Compare the2024 Audi RS 7VS 2023 BMW M5

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi RS 7 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW M5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi RS 7 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW M5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the RS 7 and M5 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The RS 7 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The M5’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the RS 7 helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The M5 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the RS 7 and the M5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi RS 7 weighs 518 to 801 pounds more than the BMW M5. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The RS 7’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (590 vs. 553) than the M5’s standard 4.4 turbo V8. The RS 7’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (590 vs. 553) than the M5 Competition’s standard 4.4 turbo V8. The RS 7 Performance’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 4 more horsepower (621 vs. 617) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (627 vs. 553) than the M5 Competition’s standard 4.4 turbo V8.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the RS 7’s fuel efficiency. The M5 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

For better stopping power the RS 7’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the M5:

For better traction, the RS 7’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the M5 (285/30R22 vs. 275/40R19).

The RS 7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the M5’s standard 40 series tires. The RS 7’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the M5’s optional 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RS 7 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the M5. The RS 7’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the M5.

The front and rear suspension of the RS 7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the M5, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The RS 7 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The RS 7’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The M5 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the RS 7 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than on the M5.

The RS 7 handles at .98 G’s, while the M5 Competition pulls only .97 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the RS 7’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the M5’s (40 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the RS 7’s rear seats recline. The M5’s rear seats don’t recline.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the RS 7 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The M5 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Laser headlights, standard on the RS 7, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the M5’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The RS 7 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The M5 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the RS 7 has standard extendable sun visors. The M5 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The RS 7’s optional Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The M5’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

The RS 7 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the RS 7 will retain 51.94% of its original price after five years, while the M5 only retains 47.18%.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its November 2021 issue and they ranked the Audi RS 7 higher than the BMW M5 Competition.