The Audi RS5 is dead. Long live the RS5.

Okay, not dead-dead. But the badge has shifted, the mission has sharpened, and in the process Audi has quietly retired the RS4 name in favor of a new-era RS5 that does something no RS-badged mid-sizer has done before: it plugs in.

Yes, this is the first performance Audi to pair a twin-turbo V-6 with a battery big enough to make your local EV drivers nod in approval. And no, Ingolstadt hasn’t gone soft.

A Hybrid With a Hammer

At the core sits a familiar 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6—at least in displacement. As Audi Sport boss Rolf Michl put it, “The only thing that we kept is the 2.9 litres.” That’s not marketing fluff. The engine now runs a modified Miller cycle for better efficiency (read: Euro 7 compliance), features higher-pressure fuel injection, and swaps in water-cooled variable-geometry turbos for sharper response.

On its own, the V-6 makes 510 horsepower—39 more than the most potent “25 Years” RS4. But the real story is the 174-hp electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic gearbox and fed by a 22-kWh usable battery pack. Combined output? A stout 630 horsepower.

That’s a 166-hp jump over the old RS4. And while the spec sheet says 0–62 mph in 3.6 seconds—just a tenth quicker than before—the numbers don’t tell the whole story. At 2370 kg (about 5225 pounds), this thing isn’t exactly on a diet. But Audi claims that in a rolling drag race against the previous RS4 Competition, the new RS5 stretches a two-car-length gap in just 2.5 seconds. Instant electric torque has a way of making turbo lag feel like a relic.

Top speed drops slightly to 177 mph (down 9 mph), but unless you’re late for a private runway booking, you won’t notice.

And here’s the twist: it’ll also do around 50 miles on electric power alone. A 630-hp company car that can commute silently through town? That’s either peak 2026 or the beginning of the end, depending on your forum habits.

Understeer Is So Last Generation

If you’ve driven previous RS4s hard, you know the story: colossal grip, big speed, and a faint but persistent push at the limit. Audi says that chapter is closed.

The new RS5 gets Dynamic Torque Control with an electromechanical torque-vectoring rear differential—essentially a limited-slip diff with its own 11-hp motor capable of shuffling up to 1475 lb-ft side to side in milliseconds. There’s also a new locking center diff that can send up to 100 percent of drive rearward.

In “RS Torque Rear” mode—yes, that’s drift mode—the system goes full hooligan.

Michl doesn’t mince words: “Basically, there is no understeer.” Bold claim. But it puts the RS5 squarely in the same conversation as the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63, both of which have embraced rear-biased all-wheel-drive systems to keep things interesting.

Stopping power is equally serious: 420-mm steel front discs and 400-mm rears come standard. Want less unsprung mass and more bragging rights? Carbon-ceramics shave 30 kg—for £6000.

More Muscle, More Attitude

Visually, this is the most aggressive RS mid-sizer yet. It sits lower and wider than the standard A5, squatting over 20- or 21-inch wheels. The front end is dominated by an expansive black-mask grille designed to keep both the V-6 and its electrified companions cool. The daytime running lights and rear brake lights feature a chequered-flag motif—subtlety is not on the options list.

And then there are the tailpipes. Massive, inboard, and apparently sized according to the engineering brief: “How big can they be?” The answer, per designer Wolf Seebers, was essentially “Yes.” They’re large enough to fit a fist through, which is either childish or glorious, depending on your maturity level.

Buyers can choose between Avant estate and fastback-saloon body styles, with the UK getting the latter for the first time since the B7 era. The more rakish shape and broader appeal make sense, especially as Audi aims this car at both European die-hards and North American sedan loyalists.

The Price of Progress

Pricing starts at £89,400, climbing to £95,400 for the Carbon Black and topping out at £107,400 for the Performance Vorsprung, which bundles extra tech and unlocks the full 177-mph top speed.

Deliveries begin in June.

So what is the new RS5? It’s a 630-hp plug-in hybrid that can drift, commute on electrons, haul a family (and their dog), and still line up against the M3 and C63 without flinching.

If this is Audi Sport’s idea of electrified compromise, it feels less like surrender—and more like a warning shot.

Source: Audi

The gloves are off in Germany’s compact super-sedan war. Before Audi has even officially pulled the silk from the stage lights, the next-generation Audi RS5 has already strutted onto the internet runway—fully exposed, wide-hipped, and spoiling for a fight.

And make no mistake: this isn’t just another RS refresh. This is Ingolstadt consolidating forces. The new RS5 is set to effectively replace the RS4, streamline the lineup, and square up directly against the benchmark bully from Munich, the BMW M3.

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A Baby RS6? Don’t Call It Cute.

Based on the new A5, the RS5 wears its RS-specific bodywork like tailored armor. If the standard car is business class, this thing is Special Forces. The widened fenders aren’t cosmetic fluff—they’re visibly broader, with Audi reportedly swapping out the rear doors entirely rather than simply flaring the originals. That’s commitment.

The proportions promise more attitude too. Longer, wider, and lower than its siblings, yet retaining a 2900-mm wheelbase, the RS5 appears planted and purposeful. The face is dominated by a massive grille framed by yawning cooling intakes, while the shoulders—oh yes, the shoulders—channel vintage Quattro muscle in a way that feels both nostalgic and freshly aggressive.

The wheels? A unique six-twin-spoke aluminum design that looks ready to chew through Autobahn asphalt. Around back, the drama continues: a tall diffuser, twin oval tailpipes (because round is for amateurs), and a Formula 1–style brake light for good measure. The sedan gets a subtle decklid spoiler, the Avant a roof-mounted wing. Black or carbon trim is available on the mirrors, side skirts, and bumpers for those who prefer their menace with a gloss finish.

If the Audi RS6 had a smaller, sharper younger sibling, this would be it.

Screens, Alcantara, and Red Buttons

Inside, Audi Sport sticks to its proven recipe: Alcantara everywhere your fingers land, RS logos stamped like passport visas, and red steering-wheel buttons that beg to be pressed irresponsibly.

The tech suite mirrors the broader A5 family but adds RS-specific graphics. Expect an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.5-inch central infotainment screen, and even a 10.9-inch passenger display—because nothing says modern performance like letting your co-driver monitor lap data while you concentrate on not embarrassing yourself.

Hybrid Power, Properly Applied

Here’s where things get interesting. Audi has confirmed the new RS5 will adopt a plug-in hybrid setup. The likely configuration pairs the twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 with electric assistance, pushing combined output well beyond the S5’s 367 horsepower mild-hybrid arrangement.

Translation: this won’t be some half-hearted eco exercise. Expect a serious bump in torque, sharper throttle response courtesy of instant electric shove, and enough combined output to comfortably exceed its predecessor’s numbers.

Underneath, the RS5 rides on Audi’s PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) architecture—the same bones as the A5 and S5—but fortified with a tighter suspension tune and larger brakes to keep the added electrified muscle in check. In RS tradition, it won’t just be fast in a straight line; it’ll aim to feel surgically precise when the road turns interesting.

The Enemy Camp

Audi isn’t operating in a vacuum. The BMW M3 remains the dynamic yardstick, blending brute force with rear-drive antics (or all-wheel-drive confidence, depending on configuration). Meanwhile, Mercedes-AMG is recalibrating its strategy. The outgoing four-cylinder plug-in hybrid experiment in the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance has faced its share of skepticism, and the brand appears ready to pivot toward an electrified six-cylinder formula in the C53.

In that context, Audi’s move to hybridize the RS5 with a twin-turbo V6 feels less like compromise and more like calculated evolution.

The Big Picture

This new RS5 isn’t just a facelift with bigger wheels. It’s a strategic reset—one model replacing two, hybrid muscle replacing pure combustion, and sharper design replacing subtlety.

If the leaked images and early details hold true, Audi isn’t just refreshing the RS5. It’s redefining it. And when the covers finally come off officially, Munich and Affalterbach will be watching very closely.

Source: Audi