When you think of fast European sports cars, usually it’s BMW’s M Division and Mercedes-Benz AMG products spring to mind first. Audi Sport may not immediately be the obvious performance German automaker, but it should be. It has given us many reasons to take them seriously a brand that focuses on offering some truly potent machines.
While the first official performance car to come from Audi was the 1990 S2, comprehensively engineered sports cars came to fruition just a few years later. Audi took a brand popular configuration, their wagon (Avant), and transformed it into a rally-inspired street weapon with the help of their German neighbors at Porsche. The first “RS” badged car was born, and the rest as you know is history. This was proof Audi was serious about going fast, not just in the rally, but road cars were now fair game too.
Today Audi RS products are highly competitive in nearly every segment of the market. From compact sporty sedans to large luxury super SUVs, there is surely an Audi S or RS product for everybody. Audi Sport, formerly known as “Quattro”, as an entity is relatively new, but there have always been clever engineers working behind the scenes to make Audis go faster, and work harder for drivers. Here are 10 of the best fast Audis ever made.
10 2023 Audi S8: 155 mph
As vehicles grow in size and weight, it’s proving to be difficult for manufacturers to inject the sportiness into their full-size cars like generations of the past. BMW and Mercedes-Benz have seriously struggled in this department with their newest versions of the 7-series and S-class emerging as lofty, lounges on wheels. For the most part, the luxury aspect is a warm welcome as all the full-size sedans offer unbelievable levels of comfort, stunning design, and rich materials to coddle passengers in.
Audi hasn’t forgotten that they are still building a moving automobile, and there will inevitably be those who prefer their luxury land yacht to have some spirited driving capability. The 2023 Audi S8 is without a doubt the driver’s car of the bunch. Each packs a punch, but it’s the Audi that is most composed. Don’t forget it was the Audi that was the car of choice for the movie The Transporter.
9 1994 Audi RS2 Avant: 163 mph
A love child of Porsche and Audi, the RS2 Avant brought clever Stuttgart Engineering to the humble Audi wagon of the 1990s. A star was born, with the turbocharged power plant inspired by five-cylinder Audis from its rally past. Porsche helped by increasing the turbo size, revamping the cooling, tuning the ECU, and providing more aggressive cams.
311 horsepower was very potent for a small wagon of the era. A better suspension geometry and amazingly big-brake system derived from Porsche’s own 911 turbo was added to the RS2 to reel in all the power. Ultimately the assistance from Porsche helped Audi gain a sort of street-cred that got the attention of performance car enthusiasts.
8 2017 Audi RS3: 174 mph
The five-cylinder was back with a bang. Earlier versions of the RS3 were great in concept, but none got the attention of sports car fans like the third generation of the A3, specifically the 2017 RS3 that now produced 400 horsepower and was a proper M2 competitor. Ironically, when Audi’s RS3 became a sedan and global car, its reputation spiked as it became increasingly popular in the North American market.
Its stout 2.5 liter inline-five engine was able to withstand massive power added by tuners, and It wasn’t difficult to dial up power from a simple tune and minor mechanical upgrades either. This RS3 was a true spiritual successor to the rowdy RS2 that came before.
7 2018 Audi TT RS: 174 mph
This list would be incomplete without the definitive Audi Sportscar name that even predates the R8. Over the years, the TT has evolved into a baby R8. Based on Volkswagen's MQB platform, the 3rd-gen Audi TT came to market in 2016. Equipped with the popular 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder turbo, the TT put out 400 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. You had a smooth-shifting seven-speed S-tronic DCT sending power to the ground through a Haldex all-wheel drive system.
0-60 mph comes up in 3.2 seconds. Now Although in stock guise, Audi limits the top speed to 155 mph, an optional Dynamic Plus package on the TT RS unlocked a top speed of 174 mph. Additionally, the TT in RS guise packed extra visual and performance upgrades in the form of a more aggressive bodykit, 19 or 20-inch wheels, and magnetic ride dampers.
6 2023 Audi RS4 Competition Plus: 180 mph
Even Audi has jumped onto the “competition” badging scheme. It seems drivers are springing straight to BMW’s Competition models without hesitation and Audi wants a piece of that pie. The new RS4 Competition Plus adds some theater by raising the top speed to 180 miles per hour, a more free-flowing aggressive sounding exhaust, and new lightweight wheels that save nearly 4.5 pounds per corner.
Any savings in unsprung weight tends to dramatically help a car’s handling characteristics. Additionally, the car's sport differential has been upgraded, the fixed-ratio steering has been reduced significantly creating sharp turn-in. The shocks are now adjustable for compression and rebound, and although the engine has not had an increase in power, the torque curve has been reworked, and the transmission speeds sharpened.
New more aggressive tire options are also available. In all, the Competition Plus Pack offers a massive amount of comprehensive upgrades that transform the RS4 into a serious performance car. Unfortunately for now the RS4 is not available in the United States.
5 2015 Audi RS5: 174 mph
Perhaps the golden era of internal combustion was the mid-late 2000s with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi all offering V-8 power in their small entry-level models. Audi was a bit late to the scene, but with an 8,300 RPM redline from its 4.2 liter V-8 from the R8 supercar, 450 horsepower matching the Mercedes’ 6.3 V-8, and far eclipsing the BMW M3’s 414 horsepower, Audi had a true competitor.
The engine sounded as wild as the M3’s but provided the punch of the C63. The RS5 was a true talk the talk, walk the walk sort of car. With Quattro all-wheel-drive, RS5 had a trick up its sleeve that the others couldn’t match. The C63 was famously uncontrollable in many situations, while the M3 lacked torque, and later proved to be less than reliable if not stringently maintained. The RS5 was the smart move.
4 2023 Audi RS6 Avant: 190 mph
Audi’s gift to the U.S.A. was the RS6 Avant back just a few years ago in 2020. Fans cheered with excitement to have an RS6 back in the States, and wagons or “Avants” in Audi language had become cool again. Everybody said they wanted one, but it turned out a 600-horsepower large luxury wagon is a bit more expensive than its fans expected.
Initially, the RS6 Avant was a tough sell in a mid-pandemic market. Now, however, the elegant beast has received more love with drivers putting their money where their mouth is and actually purchasing the RS6. For those looking for supercar performance, but with the practicality and all-weather capability of an Audi, the RS6 Avant is a fantastic one-car solution.
3 2014 Audi RS7 Sportback: 190 mph
Amidst the war of the high-horsepower turbocharged “hot v” era of the German V-8s (a war that is still raging), Audi needed to bring their new V-8 to the table. What a car to do it in. The Audi RS7 Sportback was a car of many firsts for Audi. This car showcased Audi’s new take on the “hot v” V-8. It was (and still remains) immensely powerful.
It proved to be wildly successful for Audi as this car was hot on the heels of Mercedes’ CLS four-door coupe, a segment that they invented a few years prior. The Audi A7 and RS7 variant nailed the proportions though and provided more practicality as it offered a hatchback rear glass. Arguably a more beautiful take on the four-door coupe, a format that came with some controversy, it was the RS7 that may have won the world over on the concept.
2 2006 Audi R8: 187 mph
The Audi LeMans Quattro Concept was brought to life! The first generation Audi R8 featured a version of Audi’s screaming 4.2 liter V-8 paired with a proper six-speed manual. The R8 made use of every one of its 420 horsepower, which some complained was simply not enough power for such a car. In the end, a V-10-powered R8 was introduced and lives on as the car we know today, but originally in 2006, it was the V-8 that really shined.
It was the original and successfully showcased how agile an Audi sports car can be. Often mocked for having wonky weight distribution on many models, the R8 hushed up any nay-sayers. With a curb weight of 3,400 pounds, the all-wheel-drive V-8 powered R8 wasn’t a super lightweight car, but given its luxury edge over other supercars, and reputation for reliably performing under pressure, the new mid-engined Audi was a home run success as the brand’s flagship.
1 2023 Audi R8 GT: 204 mph
Its recipe may be long in the tooth by now, but there’s no denying the R8 is still competitive in today’s myriad of supercars running around. For 2023 the R8 has gone rear-wheel-drive. In its final year, the R8 gets a send-off worthy of its wild reputation. Audi has dialed everything up for this final edition. This 602 horsepower model is a rear-wheel-drive-only variant.
It gets a revised DCT programming for quicker shifts with shorter gears for stronger acceleration on both ends, forged wheels, and lightweight carbon additions such as new antiroll bars. Some markets get adjustable dampers, while the U.S. makes do with a static setup. There are some aero additions as well such as the new carbon wing and front canards. Audi is building only 333 of the R8 GT.