Most of Audi’s cars leave me feeling unimpressed and always wishing for more, at least in the looks department, but Audi’s race cars have never let me down. The last-gen RS 5 DTM was beautiful, powerful, and full of aggressiveness that says “I want to eat your face.” But, racing regulations have changed since that last RS 5 DTM rolled onto the track for the first time, so there was no telling how the next-gen model would look. Then, the doors to the Geneva Auto Show opened to the public and what did we see sitting alongside the road-going RS 5? You guessed it – the next-gen RS 5 DTM. New regulations require these cars be harder to drive, in hopes that it will put more emphasis on the skill of the man (or woman) behind the wheel. That means reduced aerodynamic downforce, different tire setups, and a car that sits higher than before. Be that as it may, the new RS 5 DTM still looks like it wants to eat your face, and your children, for that matter.

Changes to the body include the new-gen headlights, a sticker that resembles the new RS5’s wider grille, revised side skirts that have fewer winglets and a whole new design in the rear, and more rounded wheel arches. In the rear, the GTM receives new, sleeker taillights and a new rear diffuser that isn’t quite as aggressive and has a few more fins. The Spoiler is now angled less aggressively. Overall, it’s an attractive looking race car and certainly looks like it’s ready to tackle the competition. The DTM will ride a little high and makes use of softer tires supplied by Hankook, and are actually designed to offer quicker lap times from the start, but start degrading after just a few laps. But, there’s a little more to talk about, so click “continue reading” to learn more.

More Power Too?

So, we know that the new RS 5 DTM is less aerodynamic, sits higher, and runs softer tires that are designed to degrade quickly. But, just to make things more interesting, There’s a 4.0-liter under the hood that is said to deliver more than 500 horsepower. Jamie Green, one of the DTM’s primary test drivers, said, ““You can feel this additional power in the cockpit,” It should be noted that this is the same base engine that has been in use, Audi simply modified the air intake, cooling system, and made various tuning adjustments to generate all of the extra power while maintaining the same reliability.

Dieter Gass, Head of Audi Motorsport, said, “The new DTM regulations reflect a major effort aimed at achieving further cost reductions while enhancing the sport and making the cars more attractive, These are exciting times for the DTM. We have more power, softer tires and less downforce. Combined with the best drivers, we expect to see even more thrilling racing. I can only invite everyone to come to Hockenheim at the beginning of May to personally witness the first race of our new baby.”

So, there you have it. The new RS 5 DTM is now faster and more powerful while being made harder to drive. How do you think all of these changes will affect Audi’s racing season?

2018 Audi RS5

Read our full review of the 2018 Audi RS5 here.