Is the 2020 Audi RS5 Sportback Now The Best-Looking 4-Door Coupe?

Launching the RS5 as a Sportback feels like the natural thing to do. But the first generation A5 didn't have such a version and the MkII came out in 2016, three years ago. The always had the technology and ideas. Yet it's the perfect example of a car that's more than the sum of its parts.

The engine, a bi-turbo 2.9-liter TFSI, is not the best sounding or most powerful V6 in the world. It's also shared with the normal Porsche Panamera and the RS4. But it also seems right for a car designed to launch quickly and then chill out.

It's in the styling department that the RS5 Sportback shines. You have the long body to accommodate four doors, a sloped roof ending in a cavernous trunk opening and the trademark look of an RS model. This particular model came out of the factory with Nardo Grey paint and the black package to darken all its trim.

We think it's easily one of the boldest, most interesting four-door coupes out there. The new CLS-Class is a little dull, while the AMG GT has some strange angles at the back. Meanwhile, the 8 Series Gran Coupe costs twice as much and has half the curb appeal. Only the Porsche Panamera and new S7 Sportback are worth a second glance.

And did we mention it's the same price as the normal RS5 Coupe? For €82,700, this beauty could be in your driveway, provided you don't get carried away with the options. That's probably the biggest problem with German cars right now, besides customer satisfaction. Still, a Kia Stinger won't handle like the Audi.

Packing 450 HP and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque, the 1.8-ton four-door sports coupe will rocket from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds on its way to 280 km/h (174 mph) if you've optioned a speed pack. For the record, that's faster than the more expensive AMG CLS 53, which takes 4.5 seconds.