Auto news on Youtube Mar 1 2018

Thirty-five years ago a small division of Audi known simply as 'quattro' began producing

high-performance examples of the company's mainstream models.

Motivated by Audi's rally-inspired road car - the Ur Quattro - the go-fast factory built

a range of fettled all-wheel drive performance models, many to customer specification; including

the now-legendary RS 2.

Renamed 'Audi Sport' in 2016, the Neckarsulm speed shop evolved to build not only halo

RS models, but also wheels and suspension components, and specialist body styling elements

for Audi's sporty S line variants.

Now, to celebrate Audi Sport's revitalised 2018 RS line-up, we'll take a closer look

at six of its flagship models with a drive through the spectacular Victorian High Country...

…and a scorching trip to the race track.

***music and exhaust noise***

Our tour begins in picturesque East Gippsland,

winding across the spectacular Great Dividing Range to meet the beautiful Murray River at

Lake Hume.

The challenging route is the perfect test of Audi Sport's high-performance all-wheel

drive fleet, with something to suit everything from the RS 3 pocket rocket, right through

to the flagship R8 Spyder.

First up is the RS 3 Sedan, and on the winding roads north of Bairnsdale its big horsepower

and nimble handling is a fantastic combination.

A fantastic combination it is; but the grunt and grip of this RS 5 Coupe is pretty hard

The RS 3 Sedan and RS 5 Coupe are brilliant on tight, twisting roads, but the larger RS

6 Avant and RS 7 Sportback were also a true surprise.

The bigger Audis seemed to shrink around you on fast, flowing roads, the chassis offering

staggering levels of grip, with horsepower for days.

While Luke and I each all of the RS models for different reasons, we were unanimous in

our love of the R8 Spyder.

The R8 Spyder is sex on wheels, and that V10 soundtrack, with the roof, it's just heaven.

Its quick, and effortlessly nimble, the sort of car you could pedal for days on roads like

this.

I'm not going to disagree with Luke, the R8 Spyder is certainly everything it claims to

be.

But for my money, and on roads like this, it's the sharp, sizzling performance of the

TT RS that takes the cake - it's simply made for roads like this.

OK, Andrea, I think we both have our favourites here, but you've got to admit, it's a stellar

line-up.

No doubt.

There's not a single car here that doesn't handle and perform the way the brochure says

it will, though I'm keen to see how they go around the race track.

Audi's engineers fettle every last component of these sports-tuned weapons to ensure they

hold up to the occasional track day.

Join us tomorrow as we put the Audi Sport fleet to task at the race track.