The Audi RS5 Turbo DTM is a "Class One" touring car constructed by the German car manufacturerAudi AG for use in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. The car is an updated version of the previous Audi RS5 DTM that had a naturally aspirated engine. The Audi RS5 Turbo DTM will still be based on the production Audi RS5. The car made its DTM début in the 2019 season under "Class One" regulations and will be used until 2021 season. The RS5 Turbo is the Audi's first-turbo powered DTM car. With a total of 12 wins, 12 pole positions, 18 podium finishes and a total record of 1,132 manufacturer's championship points in 2019, the RS5 Turbo DTM is statistically the fourth most dominant DTM car in the history of the sport with a win percentage of 66.67% against the sport's most dominant car, the 2003 Mercedes CLK DTM with a record of 90%. The car brought Audi's first year of domination of the sport in a history in 2019. At the end of the 2020 season, Audi Sport will leave the DTM after 31 years of participation as they will be focusing to Formula E; this will be the last Audi vehicle in the DTM to date.
Design
Chassis
Audi carried over the RS5 DTM car to undergo a major development for the Class One project which will be used for the 2019 season and beyond and rebrand it as Audi RS5 Turbo DTM. The aerodynamic packages of the RS5 Turbo DTM also has significant change including front splitter length cut to 90 millimetres, radiator grill revamp, rear wing width increased to 520 millimetres and also DRS improvement to make cars aggressive for overtaking compared to the Audi RS5 DTM naturally aspirated. The car made its first shakedown at Circuito do Estoril on 8 November 2018. The design also features the newly-firewall interior cockpit protection to deflect debris away from a driver's head in the event of an accident.
Engine
The RS5 Turbo DTM features a brand-new RC8 2.0 TFSI engine package built specifically for the car. The aging Audi 4.0 L V8 naturally-aspirated engine—which had been used since the inaugural season of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters— was replaced by a 2.0 L inline-4 turbocharged direct-injected RC8 engine developed by Audi based on the Audi 2.0 R4 16v TSI/TFSI. During the car's shakedown and preliminary testing phase at the Circuito do Estoril, drivers noted that the change from natural aspiration to a turbocharger meant that the RS5 Turbo DTM required a different driving style to its predecessor, the Audi RS5 DTM NA, as the turbocharger produced more torque and thus required the driver to exercise greater control over the throttle. The Audi RC8 TFSII-4turbo engine will also feature the push-to-pass for overtaking manoeuvre improvement.
Début
The first shakedown of Audi RS5 Turbo DTM was carried by Nico Müller, René Rast and Mike Rockenfeller on 12-15 November 2018 at Circuito do Estoril. Nico Müller commented “The new DTM car has terrific muscle and momentum, the turbo engine has awesome thrust". The RS5 Turbo DTM made its official test début at EuroSpeedway Lausitz on 14 April 2019 and will make its race début at Hockenheimring on 3 May 2019 and thus René Rast won the 2nd leg of 1st Hockenheimring round.
