The latest round of RS 5 intel comes from AutoCar, a proven reliable source on upcoming new product covering a car we’ve already seen spy photos of testing and for which there’s a consensus on configuration. Details reported by AutoCar begin to spell out more production details that, if true, suggest an even more potent B-segment longroof from Audi Sport GmbH.
As we already know, internal combustion engine (ICE) offerings from Audi will shift to odd number alphanumeric nomenclature while pure EVs will shift to even numbers. That’s a positioning that’s expected to remain at least as long as this transition where both ICE and EV models will be sold alongside each other. In the case of the outgoing RS 4 Avant, this means a change to “RS 5”.
At the heart of the B10 RS 5 drivetrain will be the familiar 2.9-liter biturbo V6 originally developed by Porsche and serving duty in the current B9 RS 4 and RS 5. However, in the case of the B10, this will be augmented through a hybrid drive said to boost power levels offered in the B9.
AutoCar says this is an evolution of the MLB evo platform used in the B9, and it’ll accommodate the 14.4 kWh battery that today gives the European market A6 TFSI e plug-in hybrid an electric range of 45 miles.
AutoCar also points out the Mercedes-AMG C63 as a benchmark competitor to the hybrid B10 RS 5. Given Mercedes has already made the change to hybrid V6 (from a V8 no less), it’s notable that this close market rival boasts a gargantuan 671 bhp and 752 lb ft of torque.
Thus far, Audi hasn’t done a plug-in hybrid for an RS car. While TFSI e versions of the A3, A6, A7, A8, Q5, Q7 and Q8 are all sold in markets around the world, S and RS badged equivalents have yet to be seen. The RS 5 is set to change that pattern, making a car as versatile as an RS Avant even more versatile with a modest all-electric range.
Initial prototypes of the RS 5 Avant look promising, with an aggressive flared shape that continues on the current design theme set in motion by cars such as the RS 6 Avant, RS e-tron GT and RS 3.
Audi is expected to offer just two bodystyles of A5 – Avant and 5-door Sportback. Coupe and Cabriolet versions will disappear. While only an RS 5 Avant bas been spied testing, the commercial success of the RS 5 Sportback and RS 7 Sportback models help us safely assume that an RS 5 Sportback will continue. And, given the success being seen in the USA, we expect the Sportback to make it to the USA for sure. We’re also hearing rumors the Avant is also being considered given the proven popularity of the RS 6 Avant has enjoyed in C8 form.
Timing, according to his report, suggests the RS 5 Avant will drop in 2025 and mark the first plug-in hybrid offering for Audi Sport, with a full EV RS 4 e-tron to follow in 2026. These arrival times provided by AutoCar likely speak to European and UK market arrival. American arrival could lag beyond that, so consider that in these estimates.
AutoCar ran their story with a rendering of a blue RS 5 Avant that looked proportionally more like a sport crossover. Test mules show it’s more in keeping with what we know as an Avant, specifically lower and more car-like. Given that, we sourced these renderings from @4Rings.AI in order to illustrate what the car might look like. While some details appear to differ from the test mules underneath all that camoflauge, their blend of cues from the current RS 3 and RS e-tron GT and pairing with the proportions of the mule make us believe they’re a closer representation of what the upcoming car will actually look like.
