Audi’s “RS” prefix has always denoted models with serious performance, whether it’s the five-cylinder Audi RS 3, or the twin-turbo V8-powered Audi RS 6 Avant. However, a new era is dawning for Audi’s RS performance engineering, and it’s starting with a new generation of the Audi RS 5. As Audi has been reimagining its lineup with new combustion and electric platforms, the Audi A5, rather than being the coupe and Sportback of previous generations, is a sedan, and in non-US markets, also an Avant station wagon.
Its new pinnacle performance trim is the new Audi RS 5, and globally, both the sedan and the Avant body styles will be offered. We are assuming that the United States will only receive the sedan. Regardless, though, the new Audi RS 5 represents a first for Audi by being a high-performance plug-in hybrid, combining a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 engine with over 500 horsepower with an electric motor for an impressive total of 630 horsepower. The new RS 5 will get from 0-60 in less than 3.6 seconds, all while having roughly 52 miles of all-electric driving range.
Hybrid power unlocks new possibilities for the new Audi RS 5 that go beyond power alone. Its quattro drivetrain features something Audi calls “Dynamic Torque Control” in the rear transaxle, making the new Audi RS 5 the world’s first production car to have an electro-mechanical torque vectoring system. This allows torque to be transferred between the rear wheels incredibly flexibly to cater to various driving situations, with recalculations of 200 Hz, or every 5 milliseconds. The groundbreaking handling solution makes driving the new hybrid Audi RS 5 more fun, engaging, and confidence-inspiring than ever before.
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With the available Audi Sport package for the new RS 5, the car gets revised front and rear bumpers, special 21-inch wheels, an RS sport exhaust system, and a raised top speed of 177 mph, along with special exterior colors and interior options. With hybrid power and more high-tech innovation than any Audi RS model before it, the new Audi RS 5 is the harbinger of a new chapter in Audi’s RS legacy. Orders for the new car will be open for European buyers in the first quarter of 2026, with deliveries set to begin in the summer.
Image Source: Audi
