds like they tried to copy a Fiat/Abarth type of sound and failed miserably. I could not live with hearing a sub-par/junky sound on my everyday commute. This Audi is a perfect example of "not perfect", but in real world driving it just doesn't matter. I think this applies very much to V8 muscle cars as well.
Of course, you're right James, and I 100% agree with you. But as you say, time moves on, and eventually car makers will innovate, diversify and segment the EV market to offer us pterolheads something interesting. A very thoughtful piece.
I had a 14 RS5 for 2 years and never used the audio system. The sound of the motor and the blips on downshifts never got old. Extended warranty paid for $25k in repairs so sadly had to sell it when the warranty was up. Really miss driving it.
Hit the nail on the head, modern cars are dull as, EVs fall into that category. Unless you have supercar money there is nothing exciting about modern cars and hardly any poster pin ups like we were blessed with in the 80s and 90s. Great video as always 👍
As a w205 c63s v8 biturbo and having tested for some days the new w206 c63s epeformance hybrid with zyllions of HP… I can totally say YES to your question.
I have a 2009 S5 V8. It's not as sonorous or quick as the RS5 but as a daily it is an outstanding car offering very respectable performance and all the benefits of Audi's Torsen all wheel drive set up. On a grim winter's evening in the wet or snow it is remarkable how safe and predictable it makes a near 1.8 ton car, and as a family man that matters. As mighty as the M3 and C63 are when the roads are less than ideal (which is often in the UK) my money is on the Audi getting you to your destination without the need of a clean up in isle 5.
I think one should have a hybrid/electric for commuting, errands etc. then a fun petrol car for proper driving, maybe at weekends. I see the pros for both, but a high BHP low mpg can get expensive.
I’m from the generation where a coupe defined a sports car for the working man like Capri’s, Opel Mantas and Audi UR Quattro’s. I’m still a sucker for a Coupe, I can’t remove that from my DNA. So in my eyes the RS5 has a stunning coupe shape that for me will stand the test of time, it’s gorgeous, pair that with a true legend of a V8 engine and what a package you have. As you say, you can play that engine like a musical instrument, for those that have not experienced the drive of an RS5, I can’t imagine how to describe the engine any better than that. I honestly believe well looked after examples of these will in the future become collectors items. How many do you see day to day on our roads, not many. With the EV mandate and the ban on ICE vehicle sales, I think cherished examples will be used for sunny evenings and summer weekends to remind us what sports cars were built like without restrictions, how pleasurable a high revving stunning coupe sounds like and how evocative that era of motoring really was.
I've got the update of this RS5 and love it. I can't think of another car to upgrade to that will give the same balance of crazy loud V8 and smooth cruising around the city
Absolutely! You nailed it sir. I've got a 987.1 and I'm not sure the sound system still works as I never use it. Don't need nav I know where I'm going and the engine noise is fabulous. Newer cars are too expensive to buy and maintain. My other car is a slightly modded ACURA TSX which is the version of the Accord sold in places where people actually know how to drive and enjoy it. Yes, I'm in the US where they want "other" things but I've always been different. Started out in a real Beetle and progressed to BMW's with round tail lights when folks still asked "is that British Motor Works"?😂
@@27lacuna27 I am in the middle on design. I love both, base models look suitably corporate, kinda boring and euro, while the top end like 330ci zhp and 335i msport or full m3 cars look incredible on both generations.
Pre LCI E90 looked like an abosulte dog, especially non M sport. While I would personally never own an E46, I can also see why some ppl prefer that gen M3 over the E9x's
Even though the V8 in my C7.5 RS6 has a lot more going on with the twin turbos and extra grunt the NA variant in this B8 is timelessly glorious. Doesn't matter a jot about it being a bit slower than the rest of what we find on our roads today. That coupe shape is already a guaranteed future classic and the mix of NA, V8 and quattro make it a perfect GT cruiser. Hope people can keep more of these on the roads for as long the dino juice is still available!
Back when I was car shopping following graduation, I was initially going for the S5 variant because I wanted to pair a manual gearbox with a huge V8. I ended up buying a 2005 Jaguar XK8 because it's a far sexier machine, but I still hold a desire for a German muscle car.
My dream car since i learned how to drive at 18... Wish they were as cheap as £15k here in France, where they're more like 30k€ or more for a decent example
One car regret selling my B7 RS4 Avant.....similar engine to this 8250rpm redline and just felt incredible to drive.....oh and the manual box. The v8 was originally derived from Audi's Le Mans program. The difference between the RS4 V8 and R8 was the R8 engine was dry sumped.
To answer your question......ABSOLUTELY ! We all remember our first car usually with some affection even though it was (for insurance reasons) most probably 1 - 1.2 litres (I had an 80's fiat Uno). Like the evolution of music we bought cars because of characteristics....sound.Revs (including rev range) Torque. The gearbox matching (ratios). All these things and more meant we drove more variations of cars for the task or fancied at the time and then we traded up.....or down. Now EV's are trying to bring out the same emotion because most that's how most if not all human beings work , but you can't do it with any satisfaction because most ev's operate a smaller window (more level playing field) which has been engineered to be almost everything to everyone by pushing a button (on a screen). Enjoy ICE cars and tell the youngsters about the cars they never drove, and the bands they never saw !
Owned a 4.2 S5 2013 model. Loved it until I ultimately had to sell it. Only 1 thing annoyed me, the stupid middle plastic tray part of the rear seat. But even in S5 form, these are mile munchers par excellence. One feather of the throttle & it was a bullet, leaving cars as if they were stopping. Would I have another? Oh yes, but the RS5.
I have recently bought one, a 2011 Suzuka Grey one. It replaced a 2010 Jaguar XKR, which replaced a 2006 BMW M6, so I think my thoughts on this are fairly clear .. engines are a huge part of the appeal for me, especially when they don't have a turbo attached! I would have dismissed the RS5 as not as good as the competition, or that it understeered too much. I'm so glad I didn't, it's a wonderful thing on the road. Don't be fooled by big HP, you do not need 1000hp. It actually ruins the experience of a road car. Buy a characterful engine and really enjoy it whilst you still can!
The engine and steering wheel feel are definitely the soul of any petrol car. The A5 was the hottest in the room compared to the E92 and C Class. IMO has aged pretty well.
it is if you let it sound. the same for electric motors.they can sound interesting in their own way. the other thing is the gearbox, people wondered for the best transmission and it turns out it is a fixed ratio for EV's but then realized changing gears itself is fun, even with a paddle shift. Anyway I like EV's too especially for daily driving. So the conclusion is we should continue to build all types.
As an EV owner and a petrolhead my thought is maybe its the lack of noise not lack of performance? Maybe the reason Hyundai has added the soundtrack to the Ioniq 5N?
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Your Mucka Ricky Elder at RE will explain the difference in engines.
The engine is definitely the heart and soul of any car. So engines matter.
I love how the thumbnail says "vorspung" and not "vorsprung" with 2 R
A massive thank you to James for taking the time to meet up, and more importantly, taking my car out for a blast. He is a true gent. The engine truly is the soul of the car. I love it as my daily driver! 😎
PS The suspension was adjusted after the video. 😁
That noise is everything 😊
@@SA-zoom1 I don't need an excuse to drive it! 😁
What exhaust mods do you have? That doesn't sound stock!
@SimianWonder Well spotted. I have a Miltek (resonated) exhaust.
@Scotland_Above Ha, I daily my RS5 and it didn't take longer than the first pull to hear it!
Yours sounds fantastic!
It is indeed, No noise, no fun, no thrill.
As an ISF owner I can certainly tell you the engine is the soul of a car. If it were an EV it would be a snoozefest. Long live the V8!
I’ve just bought an ISF….. collect it next week. Looking forward to it!
@ndsd04 congrats mate!
This year I stood on the platform of a heritage railway that is a thing here in the UK. A steam train came past me working hard, making lots of noise - smoke and steam, the whole platform rumbled under My feet, magnificent! No EV with no matter how much BHP it has, can replicate that! Progress is inevitable, but sometimes by progressing onwards we lose something on the way.
We always lose something but everything changes over time. I wish the old high streets looked like they did 100 years ago.
You should check out the Chris Harris and Francis Bourgeois video chasing a steam train they uploaded last week.
Well, this is the 3rd time you've featured a B8/B8.5 RS5 on the channel, so there must be something in it you enjoy, and the engine is the absolutely screaming highlight of the RS5!
It's a bloody glorious thing and I'll never, ever get tired of the way it performs.
The design too! Love the design! Such a timeless and elegant masterpiece for the modern era!
@@rahulmandala4930I have had a B8 A5 for 10 years and I still find myself looking back at it when I walk away. The design is absolutely top notch.
@@rahulmandala4930definitely a future classic
I’ve always loved the style of the A5, truly classic proportions. That engine sounds fabulous too!
The Man Walter De Silva! I consider him Audi's Bruno Sacco. His work is that special to me and most others!
because it' s the best looking audi ever made except for maybe R8 which is a different category so doesn't really count. Now they have nice lines on the RS6 but it's rather extravagant.
Just bought a 2013 B8.5 4 weeks and the noise is addictive!
@chrisbraw7640 Ha, I got my 2013 B8.5 in spring, and indeed it is !
Yep. B8.5 RS4 owner here too. They are bloody marvellous
Of course it is. The heart and soul of a car.
I have a 2013 RS5 convertible. Is it without faults or weaknesses? No. Can it break in terrifyingly expensive ways? Yes.
But bloody hell is it fun and glorious to drive on our mountain roads. And as you point out too, the quattro is a big advantage over the M3 and the C63 in certain regions (Switzerland for me).
It makes me smile every time I get in. And it makes me grin ear to ear when I get to rev it out. Just a marvelous machine.
As a 2024 Jag F-Type P575m and 2023 F-Pace SVR owner, the engine is definitely the soul of any performance vehicle. Its a visceral experience!
@@cruisersupsupport4502 couldn't agree more with you I had a v6 and V8 for type and adored the sound of both :)
I consider myself fortunate to own my dream car! I purchased a 2008 4.2 R8 back in 2015 it's a joy to drive & the exhaust note (especially on the boil) is glorious 😊
Now you understand why I love my lowered, Naturally Aspirated V8, Lexus SC430 with a muffler delete. She is heavy, but I don't need a race-car to drive top-down to the beach. When I put my foot down, she has soul. 😀
@@paulbunyan9436 I love my RS5 convertible. It's not light, but it makes me smile.
Went from a Yaris to S5 then RS5. 15 years on and they're still nice. Elegant & muscular design with a NA V8 👌
I had a s5 v8 manual few years ago. Bought for 7k.. I have since had 3 v8 cars costing 30k plus.. I still regret getting rid of that car. Such a great drive and sounded great with the mufflers chopped off. Can beat it for value for the money..
I have a 2015 RS5 in Sepang blue. It's done 48000kms and is like new. I am happiest when flooring it around country roads.
Great sound, great engine; and a perfect analysis of why so many people who actually like cars and driving them, are left cold by the prospect of owning an EV.
Have been watching your videos for years and you have absolutely nailed it in this one on ALL the points you make. I am a die hard petrolhead and have had many different EVs since 2015 (company cars) but not a single one has had the ability to replace the sense of connection you get with a ICE car. It's the different characteristics of an engine, when and how it makes it's power, how you have to learn to get the most out of it, how it sounds and even how to play with the gearbox to best advantage too. I think there is a 'golden era' of cars where (like you said) there is just enough electronics/safety stuff and not too much. Automatic headlights and wipes, yes, auto high beam, yes, xenons yes, lane assist et-al, no. I have always tended to have a ICE alongside my EV and currently have an 8J TTS. Thinking on your last point. It's the car I wanted, but it's not the RS 5cyl... Hmmmmm.....
The engine is the heart of the car , the gearbox is the brain.
When both are good it stirs the soul.
No one will ever lust after an Ev .
I lust after a taycan
@@craigroberts3732
Why lust ?
Go and buy one You can get a three year old one for £35 .
After hearing the one on Throttle House with a titanium exhaust, this question is an easy yes - theres soul in these
C63 AMG, V8 M3, RS5… We really did not realise how good we had it back then…
I’ve said this about a lot of modern ICEs as well as EVs; if all manufacturers care about is the Top Trumps stats and thinking that’s all Petrol Heads want, then they’ve missed the point. Being a car enthusiast is about the whole experience.
I’m a biker as well as car lover, and on a bike, I can look down and see my front suspension working, I can feel the engine through the seat, my clutch lever is connected to the actual clutch by a metal cable… I can connect and engage with my machine. Both ICEs and EVs try to remove that connection, which guts a car of its soul.
For me, the late 90’s to early ‘10s is where car design peaked and we’ve been on a downhill slope ever since.
I had one. It was fast, reliable, sounded incredible, nice interior, comfortable ride and because of AWD you always have traction. Bear car I ever owned.
If the newer RS5s had V8s I'd still be driving them.
If its the best car you ever owned. Why don't you have one? You make no sense at all
@BCNeil because they're old and maintaining a 14 year old car isn't economically viable.
@@benlowe578idk man, the $1-2k per year that I spend repairing my A5 is much cheaper than a new car
Completely understandable. Audi really dropped the ball by putting a V6 in the B9.
@@rar23424 An RS5 is way more expensive to maintain. Look at the servicing costs alone.
And when the gearbox or clutches need replacing, it's like half the value of the entire car.
Because of your video, I now own the RS5 you last featured on here. I far prefer it to the F80 M4 my brother had a while back. He agrees as well.
I knew I'd find you here...
I've just bought the RS5s replacement, a 2016 manual M3 F80. I spent ages looking for the right spec.
It obviously doesn't sound anywhere near as good as the RS5 and it's doesn't feel as well built inside but it drives soooo much better and you can feel that it's much lighter.
Anyways, hope the cars still treating you well. I see it's MOT time soon so good luck with that 🤞
@ Nice to see you here. I saw your M3, it is absolutely stunning. I’m sure the manual is a lot easier to parallel park with than the practical nightmare the DCT was haha. It took a host of small jobs but I’ve gotten the RS5 where I want it, more turn in bite and consistency mid corner. The M4 never inspired much confidence whilst it was here, most days it had to be treated very delicately at low and medium speeds. You guys definitely have the great blessing of much better weather and road conditions.
Best of luck with the M3, I’m sure I’ll be seeing it on instagram again
Spot on about reviewers, head-to-head tests, and the Real World. So many very good and capable cars get overlooked or frowned upon for doing poorly in a review while being amazing cars to daily.
@muinarc0 Indeed. I often think back to Throttle House's comparison video of the V8 RS5 with its newer V6 version.
Review metrics and track times are all well and good, but at the end of the day, I want something that brings me joy. And while they acknowledge it's not perfect, they were grinning ear to ear in every sequence they were driving the older version. And I think that says a lot given all the cool stuff they get to drive.
I am not particularly Audi biased BUT the A5 is head and shoulders above the other 2 in the looks dept. Way ahead of it's time .
Could not agree more, took a punt on a 15k £ with 50k mls 2010 V8 xk, spent 1k on gearbox and water pump and now often do 500 mile trips in it and I love it. Other car is an outlander PHEV that has also served me very well. It's about balance. 😊
I bought a 2011 RS5 about 2-3 weeks ago and absolutely love it. The noise is beautiful and addictive!
Nice to see you make a video on this car for the third time! I have been daily driving a 2012 with a milltek exhaust and I never grow tired of it.
I fully agree with you on buying what you want and it being at least interesting. In part thanks to your DB9 video's I'm currently on the look-out for one as an object of desire for fair weather driving. Here in the Netherlands they're quite rare because they were massively expensive (230K euros), so most have been very well kept. I've always wanted one and now nearing my 40th birthday, I'm ready to pull the trigger when the right one comes along. Even if it does not increase in value fifteen years or so, I'll still enjoy having it I'm sure.
Thanks for all your great content!
Do it, had mine 2 and a bit years now. Love it to bits.
@lukeshardlow768 cool, I do believe that it is the last generation of real cars, fairly uncomplicated tech and not too much of a bear to work on. What year and color combo is yours? Last few weekse I've been lusting over an 08 in (almost black) dark ruby red with a cream interior, non-sport pack (because I prefer the normal ten spoke alloys). Looks absolutely mint inside, outside and underside. Only 45K miles on it. I am somewhat in doubt about whether I want a phase II car with the 470hp engine, but the only one in a spec I want currently for sale is in Belgium at AM Antwerp. I think I'll have to go and see them both.
@ mines an 08 in sapphire blue and sandstone interior, the 470 cars are good to go for if the price is right.
I’d go and drive both and see if you notice any difference.
The ISF 5.0 was happily in the middle of the M3 4.0, RS4 4.2, and C63 6.2.
What a time to be a Euro car enthusiast!
I imagine they're the safest purchase in terms of potential gremlins/engine issues
I used to sell these back in 2010. Was such a good car in my opinion :)
i agree cars have become overload of safety which is dangerous to many beeps and warning lights which takes you attention of the road! Have gone backwards old boxster with narrow body and manual box no toys but love it it has feeling
Agreed, these cars are excellent on fast, flowing roads
@@Sean-if7rp Yup, I have an RS5 convertible, and while at two metric tons it's not something I would track, it's amazing fun on our mountain roads here. Just perfect.
The B8/.5 platform was full of bangers, and they've all depreciated sufficiently such that anyone can get involved.
Had an A5 myself, 3.0 TDI. It's gotten me to-and-fro in snow, and comfortably munches away motorway miles.
Great car.
I now have a turbo-charged 3.0L straight six producing 340hp. I still want a V8 next time😈
I remember a guy on my street used to have one of these, used to rip up the street at all hours like an absolute arse. One day he tore up and left a huge trail of oil after whacking the sump off on a huge pothole. Sometimes life just finds a way of sorting things out
Thank you so much for this video James. For years I've lusted after the B7 S4 and RS4 but never attained one. Now I'm VERY close to buying one of these 8T RS5s. Your analysis has confirmed I'm doing the right thing. One test drive and I fell in love!
I've been looking at these for a few months now, but those timing chain issues and plastic parts in the engine just put me off. Beautiful car.
Yep, I wonder why Jay didn’t mention that at all
Agree: by the car you want, not the car everyone tells you, you want.
I recently returned my 2020 V60 estate and reactivated my old E46 and immediately get, what you are talking about. The E46 keeps me "sharper". The Volvo made me complacent.
The cabriolet version of this one of my dream cars..
I used to have one of these (Daytona Grey with red leather which was a gorgeous spec (IMO) and as far as a daily driver it's still right up my street... I don't really care about racetrack dynamics (it's a bit numb), but more so a comfortable, capable car, quite understated but sporty styling and a fantastic rumbling soundtrack. It's the kind of car Audi used to do so well. Big fan.
Having owned a lot of cars with just about every single engine configuration apart from a V10 or V12 albeit I've driven both plenty of times.
Engines change the character of a car so much and I've become a bit of a V8 fan.. Albeit I absolutely love a 2.0L modern turbo 4 banger, you can do a lot in one of those!
Brilliant advice near the end of the video. Thanks so much Jay!
Good vid , my wife has the soulless leccy car which she loves and I have rs4 v8 b8 avant 😊
I've just bought a B6 S4 for exactly this reason, but it needs an exhaust to fully exploit the noise.
I'm concerned about taxation for over 255g/km Co2 for V8 trickling down like EV's new £190 fee, plus the luxury tax for new cars over £40k. I do have an EV (12yrs in fact), but my petrol head heart is really in the noise, feel, and passion of charging up through the gears of a glorious baritone engine note.
Redline is actually 8400rpm, peak power is at 8250 though.
Brilliant , thanks Jay , really enjoyed that .
Certain cars are dominated by the engine, and this is one of them. Having driven a BMW M6 V10, again, another car where the engine is everything. I also own two 5 pot Focus ST's and in the same way the engine makes the car and they have a character the later 4 pot lacks.
Great video your channel is on top form at the moment.
Hit the nail on the head. The engine is the soul. Without it it’s basically driving a white goods product like a washing machine.
That’s what horse riders said about cars back in the day 😂
An engine is absolutely the soul of a car. And just like I would never buy an electronic Rolex, I would also not buy an electric sports car. If it's electric, I would rather get an affordable, disposable "Casio".
Yes definitely. That's why putting an electric motor in a sport classic car is a crime.
Maaaaaaybe, but those old engines have no power and are stupidly unreliable.. at least restomods with electric can be driven
People who buy cars based on the numbers on paper usually get bored of them after a short time. You can't go around everywhere with your foot to the floor. I don't care if a car has 70hp or 700hp. The thing you are listening to ALL THE TIME is the engine. Yes it's nice to have overtaking power, but the other 98% of the time you aren't doing that. A friend of mine bought a Hyundai Elantra N. It's very quick. Handles beautifully. Nice interior. But the sound is just not there. It sounds like they tried to copy a Fiat/Abarth type of sound and failed miserably. I could not live with hearing a sub-par/junky sound on my everyday commute. This Audi is a perfect example of "not perfect", but in real world driving it just doesn't matter. I think this applies very much to V8 muscle cars as well.
Of course, you're right James, and I 100% agree with you.
But as you say, time moves on, and eventually car makers will innovate, diversify and segment the EV market to offer us pterolheads something interesting.
A very thoughtful piece.
I had a 14 RS5 for 2 years and never used the audio system. The sound of the motor and the blips on downshifts never got old. Extended warranty paid for $25k in repairs so sadly had to sell it when the warranty was up. Really miss driving it.
Big like and love for the RS5 and for Memento mori playing in it. I’m a big Audi, DM and JayEmm fan. ❤
Hit the nail on the head, modern cars are dull as, EVs fall into that category.
Unless you have supercar money there is nothing exciting about modern cars and hardly any poster pin ups like we were blessed with in the 80s and 90s.
Great video as always 👍
Love this. I've only owned a v8 m3 but the sound from the thing was absolutely awesome 👌
As a w205 c63s v8 biturbo and having tested for some days the new w206 c63s epeformance hybrid with zyllions of HP… I can totally say YES to your question.
I have a 2009 S5 V8. It's not as sonorous or quick as the RS5 but as a daily it is an outstanding car offering very respectable performance and all the benefits of Audi's Torsen all wheel drive set up. On a grim winter's evening in the wet or snow it is remarkable how safe and predictable it makes a near 1.8 ton car, and as a family man that matters. As mighty as the M3 and C63 are when the roads are less than ideal (which is often in the UK) my money is on the Audi getting you to your destination without the need of a clean up in isle 5.
Excellent video and perfectly put about why us car enthusiasts, prefer one with a combustion engine.
No EV will get me out of my E46. Unless one crashes into me, at which point I’ll probably be dead.
I think one should have a hybrid/electric for commuting, errands etc. then a fun petrol car for proper driving, maybe at weekends. I see the pros for both, but a high BHP low mpg can get expensive.
Corolla for work, MX5 for play.
I’m from the generation where a coupe defined a sports car for the working man like Capri’s, Opel Mantas and Audi UR Quattro’s. I’m still a sucker for a Coupe, I can’t remove that from my DNA. So in my eyes the RS5 has a stunning coupe shape that for me will stand the test of time, it’s gorgeous, pair that with a true legend of a V8 engine and what a package you have. As you say, you can play that engine like a musical instrument, for those that have not experienced the drive of an RS5, I can’t imagine how to describe the engine any better than that. I honestly believe well looked after examples of these will in the future become collectors items. How many do you see day to day on our roads, not many. With the EV mandate and the ban on ICE vehicle sales, I think cherished examples will be used for sunny evenings and summer weekends to remind us what sports cars were built like without restrictions, how pleasurable a high revving stunning coupe sounds like and how evocative that era of motoring really was.
I've got the update of this RS5 and love it. I can't think of another car to upgrade to that will give the same balance of crazy loud V8 and smooth cruising around the city
A ‘modern’ classic for not a lot of money. An excellent review, thanks.
What a marvellous video 👏 bravo James
As someone who dailies a subtle mk2 Focus ST, I can confirm that a boring car can be utterly transformed by an interesting engine 😁
Simply the best looking and best sounding car Audi have ever made, especially the updated iteration of this
You don't need a screaming V8 with a certain exhaust.
Old school Rover V8 burbling along stirs the soul even more.
Absolutely! You nailed it sir. I've got a 987.1 and I'm not sure the sound system still works as I never use it. Don't need nav I know where I'm going and the engine noise is fabulous. Newer cars are too expensive to buy and maintain. My other car is a slightly modded ACURA TSX which is the version of the Accord sold in places where people actually know how to drive and enjoy it. Yes, I'm in the US where they want "other" things but I've always been different. Started out in a real Beetle and progressed to BMW's with round tail lights when folks still asked "is that British Motor Works"?😂
@2:55 The e90 isn't a downgrade from the e46 in any way on any model lmao. Literally who (that has owned both) has that opinion?
I prefer the look of the e46 and bought a final year model, rather than an e90
@@27lacuna27 I am in the middle on design. I love both, base models look suitably corporate, kinda boring and euro, while the top end like 330ci zhp and 335i msport or full m3 cars look incredible on both generations.
Pre LCI E90 looked like an abosulte dog, especially non M sport. While I would personally never own an E46, I can also see why some ppl prefer that gen M3 over the E9x's
Fantastic video and wholeheartedly agree. Long live the V8 and lack of 'features'.
I’ve had this engine in two RS4s B7 & B8, both great cars, the balance on the B8 RS4 is better than the RS5 and more fun.
Even though the V8 in my C7.5 RS6 has a lot more going on with the twin turbos and extra grunt the NA variant in this B8 is timelessly glorious. Doesn't matter a jot about it being a bit slower than the rest of what we find on our roads today. That coupe shape is already a guaranteed future classic and the mix of NA, V8 and quattro make it a perfect GT cruiser. Hope people can keep more of these on the roads for as long the dino juice is still available!
I'm just sad he no longer has the dog :(
Loved the closing comment. Any one of us could expire tomorrow.
Back when I was car shopping following graduation, I was initially going for the S5 variant because I wanted to pair a manual gearbox with a huge V8. I ended up buying a 2005 Jaguar XK8 because it's a far sexier machine, but I still hold a desire for a German muscle car.
There is a supercharger kit for this engine 550bhp iirc cures the lacklustre torque too.
Yeah, but you can’t fix Audisteer. 😅More power just makes it worse.
Makes peak torque 1500rpm earlier than the B7 RS4
@@TML34Sports diff was an option on these. Makes a significant difference in lower speed corners but you can’t beat physics.
My dream car since i learned how to drive at 18... Wish they were as cheap as £15k here in France, where they're more like 30k€ or more for a decent example
I own a 2013 B8.5 Audi S5 with the supercharged V6. Awesome bit of kit!
This video is just brilliant,
I think I want an RS5 more than a TT RS now
Awesome video, and what a beautiful car
One car regret selling my B7 RS4 Avant.....similar engine to this 8250rpm redline and just felt incredible to drive.....oh and the manual box. The v8 was originally derived from Audi's Le Mans program. The difference between the RS4 V8 and R8 was the R8 engine was dry sumped.
You are right. Ev ... thank you again. Brother
I own an S5 V6 from 2012 and I wanna upgrade already to this RS5 purely because of the sound.
To answer your question......ABSOLUTELY ! We all remember our first car usually with some affection even though it was (for insurance reasons) most probably 1 - 1.2 litres (I had an 80's fiat Uno). Like the evolution of music we bought cars because of characteristics....sound.Revs (including rev range) Torque. The gearbox matching (ratios). All these things and more meant we drove more variations of cars for the task or fancied at the time and then we traded up.....or down. Now EV's are trying to bring out the same emotion because most that's how most if not all human beings work , but you can't do it with any satisfaction because most ev's operate a smaller window (more level playing field) which has been engineered to be almost everything to everyone by pushing a button (on a screen). Enjoy ICE cars and tell the youngsters about the cars they never drove, and the bands they never saw !
Just perfect! 👌
Owned a 4.2 S5 2013 model. Loved it until I ultimately had to sell it. Only 1 thing annoyed me, the stupid middle plastic tray part of the rear seat. But even in S5 form, these are mile munchers par excellence. One feather of the throttle & it was a bullet, leaving cars as if they were stopping. Would I have another? Oh yes, but the RS5.
I have recently bought one, a 2011 Suzuka Grey one. It replaced a 2010 Jaguar XKR, which replaced a 2006 BMW M6, so I think my thoughts on this are fairly clear .. engines are a huge part of the appeal for me, especially when they don't have a turbo attached!
I would have dismissed the RS5 as not as good as the competition, or that it understeered too much. I'm so glad I didn't, it's a wonderful thing on the road.
Don't be fooled by big HP, you do not need 1000hp. It actually ruins the experience of a road car. Buy a characterful engine and really enjoy it whilst you still can!
There was an ads for Polstar as I was waiting to watch the video, thank god it was only 20 seconds and the video starts with a proper noise 🫡
Love my b8 RS5, the engine is definitely the star of the show
The engine and steering wheel feel are definitely the soul of any petrol car. The A5 was the hottest in the room compared to the E92 and C Class. IMO has aged pretty well.
16:33 the induction noise is very V10 esque, can absolutely believe that this engine is a derivation of its bigger brother
I am with you on this.
Well said James
it is if you let it sound. the same for electric motors.they can sound interesting in their own way. the other thing is the gearbox, people wondered for the best transmission and it turns out it is a fixed ratio for EV's but then realized changing gears itself is fun, even with a paddle shift. Anyway I like EV's too especially for daily driving. So the conclusion is we should continue to build all types.
As an EV owner and a petrolhead my thought is maybe its the lack of noise not lack of performance?
Maybe the reason Hyundai has added the soundtrack to the Ioniq 5N?
I got an '08 CL63 and I approve this message