2019 Stock RS5 Prestige or 2019 S5 Prestige w/APR stage 1 tune

[GrayR]

In the market to buy one or the other of these cars. Wouldn’t they both be technically the same car with the S5 having the APR stage 1 tune? And I would probably save some money?Any thoughts?


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[angrycatmeow]

It might be a close drag race, but aside from that, no, not the same.

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[GrayR]

Why do you say that? What differences?


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[angrycatmeow]

Different (but similar) engine, different brakes (I think), harder suspension, styling, exhaust, minor interior differences. S5 is definitely a better value but you do you.

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[XSWG]

The S models are almost always going to be a better bargain. A "Stage 1" S car should beat a RS in both a drag and a rolling race.

The RS is a 10k or so premium, but if you're going to keep the car stock it's fairly reasonable though I don't know anyone with that much self control. With twin turbo cars, as both a M car owner and former RS5 owner, buying two of everything inflates the price pretty quickly to do FBO. When comparing to this platform of the B9.x, the S model with all the same mods and a tune should be fairly close and with the 10k saved from the base price, you can upgrade your turbo for half that and blow an RS out of the water fairly easily.

RS5 still looks and sounds better.

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[GrayR]

Actually want the RS5, was just wondering…. I’ve test driven both but hadn’t really done a full comparison of options. I thought the Prestige package was the same in both…


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[GrayR]

Thanks XSWG, that confirms what I was thinking. With an S5 and that 10k saving, I could tune it, upgrade exhaust and suspension(lower) and still have some $ to spare…


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[Bezlar]

Thanks XSWG, that confirms what I was thinking. With an S5 and that 10k saving, I could tune it, upgrade exhaust and suspension(lower) and still have some $ to spare…


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But you still have a s5. Now that good tunes are available for the rs5 I think you would be mad you didn’t get the rs. I have an sq5 and the rs5. So I have same drive train as s5. I get the sq5 is bigger than s5 but the two cars aren’t on the same planet. Two of our friends have s5’s and they just seem the same as our sq5. I say get the rs and never look back.


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[Liquid Smoke]

But you still have a s5. Now that good tunes are available for the rs5 I think you would be mad you didn’t get the rs. I have an sq5 and the rs5. So I have same drive train as s5. I get the sq5 is bigger than s5 but the two cars aren’t on the same planet. Two of our friends have s5’s and they just seem the same as our sq5. I say get the rs and never look back.

but then you have to tune and mod the RS so it's still a $10k difference. it just depends what you need, someone who wants the top of the line performance and the fastest model, taking the car to the track, concerned with lap times, racing, etc. the RS would be worth it. but for a car thats mainly a daily driver and more practical and comfortable, easier and cheaper maintenance, but still looks almost as good and almost as fast, the S5 is definitely the better choice for relatively the same car.

[RudyH]

I had this discussion with my wife, and she knows me too well...

For me, I would get the S5, because I don't stop with modding cars. If I got the RS5, I am going to mod the car - the question would be 'what will I be modifying?'

Just looking at my R, I have ECU, intercooler, downpipe for engine, which I would generally do. I would also add brakes, as I believe there is a difference between the S5 and RS5....where I am happy with my R's for example, so big brake isn't something I would do, more so 2 piece rotors. Obviously you are going to have a bit of an advantage having the extra turbo, but the extra savings would give me options to go farther that's for sure.

The other items are usually lowering, dampers, sway bars and some chassis bracing. All these are improvements over the RS5 and IMO they are relatively cheap but it will bring the S5 / RS5 into the same space.

The only item I think would have me buy a RS5 is the extra cosmetics, but I would hard pass on the 20"s anyway. I cringe on 19's already sometimes.

For me I would rather get a B9.5 S5 to get the cosmetic upgrades I would want off the bat, and then start picking away at things from there, and I am 99% sure that's the path I am going in June 2023, as I am giving Audi Canada their last chance to get me a 8Y RS3, to replace my wife's car

[Dan99]

Why do you say that? What differences?


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I've had 2 S4s, which are essentially the same cars as S5s (same interior, drive train, etc.). At face value the RS5 looks like an S5 with more power and wider fenders, but it's much more than that. The RS5 has many additional things that are less apparent that separate it from the S5. In the end, it really depends on what you want from a car. Before getting into the details, I will say that my stock RS5 did not remind me of my previous tuned S4. Both are nice daily drivers, but the S4 was more like a family car with more horsepower whereas the RS5 is more like a performance car that can become a family car with the touch of a button (assuming you have DRC).

The S and RS models are not capable in the same way, so it really depends on what you want from the car. Both are nice daily drivers but the RS is much more capable in the handling department. And, if you are considering an S5 with a tune, why not an RS5 with a tune? My RS5 with a Stage 1 034 tune has 514 hp and 537 torque on 93 octane on an otherwise stock RS5. You need to go to Stage 2 E85 or Stage 3 to get comparable power from an S5 tune.

The RS5 has different body panels, is lower, has a wider wheelbase, wider tires, forged wheels, bigger brakes, different programming for the engine/transmission, twin turbos which are more responsive and less peaky providing better control of the power in turns. The Sport Differential was standard in the 2019 RS5 (but optional in the S5). If present in the S5, the Sport Differential in the RS5 has different and more aggressive performance-oriented programming. The RS5 has different suspension from springs to shocks to sway bars, different cooling system and intercooler, different exhaust options, high performance cats. I also think the RS5 has a different version of Quattro, using the Crown Gear instead of the Torsen center differential.

If you ever go to a track or like to drive in canyons, the RS5 is much more capable stock than the S5. You can certainly modify an S5, but the Audi engineers did it for you in the RS5 and the stock RS5 is more capable than most drivers. On the other hand, if your interest is drag racing, more tuning and performance parts are available at the moment for the S5. And, if you just want a daily driver, how much power do you want and how important is appearance to you?

Finally, the 2019 RS5 came with a lot of standard equipment that was optional or not even available on other models so, if there are particular features that are important to you, make sure you look for those specific features on the cars you are considering.

[coolwater]

RS5 for the looks.

If you plan to add turbo and chase 9s then go for the S5. You have to buy twice as many parts to do that on the RS5. Extra turbo, downpipe and cooling/HX/intercooler. A turbo inlet that has one extra hole for the 2nd turbo costs like 9x more than just the S5 one… dumb RS tax.

-cW


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[Burrcold]

Having owned both, the looks alone make a huge difference with the RS5.

[ninjamanRS5]

If based on looks alone, RS5 all the way. The S5 is a better bargain for speed chasing though. Much easier to work on too.

[VVG]

Why do you say that? What differences?


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1. Much more aggressive styling with the RS5

2. Better brakes with the RS5

3. Wider track with the RS5

4. Wider tires with the RS5

5. Less restrictive/better sounding exhaust with the RS5

6. More performance oriented suspension with the RS5

7. Twin turbo vs single turbo with the RS5 will make for more linear power delivery, and much less lag/early torque irrespective of tune on the single turbo S5 motor

8. Tighter steering with the RS5

9. Different gauge cluster with the RS5

10. (I think) different chassis bracing with the RS5

11. rear battery location in the RS5

12. Different transmission calibration in the RS5

13. Different and stronger engine internals in the RS5. This is huge.


That's all I can think of for now. Not the same at all.

[GrayR]

Thank you guys so much for your input. I’m not really one for racing or chasing numbers but having the top model is some thing I usually go for. That’s why I bought a golf R and did an APR stage 2+.(I love that car) But after reading all the comments I think if I did buy an RS5, I would be satisfied with the stage 1 tune and may be lowering it just a tad and that would be all I need. I would be good with that… I had no idea there were so many differences.
“Coolwater”, that is the exact color I want as well.. (Beautiful!)


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[Bezlar]

RS5 for the looks.

If you plan to add turbo and chase 9s then go for the S5. You have to buy twice as many parts to do that on the RS5. Extra turbo, downpipe and cooling/HX/intercooler. A turbo inlet that has one extra hole for the 2nd turbo costs like 9x more than just the S5 one… dumb RS tax.

-cW


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[kmarei]

In the market to buy one or the other of these cars. Wouldn’t they both be technically the same car with the S5 having the APR stage 1 tune? And I would probably save some money?Any thoughts?


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RS5 plus used JB4 from the forum for $300-350 :)

[vsaudi]

Get the RS5


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[cdigiovanni]

Rs5 all day. S5 is plenty of car.. however once you drive a Rs model you will understand. On paper slight differences. But real world difference is huge

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[mashani9]

I'm going to just say "it depends on what you want" in a car.

I drove a 2019 RS5 for a bit, and it was brilliant, but it just wasn't going to work for me as a daily on the kinds of roads I drive on even with DRC. Where the S5 with S-Sport, and 19" wheels was perfect. Would the RS5 be better for hooning around on canyon roads or a track? Yes. Does that matter to me? No. I would run out of road before I ran out of car with even just the S5 where I'm at. And comfort matters to me more. I'm old and cranky lol.

[iReminisce]

Rs5 all day. S5 is plenty of car.. however once you drive a Rs model you will understand. On paper slight differences. But real world difference is huge

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Yeah, this is it right here. This is me in a nutshell right now. I LOVE my S5 SB, has been my favorite car to own. It doesn't have the up top endless pull or the roar of my 19 GT, but other than that, in every way, its a much better car overall. That said, I changed career paths this summer which more than doubled my salary. Needless to say, I've been looking at RS5s. I test drove a certified used one at a nearby dealership (wasn't specced the way I wanted ,but I just wanted to drive the car). The sales rep let me rip it, super cool guy, basically was like "no one buys an RS5 to baby it, go ahead and let it rip". Did some highway onramp pulls, stop light launch control pulls, pushed it in a corner on the highway that I love. The smile on my face seemed cemented. If that car had the options I wanted, I would have bought it right there on the spot.

But cdigiovanni hit the nail on the head, once you drive an RS, you will understand. The power/torque curve is TOTALLY different than the S5 (and my S5 is stage 1), its truly not about the numbers. With twin turbos, the turbo lag is almost non existent. Car is much more planted on turn-in in a turn with DRC. On Dragy, I've gotten a 3.8s 0-60 in my S5, and while I didn't have my Dragy on the test drive of the RS, the launch control pull felt otherworldly. The S5 is definitely a better bargain, just like a Mustang GT is a better bargain than a Shelby GT350 or Mach1. And you can make both faster than their stock higher echelon versions. But they aren't the same car, and once you get past straight line numbers and drive one and push it a little bit, you'll understand.

Good luck on your purchase!