How fast is the new Audi S5 Avant? I raced it against some iconic RS cars to find out

We’ve just taken delivery of an Audi S5 Avant which we’ll be living with for the next six months. Before we find out how comfy it is, how much stuff you can fit in the boot and what it’s like on fuel, I want to know how fast it is.

To find out, I’m going to see if it can beat a bunch of Audi RS models in a series of drag races. I’ve got hold of a B4, B7 and B8 Audi RS4, and even a couple of old R8 supercars.

I’ll be racing two cars in heats, and the winner will then take on a newer and faster Audi until I find out which one is the fastest overall. Let’s take a look at the stats.

Audi RS4 Avant B5

Let’s start with the oldest car here: the B5 RS5 Avant. It’s powered by a 2.7-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine with 380hp and 440Nm of torque.

This is sent to all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, and the car weighs in at 1,620kg. It cost around £47,000 when new, but now it’s worth over £50,000.

Audi RS4 Avant B7

Next up we have the B7 RS4 Avant from 2006. It has a naturally-aspirated 4.2-litre V8 engine with 420hp and 430Nm of torque, and this is linked to a six-speed manual gearbox sending power to all four wheels.

It’s a bit heavier than the B5, tipping the scales at 1,710kg. In 2006 it cost close to £50,000, but you can pick one up in 2026 for around £25,000.

Audi RS4 Avant B8

Fast forward to 2015, Audi gave us the B8 Audi RS4. Like the B7, it has a 4.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8, but the power has been upped to 450hp and 430Nm of torque. It’s also all-wheel drive, but the manual gearbox has been ditched in favour of a seven-speed dual-clutch auto.

It weighs in at almost 1,800kg, and cost from £57,000 when new. Nowadays it’s worth around £18,000.

Audi S5 Avant B10

Now we move on to the new Carwow Audi S5 Avant. It may be an S model rather than a full-fat RS, but the 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine puts out 367hp and 550Nm of torque, so it’s no slouch.

It also has all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox with launch control, and it weighs 1,965kg. Prices start from £68,000, but our car with options costs £75,000.

Audi R8

Can any of these family estate cars beat an original Audi R8? Well I’m going to find out. This car has a 4.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine with 420hp and 430Nm of torque, driving all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

It weighs in at just 1,560kg, and it cost just under £77,000 when new. You can pick one of these cars up today for around £33,000.

Audi R8 GT Spyder

Finally, let’s talk about the most extreme car I have here today. The Mk1 Audi R8 GT Spyder has a 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated V10 engine with 560hp and 540Nm of torque. It also has all-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic gearbox.

The GT tips the scales at 1,640kg, and it cost around £157,000 back in 2012. In 2026 these cars are worth £75,000.

So that’s quite the lineup, but where will the new Audi S5 Avant fit in? You’ll have to watch the video to find out.

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