Audi RS 5 Panther Edition rocks deep purple and a feline sheen

Audi has so much going on at the L.A. Auto Show with the RS Q8, S8, E-Tron Sportback, and RS 6 Avant that it’s paid hardly any attention to a limited-edition RS 5 exclusively for the U.S. market. Audi will make only 100 RS 5 Panther Editions, 75 of them being Sportbacks, the other 25 coupes. The saucy name comes from the exterior paint called Panther Black crystal effect, a hue normally secured through Audi Exclusive. In the sunlight, what looks like the black of the void takes on a deep purple sheen; we’re not sure if the same light tricks affect the Amazonian cat, but the name sounds cool. The other exterior changes are a matte black Quattro badge, silver trim on the splitters front and rear, and a set of 20-inch, five-twin-spoke wheels borrowed from the European RS 4 Avant.

Inside, the Panther Edition gets elements of the interior design package normally available in Canada but coming to the U.S. for the first time. The tweaks include a black Nappa leather interior with crescendo red stitching, black seatbelts with a red edge, and black Alcantara on the steering wheel and center console sides. According to Car and Driver, there’s a chance other U.S.-bound Audi models will get the Black Panther treatment in the future.

The car is priced at $88,995 after the $995 destination charge and will arrive in dealerships next month. The price is $13,800 more than the standard RS 5 Sportback and coupe, which sounds like a lot, but Audi Exclusive paint is normally a $3,900 standalone option, and Audi’s fancy 20-inch wheels — the ones you can get here, unlike the Panther Edition wheels — can add $5,500 on their own.