Along with confirmation that the next Audi RS 6 (C9) will move to hybridization, Autocar Magazine also confirmed this week what was likely more commonly known – that the RS 5 (B10) will also follow this new electrification and performance augmentation via hybridization strategy at Audi Sport GmbH. That it’s also slotted to hit the market even sooner and likely to be revealed as soon as February is also excellent news.
Given the timing and the configuration, the new RS 5 (B10) will mark Audi Sport GmbH’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV). Audi’s new petrol-electric architecture is said to be modular, allowing hybrid hardware to be adapted to different engines and vehicle classes, which means further performance hybrids like the RS 5 and even an RS Q5.
In the cases of the RS 5 and RS Q5, the pair will utilize Audi’s EA829 2.9-liter biturbo. That mill will be configured with an electric motor and rear-mounted battery just like the RS 6 (C9) and deliver an also notably higher performance gain over the outgoing RS 4 and RS 5 (B9.5).
Like the RS 6, the RS 5 will be programmed to fill torque at low revs in order to improve response and flatten the car’s power curve. It will also get the e-torque vectoring capabilities of the RS 6 as outlined in another previous story.
When will they arrive? As mentioned, the reveal of the RS 5 is expected in February with previously seen mules confirming Sedan and Avant forms. Only the sedan is expected in the USA for now. These could be in market by the end of the year, likely as MY2027.
And the RS Q5? That’s unclear. At least one mule with slightly larger fender flares (similar to what we’ve seen on say the current SQ8 and RS Q8) has been spied. Given the Q5 and SQ5 are already at full production and the drivetrain configuration is expected to be largely identical to the RS 5, in theory the RS Q5 could be in market (at least in Europe) by the end of the year.
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