Audi has launched the new RS 5 Sportback in India at an introductory price of ₹1.04 crore (ex-showroom, India). The Mercedes-AMG C 63 rival returns to India in a four-door Sportback guise, as opposed to the two-door Coupe that was on sale earlier. The 2021 RS 5 Sportback joins the S5 Sportback, and the RS7 Sportback in Audi’s lineup of performance sedans in India.

Compared to the two-door coupe that was launched in India in 2018, the updated RS5 gets a tweaked exterior design and two more doors. The gloss black finished grille is larger and gets honeycomb inserts, the headlights are sharper and feature Matrix LED technology and new bumpers. Along the sides, the sloping roofline lends a sporty, coupe-like silhouette to the RS5 Sportback. The Sportback also gets frameless doors for added visual drama and rides on 19-inch alloy wheels as standard. At the back, the updates include new LED taillights and a reshaped diffuser and bumper.

Inside, the overall layout and dashboard design remain largely unchanged, however, the 2021 car gets a completely overhauled infotainment system. The interior is finished in black and rock grey leather and Alcantara upholstery with aluminium trim pieces. Being an RS model, the Sportback gets stainless steel pedals and RS scuff plates on the running boards.

In terms of creature comforts, the RS 5 Sportback is equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Audi’s MMI Navigation Plus and MMI Touch tech, a 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster, a 180W Audi sound system, a three-spoke RS steering wheel with paddle shifters, three-zone climate control, power adjustable front sports seats, ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof and cruise control.

Safety-wise, the RS 5 Sportback gets six airbags, ABS with EBD, hill-hold assist, ESC, ISOFIX child seat mounts, rear parking camera and front and rear parking sensors.

The RS5 Sportback is powered by a 450hp, 600Nm, 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6 engine. The engine comes paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Audi claims a 0-100 kph time of just 3.9 seconds with top speed electronically limited to 250kph.

The Sportback also comes with two RS modes, which alter the power delivery, gearbox and steering sensitivity of the car. These modes are controlled via the Audi drive select button on the steering wheel. Also part of the package is the RS sports suspension, which is said to be “honed to offer superlative dynamic handling on the road”.