This was tough. So tough, in fact, that we’ve had to use a bit of creative licence by establishing some ground rules.
Rule one: while there are some fantastic S models, we’ve limited this list to RS models only.
Rule two: the exception is the R8, because it’s the epitome of what Audi Sport can do, so it would be weird to leave it out.
Rule three: we’ve started our eligibility at the first RS model, the RS2, so if you’re particularly offended at no mention of the original quattro, sorry.
Rule four: to save the list being six R8s, we’ve chosen 10 different models and the best – in our opinion – iteration of each. Once again, if you disagree, you know what to do…
With Audi Sport’s purely internal combustion era behind it, heralded by the arrival of the new plug-in hybrid RS5, this is our tribute to the best of its back catalogue.
- Audi RS Q3 (F3)
Performance SUVs continue to be a contentious topic, but if you strip away the polemic and simply ask: is this fun? Then, in the case of the second-generation RS Q3, the answer is undoubtedly, ‘yes’.
Its predecessor could struggle to contain the firepower of the 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine, but while the second-gen scored even more power (294kW/480Nm), a lighter engine and much better chassis made it genuinely entertaining.
- Audi RS Q8
Another SUV, but one that deserves to be on this list purely by dint of being basically a half-price Lamborghini Urus. Lots of space, a great interior, a monstrous 441kW/800Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, excellent ride comfort and remarkable handling for a vehicle of this size. It might not be as cool as an RS6, but in terms of capability there’s very little in it.
- Audi TT RS plus (8J)
Less is more is often the case with the Audi TT, as the basic four-cylinder versions are often the sweeter steer, but the RS has always been a true supercar scarer. A colleague made a strong case for the second generation (8S), as it was truly, wildly fast (0-100km/h in 3.6sec) with a great interior, but we’re sticking with the original here.
Partly this is because it still has a huge amount of performance, with the 265kW/465Nm ‘plus’ shown here managing 0-100km/h in 4.1sec as a dual-clutch or 4.3sec as a manual. And partly it’s down to that latter option, the original TT RS being still available with three pedals. It’s not the most involving car, but as an A-to-B road car it’s a true weapon.
- Audi RS7 Performance (C8)
Audi’s ‘four-door coupe’ has often lived in the shadow of its five-door sibling, but it’s always been a striking piece of design and there’s no arguing with its mechanicals, especially not in last-of-the-line Performance guise.
Its 463kW/850Nm twin-turbo V8 mild-hybrid (MHEV) has all the, erm, performance you could ever need, a slight diet and better rubber give it incredible levels of grip and yet there’s a luxurious, spacious interior with a massive boot.
- Audi RS5 (F5)
When the Audi RS5 switched to the F5 generation in 2017, it went soft. In performance car circles that’s not usually a good thing, but while the latest iteration did lose some of the visceral thrills of its atmo V8-powered predecessor, it gained a broader range of talents.
Better ride comfort, more torque from the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, and a chassis that was more responsive to throttle inputs. It was incredibly effective on road but surprisingly enjoyable on track. An underrated car.
RR Auctions has this 2018 barnstorming Audi RS5 finished in Daytona Grey Pearl Effect with a black and Rock Grey leather interior coming up for auction.
- Audi RS2 Avant
Audi almost made a rod for its own back with the introduction of its first RS model. When the RS2 Avant made 232kW/410Nm and could hit 100km/h in 4.8sec – being famously faster to 50km/h than the mighty McLaren F1 – how were you meant to follow that up?
Built by Porsche with plenty of bits from the 993 911 – mirrors, wheels, fuel pump and more – it still feels very fast by modern standards, a feeling amplified by the pause as the sizeable turbo draws breath. It’s a very important car, but not as good to drive as those ahead of it.
- Audi RS6 GT (C8)
Choosing the best RS6 is a conversation that could consume many hours and quite a few schooners at your local. Should it be the original RS6 C5 that took the German power wars to unknown heights? Or the loopy RS6 C6 with its reengineered Lamborghini-sourced twin-turbo 5.0-litre V10?
There are plenty of options, but we’ve gone with the GT that bids farewell to the most recent C8 generation. It has nothing to do with recency bias, though, because the limited edition (660 units worldwide) GT has a level of dynamic talent its predecessors could only dream about.
Most of the package is the same as the RS6 Performance, but the GT’s coilover suspension and unique tuning for its differentials give it a poise and accuracy Audi’s uber-wagon had previously lacked.
- Audi RS3 (8Y)
For many years the RS3 was the archetypical fast Audi. Powerful, characterful, capable in all weathers, but curiously one-dimensional to drive, lacking the involvement and effervescence required to lift it from ‘good’ to ‘great’.
Audi Sport clearly took this criticism to heart with the current generation RS3 which arrived in 2020 to prove that leopards really can change their spots. More potent than ever, the 8Y series is capable of hitting 100km/h in just 3.8sec but it was the introduction of the torque-splitter rear diff that transformed the car’s dynamic character.
Suddenly, the RS3 could be hustled hard on a challenging road, the committed driver rewarded by rotation rather than frustrated by front-end push. With that wonderful, transversely-mounted five-cylinder engine growling away up front, it truly is the supercar of hot hatches.
- Audi RS4 (B7)
There was something different about the B7 RS4 and it wasn’t just the fact the German car maker better known for its turbocharged performance engines served up one of the truly great naturally aspirated V8s.
The 4.2-litre all-alloy unit with its 8250rpm redline is a masterpiece, but what was truly brilliant about the B7 RS4 is that every other part of the mechanical package was of similar quality. A beautifully precise six-speed manual, tremendous roadholding, wonderfully precise steering, and great balance with remarkable resistance to understeer, despite the V8 being slung ahead of the front axle.
It doesn’t entertain with tail-out malarkey like the equivalent M3, but scythes through corners with the skill and accuracy of a Japanese sushi master (an Itamae, if you’re interested).
- Audi R8 V10.
Number one had to be the R8, but not just because it is the fastest Audi ever built, at least around a track – the electrified e-tron rocket ship having assumed the straight-line mantle.
But which one? Choosing a favourite is a bit like choosing the best Beatles song (or Rolling Stones/Metallica/Radiohead etc.). There’s the hardcore GT, the purity of the rear-drive RWS or the completeness of the final V10 Performance.
But it’s the original R8 V10 that gets our nod.
Those who have sampled both often suggest the OG V8 is even nicer, but we’ve already celebrated that engine’s excellence with the B7 RS4 and it’s the V10 that elevates the R8 from the sports car tier – where it gives even the Porsche 911 a bloody nose – to the realm of supercars.
With the introduction of the R8 V10 Audi stepped up to play with the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini. For a brand with no mid-engined heritage to get its first exotic right straight out of the box is truly an incredible accomplishment, which is why the R8 scores top spot on this list.
