Currently reading: Exclusive: Audi RS5
Porsche said to be keen on tie-up with Audi

Porsche has made plans to revive its close ties with Audi, following the sports car maker’s takeover of the Volkswagen Group.

Well placed sources say that Porsche bosses are keen to restart the kind of engineering collaboration with Audi that produced the RS2 super-estate in the mid 1990s.

One of the first Audis in line for a Porsche makeover, once the company directors give the green light, is said to be the upcoming A5 Sportback, a more practical version of the A5 coupé with two more doors and a bigger boot.

By using the guts of the RS5, due out next year, Porsche and Audi could create a four-wheel-drive 4.2-litre V8 super-estate.

The RS5 is tipped to produce 450bhp from the V8, so Porsche may find other ways of improving performance, such as cutting weight.

In an interview with Autocar, Porsche boss Wendelin Wiedeking said he was puzzled that Audi had not continued working with Porsche after the success of the limited-run RS2. He revealed that it was something Porsche would have been keen to continue.

It’s thought that Porsche is attracted to the scheme now because of its substantial profit margins. Company product planners also figure that sales of these limited-edition super-saloons are unlikely to be hit too hard, even in a global downturn.

Porsche will be mindful that a full-blown global recession will hammer margins on its own sports car range, as sales of profitable models such as the 911 Turbo and GT2/3 slump.

The first public signs of the secret plans appeared in September when the VW board passed a measure designed to prevent formal collaboration between Porsche and Audi without the express consent of the VW supervisory board.

The stormy board meeting exposed a major dispute between VW chairman Ferdinand Piech (once the highly regarded engineering boss at both Porsche and Audi) and his cousin Wolfgang Porsche.

However, last week the Piech and Porsche families came to an agreement over Porsche’s plan to take over VW. A move that may well open the way for Porsche and Audi to start working together on performance models.

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The Audi RS5 is a success not only as a premium sports coupé, but as a long-distance cruiser offering an engaging drive.

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mattrule 21 May 2010

Re: Exclusive: Audi RS5

yep audi does have a winner in this car but still i have seen some audi a6 problems surfacing lately. overall quite a good car and one with a very good ride.

stevo27 12 November 2008

Re: Exclusive: Audi RS5

jl4069 wrote:

Lets everyone recall here for a second that the S5/A5 is one of the widest cars on the planet at 78 inches. Thats wider than just about anything (Ferrari 612 is 77) on the road!

By my calculations it's 73 inches wide, one LESS than a Mondeo. Hardly the widest on the planet. Have you actually driven one? It fits fine :-)

jl4069 12 November 2008

Re: Exclusive: Audi RS5

Lets everyone recall here for a second that the S5/A5 is one of the widest cars on the planet at 78 inches. Thats wider than just about anything (Ferrari 612 is 77) on the road!

Bottom line is it won't fit nor drive well on most narrow roads. Made for the showroom and the autobahn. Shame Porsche can't make there own cars- cayanne based pana-universe not-withstanding. JL