Audi RS5. 450bhp, 4WD. Four Times the Fun

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From a driving perspective I was initially a little confused.  What ever you do, don’t think of this as a direct M3 competitor.  Think of it as a beautifully appointed and engineered Nissan GTR that plays the role of everyday GT with an amusing turn of speed. I’m still not entirely sure why it has been positioned as a rival to the M3 and maybe it is that initial mind set that threw me.

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The 7-speed S-Tronic transmission is incredible and blipping up and down the box became a bit of an addictive game. As with most Audis of this ilk, it is refined to a tee, and when you refrain from being a hooligan and switch the DRC (Dynamic Ride Control) button on the centre stack to comfort, it rides perfectly.  Mind you, the billiard table smooth roads of the UAE are never going to cause you too much of an issue in Dynamic mode.

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As we pushed on with our journey deeper into the UAE and towards Fujairah, the chassis was really beginning to show its aces. Its ability to resists understeer was far greater than a car this size has any right to. The cars traction, as you can imagine, is very impressive and it speaks volumes of the work the engineers have put in with the new centre diff.  I can honestly say that even after a thoroughly spirited drive, I never found the ESP to be invasive in the slightest… even though it was never turned off!  Does it feel like a RWD car though?  No.  It feels like a properly sorted all wheel drive machine and one that excels at delivering pace in spades.

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As we decended to the beach for our final stop and picture collecting session, I reflected on the superb quality of the interior. It’s a fact that most if not all of the main stream luxury manufacturers benchmark Audi when it comes to how to make a proper cabin. The RS5 shows it and delivers in spades.  It is also nice to see a round steering wheel back in the fray after they briefly touched on a slightly gawky flat bottomed item.