5 reasons why the Audi RS6 (C5) is better than the BMW M5 (E39)

Updated: 29 Nov 2024

With the prices of these two autobahn chasers hovering under and around 20.000€, which is incredible value for money, let’s explore 5 of the reasons why an Audi RS6 might just be a better choice than BMW’s idea of the ultimate driving machine was in the late 90s.

(And yes, I will be doing the reverse article in the coming days as well)

1. You can have it as an estate

An estate version of the BMW M5 is something forum members spend their weekends discussing, yet the boffins from Munich never sold anyone an estate version of their performance flagship (at least not for the E39 generation).
When you consider that in the RS6 you can have 4 people sitting in great comfort, silence and luxury, with all their luggage, carrying a coffee table and a healthy sized dog in the boot (ask me how I found that out), all the while having enough performance to double the highest speed limit allowed in Europe with room to spare, suddenly, buying a E39 M5 doesn’t make as much sense as it once did, at least not to the family man.

2. Fuel "economy"

Now, of course you’re never going to get any reasonable MPG figures out of either, and nor should you expect to. However, it’s worth noting that while the M5 barely manages to stay in the low teens, and only when driven extra carefully, the RS6 usually hangs around 19 MPG (which won’t actually let you befriend any polar bears either) with a sensible, calm and relaxed driver behind the wheel. With how high maintenance and running costs of such machines can be, saving money on petrol becomes very relevant indeed. Plus you can tell the missus it’s somewhat sensible.

3. 4WD

As Chris Harris once pointed out, in the world of automotive journalists, 4WD means understeer and added weight, while rear wheel drive equals fun and powerslides. In the “real” world however, having a powerful car with 4WD means that you won’t need a new pair of pants (boxers or briefs, whatever floats your boat) every time you exit a hairpin on a rainy day; and that the Audi’s acceleration will be just as brutal as it is on dry tarmac.
Alternatively, if you spend a few days of your winter in ski resorts, or if you live in snowy areas, 4WD also gives you that little extra peace of mind. In any RWD car however, especially cars such as the M5, you better get ready to kneel before your rear wheel arches, in said snow, and hug them for a while in cold weather while you try to fit those god forsaken chains, ruining your family’s skiing holiday.
Audi’s system is also quite clever. In fact, it’s so clever I barely understand it myself.

4. Torque

Arguably more than the maximum torque a car produces, it’s where it produces it that matters. The RS6 produces 560 N.m of it everywhere (essentially) and despite its considerable weight, it still welds you to the seat each and every time you go near the throttle. To be honest, it’s a bit intimidating at first (especially in town and slow moving traffic). However once you get used to the feeling of overtaking delivery trucks you’d otherwise be tailgating in an instant, nothing can replace the feeling that the Audi’s ability to grip the road and haul you out of corners with the might of a freight train gives you.
Because it’s naturally aspirated, the M5 has a bit less torque. That’s not to say it’s a puny amount, but in the irrational world of petrolheads, where clouds are made of tyre smoke, where owning a Prius is a punishable offence, and where 400bhp+ family cars make sense, more is better.

5. It comes with an automatic gearbox

Automatic gearboxes aren’t usually a “pro” of performance-oriented cars, but in the RS6 it makes sense. Not only is it responsive and smooth, it also benefits from a great manual mode - so you can milk the torque curve without it kicking down and becoming extra shouty. An auto also means you can daily drive it sensibly, i.e. without having an painful and obnoxiously swollen left leg after spending 20 minutes in rush hour traffic. It’s quite far from the slush-boxes like the ones americans swore by in the later half of last century.
Going back to the “family car” aspect, an automatic transmission is just easier to live with, while detracting very little from the experience (in this particular case). From my personal ownership experience, I never felt I wanted a third pedal.