Spied: Audi RS 5 Avant Looking Production Ready

While last week it was Audi Club’s Chris May in Münich spotting the upcoming RS 5 Avant, this week it’s our European spy photographer sources. And, unlike last week’s mule sighting, this one appears to be closer to production including what appears to be finalized rear flared fender designs.

Also at the rear are some very pronounced oval exhaust tips. Oval tips have been a long-held RS car tradition, but these look particularly big in size and also located a bit more to the center.

Of course the only question remaining for most Audi Club North America members is whether the car Avant will come to North America. As mentioned last week, U.S. dealers have had a strong indication that the RS 5 sedan / Sportback / whatever you want to call it is a very likely go. Audi staff talking to those dealers suggested the Avant isn’t coming here and that’s fueling a lot of speculation of precisely that… that it’s not coming here.

Are we being overly wishful by not ruling it out after that? Maybe. However, we’ve seen Audi do this before where they don’t want to over promise and under deliver, and the RS 5 Avant may not yet be finalized. Additionally, and most notably here, there’s been no confirmation of any Avant for America yet… including chatter when the A5 and S5 Avants were launched to the press. However, we’ve only ever gotten the allroad version for the USA for quite some time, so we’d expect the A5 allroad to be the natural discussion point here… except it hasn’t been revealed yet so there’s no discussion of anything long roof even when any RS 5 Avant would have to be based on that.

In the weird world of messaging timing and corporate communications, this could be the reason Audi isn’t yet talking about the RS 5 Avant. Or, it could be exactly as Audi staff told dealers, that the car simply isn’t coming.

If the latter is the case, then that’s really unfortunate. Without having data handy, it’d be interesting to consider sales of the RS 6 Avant versus the RS 7 Sportback, and beyond that residual values. While the RS 7 Sportback was the darling in the C7 era when North America had no RS 6 Avant to compete, it’s no longer the focus now that the Avant is here. One would expect this would be the same with the B-segment RS cars.

Only time will tell. For now, enjoy these new photos of the RS 5 Avant.