The latest RS models from Audi Sport, the high-performance division of Audi AG, will soon arrive in the Philippines. Set to lead the introduction of the thrilling RS lineup are the Audi RS 3 Sedan, RS 6 Avant and RS Q8. More RS models, including the new R8 supercar, will join Audi Sport’s RS range in the Philippines in 2021.
Audi Sport offers the RS models in all vehicle segments, ranging from compacts, sedans, coupes and wagons, to crossovers and full-size SUVs. RS models spearhead their respective product lines in the Audi range, and are defined by distinct designs and a capacity to be driven daily even if these are focused on performance. Besides the Audi RS 3 Sedan, RS 6 Avant and RS Q8, other current RS models are the RS 4 Avant, RS 5 Coupe, RS 5 Sportback, RS 7 Sportback, TT RS Coupe, TT RS Roadster, RS Q3 and RS Q3 Sportback. The R8 was also developed by Audi Sport.
RS models are equipped with Audi’s legendary quattro all-wheel drive system—the quattro name represents sportiness, safe driving, technical expertise and peak performance in a competitive environment. The success of quattro models on the road and in racing in the last 40 years has cemented this status.
Audi dominated motor sports through quattro technology, winning the World Rally Championship’s manufacturers’ title in 1982, the drivers’ title in 1983 and both crowns in 1984. In 1987, Walter Rohrl, driving an Audi Sport S1, won the legendary Pikes Peak hill climb event. Also, quattro technology led to the US Trans-Am championship in 1988 and seven national championships in 1996. Audi Sport now exits the DTM after taking the German touring car series’ overall championships in 1990, 1991, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2019 and 2020.
Audi Sport teams since 2000 has scored 12 victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, counting in the three consecutive wins of the diesel-powered Audi R10 TDI quattro in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The Audi R18 e-tron quattro with a hybrid drive accounted for three of the Le Mans victories. It also won two drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles in the World Endurance Championship.
Not surprisingly, the design of RS models is inspired by motor sports and adhere to a form-follows-function approach. In most RS models, the proportion and position of Audi’s signature Singleframe grille are similar to the Audi R8’s, meaning it is wider and lower compared to standard Audi models, and is trimmed in black instead of chrome. Some RS models have horizontal slits between the grille and the hood, evoking the iconic Audi Sport Quattro of 1984, while others have flared fenders or wider wheel arches—in the case of the Audi RS6 Avant and RS Q8, these can accommodate 22-inch and 23-inch wheels, respectively. Meanwhile, huge air inlets and elliptical tailpipes hint at the models’ turbocharged engines.
Every new RS model also undergoes development work at the Nurburgring, with each logging at least 8,000 kilometers of testing at the famed track. Through this, Audi Sport can determine how RS models’ powertrain and suspension components perform under extreme conditions. One particular RS model that have greatly benefitted from this development method is the Audi RS Q8, which currently holds the official fastest lap time for SUVs at the Nurburgring.
Another factor that underlies the new Audi Sport RS models is modern efficiency. For this, Audi technologies—like a mild hybrid system based on a 48-volt electrical system, and the cylinder deactivation feature as used in Audi’s V8 TFSI engine—are fine-tuned to a greater degree, creating a character that is more identifiable to the RS line.
Audi Sport produces the majority of RS models in its facilities in Neckarsulm, Germany, where the cars are assembled by hand. In this place, RS models’ bodies are assembled on aluminum jigs that use laser scanners to adjust surfaces, joints and radii down to the tenth of a millimeter. This benefits the aerodynamics and build quality of each RS model. Other development work on RS models focuses on their powertrain and suspension.
“Our customers demand the best products on the market,” said Oliver Hoffmann, Managing Director of Audi Sport. “We have the best specialists and teams to meet their high expectations.”