Audi RS5 8T: enhancing the naturally aspirated V8, the complete exhaust system guide
The RS5 8T houses the swansong of Audi's naturally aspirated V8: 450 hp, 8,250 rpm, the engineering of a racing coupé homologated for the road. Enthusiasts are already collecting it. The factory exhaust system holds back part of the crescendo: ours releases it in full, valves included. Here, point by point, is how to choose the exhaust for your Audi RS5 8T V8, and what each option really changes.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the Audi RS5 8T V8
From €2,655 in stainless steel, €3,320 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- Audi RS5 8T V8 (2010-2016)
- Engine
- 450 hp · 430 Nm
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted downpipe with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
Closely related versions have their own guide: Audi A5 8T, Audi S5 8T V6, Audi S5 8T V8, Audi RS4 / RS5 B9 / B9.5 2.9 TFSI V6.
The naturally aspirated 4.2 FSI: a high-revving V8 that deserves to be heard
The 4.2 FSI in your RS5 8T belongs to an endangered species: the high-revving naturally aspirated V8, pulling past 8,000 rpm with a throttle response that modern turbos will never reproduce. Its natural sound is exceptional, but the heavy, filtered factory exhaust holds part of it back, precisely in the midrange where the V8 builds its crescendo.
On a naturally aspirated engine, freeing up the exhaust directly transforms the experience: the crescendo becomes continuous from idle to the redline. That is exactly what the ROG exhaust delivers, with valves to keep your daily journeys peaceful.
How the exhaust on your Audi RS5 8T V8 is put together
An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your Audi RS5 8T V8, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencers, valves. Routing, silencer, valves: this is where the sound is shaped, and where we focus our research and development.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your Audi RS5 8T V8, it is the downpipe, the pipe leading from the engine. It contains the factory catalytic converter: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Changing this part remains a choice: it pays off mainly with an ECU remap, which turns the freed-up flow into power.
The figures for your Audi RS5 8T V8
What an exhaust changes straight away is the sound, the engine's breathing and the weight at the rear. For more power, add an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures.
With or without an ECU remap, the exhaust fits and works. But it is an ECU remap at an approved tuning centre that truly unlocks your Audi RS5 8T V8, and that is what we recommend.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
3 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 3: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your Audi RS5 8T V8, the exhaust costs €2,655 in stainless steel and €3,320 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
2 655 €
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
Durable, corrosion-resistant, with a rounded, full sound: the most popular option.
Titanium
3 320 €
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
For the same design, it weighs around 40% less than stainless steel. A more metallic note at high revs and a look all of its own, from brushed to blued.
Both materials age well: 304 stainless steel copes with winter and salt, and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
-
Step 2 of 3: Front section: downpipe and catalytic converter
Optional: the downpipe on your Audi RS5 8T V8, with its catalytic converter. Sound rating out of 10, valves open: the factory exhaust sits at 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
Nothing changes at the front: the cat-back alone is already enough to change the car.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+885 €
8/10Road use and French MOT
The everyday compromise: emissions control is still there, and breathing improves noticeably.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+885 €
9/10French MOT pass not guaranteed
One step further: more flow, a more aggressive sound, reduced emissions control.
Decat
+695 €
10/10Track use only
Everything unleashed: maximum flow and unrestrained sound, for the track.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat downpipe + ROG cat-back
- 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
- 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison
Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.
What about the engine warning light? It can appear with a sports catalytic converter: the downstream oxygen sensor reads a different level of cleaning from the factory unit. It is not an engine fault, and it is dealt with by an ECU remap or a diagnostic tool. With a decat, an ECU remap becomes necessary. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing the French MOT with a sports exhaust.
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Step 3 of 3: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your Audi RS5 8T V8.
ROG remote
The simplest solution: a control unit in the boot and a remote, open or closed at the press of a button, whatever mode you are in. A question while fitting? We will get back to you.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
Does your vehicle have factory valves? The exhaust keeps their existing control: the drive modes operate the valves, as before, with no added electronics.
On a long journey, what matters is the absence of drone at a steady speed. With the valves closed, the exhaust keeps the cabin calm; the show is still there whenever you ask for it. More about exhaust drone.
The ROG sound signature on the 4.2 FSI
The naturally aspirated 4.2 builds its voice through the revs: raspy and present in the midrange, howling beyond 7,000 rpm. Our exhaust reduces back pressure and removes the unnecessary filters to free that crescendo, with the mechanical fury only the great naturally aspirated engines possess. With the valves closed, the car stays usable every day without fatigue.
From order to fitting
-
Configuration
You choose the options for your Audi RS5 8T V8 and enter its VIN, from box E of the registration certificate.
-
Check
We confirm compatibility with your car before we build it.
-
Manufacturing
Made to order, for your Audi RS5 8T V8.
-
Delivery
Free, insured delivery, with tracking sent on dispatch.
-
Fitting
Clamps and gaskets, no welding: two hours on average at the garage of your choice.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
What about the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, fitting a part from another brand is not enough on its own to void it; the manufacturer has to prove the link between that part and the fault. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your Audi RS5 8T V8
-
Daily driving
2 655 €
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your Audi RS5 8T V8 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
4 210 €
- Titanium
- 200-cell downpipe
- ECU remap
For great roads: more voice and more response, while staying road-friendly.
View this configuration -
Track
4 015 €
- Titanium
- Decat downpipe
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
These profiles are starting points. The right choice is often made in five minutes on the phone.
Audi RS5 8T V8: your questions
How much power does an exhaust system add to the Audi RS5 8T V8?
As standard, the Audi RS5 8T V8 produces 450 hp and 430 Nm. Without a remap, the exhaust transforms the voice and lightens the rear; it is the ECU remap that increases power. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures reach 545 hp and 550 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Audi RS5 8T V8?
For the Audi RS5 8T V8, the ROG exhaust costs €2,655 in stainless steel and €3,320 in titanium. Choose stainless steel for value for money and a rounded sound, titanium to save around 40% in weight and get a clearer tone.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Audi RS5 8T V8?
No, the cat-back alone already does most of the work on the Audi RS5 8T V8. The downpipe option is for those tuning the engine: 200 cells to stay road-friendly, 100 cells or decat for the track.
Will the Audi RS5 8T V8 pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?
The cat-back only and the 200-cell sports catalytic converter both keep emissions control: that is the configuration to present, with the valves closed. With the 100-cell converter a pass becomes uncertain, and the decat fails the emissions test on the Audi RS5 8T V8.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted to the Audi RS5 8T V8?
Fitting needs no welding or cutting and takes two hours on average on a lift. We check compatibility with the VIN of your Audi RS5 8T V8 before manufacturing.
What does a ROG exhaust cost for the Audi RS5 8T V8, and how long does it take?
From €2,655 to €4,210 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Free delivery in Europe, 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you drive and on your Audi RS5 8T V8. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
Behind every ROG exhaust is a French team you can actually reach, who know the cars they talk about. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
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