Press ESC to close

2026 Audi RS5 Avant shows off hybrid engine in oval

The RS5 sedan and wagon are believed to feature a twin-turbocharged PHEV V6 with well over 550 horsepower

                                                                            

go through Chris Chilton

22 hours ago

 2026 Audi RS5 Avant shows off hybrid engine's oval exhaust pipes
  • The 2026 Audi RS5 Avant has been spied testing again and looks to be close to production.
  • These new images of the estate version show off the RS5’s massive oval exhaust tailpipes for the first time.
  • Audi is converting the RS5 into a PHEV, but it will stick with a six-cylinder engine instead of downsizing to an inline-four.

Now that the TT and R8 have been axed, and the RS6 is nearing its end, Audi’s combustion-powered performance lineup is looking a bit thin. Not for long, though, as these images of an almost production-ready RS5 remind us that fresh, fast metal is coming.

We’re sure you’ve figured this out by now, but for the benefit of newbies, Audi is moving combustion engine cars to odd numbers and electric cars to even numbers. So the new A5 and S5 sedans and wagons launched in July are replacements for the old A4 and S4, although these sedans are actually hatchbacks, so they’re also replacements for the old A5/S5 Sportback.

RELATED: Everything we know about Audi’s plug-in hybrid RS5 sedan

With that sorted out, we can get back to the spy shots of the RS5 Avant and those massive oval tailpipes, which are mounted further inboard than on previous RS Audis. We haven’t seen these pipes in previous spy shots of the sedan or wagon, although they will appear in the final production versions of both models.

Of course, what we see is just a bit of trim – the real exhaust pipes are much smaller in diameter, but they do help draw attention to the RS5 from behind. Other design cues unique to the RS5 include flared fenders front and rear, and the front features air vents between the wheels and doors. The diameter and width of the five-spoke wheels that fill under each arch are enormous.

 2026 Audi RS5 Avant shows off hybrid engine's oval exhaust pipes

The fuel filler flap on each rear seen in these and previous spy shots confirms that the RS5 will be a PHEV, with Intel saying it will be powered by a version of Audi’s existing 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 internal combustion engine. The previous-generation RS4’s V6 engine produced 444 hp (450 PS), while the new V6-powered S5 mild hybrid only produces 362 hp (367 PS), but with electric assistance, the new RS5 can theoretically produce more than 600 hp ( 608 P.S.).

The RS5 would appear underpowered if it were significantly less powerful than its 671-horsepower (680 PS) AMG C63 rival, although reports of poor AMG sales have been attributed to the automaker’s decision to downgrade from eight to four cylinders , which proves that power isn’t everything when choosing a new family hot rod with a premium badge.

We expect the RS5 to debut in early 2025 and hit the roads as a ’26 later that year. Europe will get both hatchback and wagon body styles, but it looks like the U.S. will only get the sedan.

Image: SH Proshots

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Canopy Tents Professional Customization

- Sponsored Ad -
Canopy Tents Professional Customization