The B8/B8.5 RS5 (US-market 2013-2015, coupe and cabriolet) is the last naturally-aspirated V8 RS5 — a 4.2L FSI making ~450 hp and spinning to an 8,250 rpm redline, paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch, quattro, and an optional sport rear differential. Owners' love for it is almost entirely about the high-revving NA V8 and its valved sport exhaust; the B9 that followed switched to a twin-turbo V6, which cements the B8's appeal as the soundtrack car. …
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Audi RS5 (B8)
87 sales analyzed · 4 topics from real Bring a Trailer & Cars & Bids comments.
“wrap the tach to 8500 RPM and listen to this unique (only available in the RS5 in the US) NA V8 sing like no other”gregtay · Aug 7, 2024
- The last NA V8 RS5 — bought for the 8,250-rpm soulownership-experienceThe defining appeal is the naturally-aspirated 4.2 V8: a high-revving engine with a valved sport exhaust that owners describe as singing like nothing else, plus a sport differential that makes a heavy AWD coupe rotate. With the B9 moving to a turbo V6, the B8 is the RS5 enthusiasts chase for the sound and the revs. …
- Brakes (warping rotors) and carbon are the cost itemsmechanicalFront brake rotors are the platform's known weak point — prone to warping and expensive from Audi, so owners frequently upgrade to Girodisc or ECS big-brake kits. The other recurring item is direct-injection carbon buildup, which owners point out is actually worse on low-mileage, short-trip cars than on regularly-driven higher-mileage ones — so 'low miles' is not automatically lower risk here. …
- A usable daily, not an appreciating assetvalue-and-marketLong-term owners are blunt that the B8.5 RS5 has not become a collectible and they don't expect it to — it's a car to drive, not to bubble-wrap. Its real strength is breadth: owners who've cycled through many performance cars rate it as the best blend of power, handling, and everyday usability. …
- Buying: records, rear diff, and specbuying-adviceDemand full service records (not just Carfax) and verify big-ticket history: at least one car needed a rear-differential replacement covered by Audi at nine years old, a hint of a possible weak point. Read the PR/option codes to confirm spec (sport exhaust, sport differential, RS sport suspension), and budget for brakes regardless. …