2026 Audi RS5 is about to make life even more miserable

Unlike the Merc, which has switched to a hybrid four-cylinder engine, the new RS5 will also get electric assistance, expected to come with a V6

Audi Sport is gearing up for the launch at Rs. The debut, expected to take place this year, is eagerly awaited by fans of the Four Rings, but be sure to worry about Mercedes dealers.

Reports suggest that Mercedes’ decision to downsize its C63 from a V8 to an Inline four also shrunk the model’s fan base and sales. The engine in the C63 SE Performance is a plug-in hybrid that’s very powerful, pumping out 671 hp (680 PS), which is heavy and lacking in character compared to the old V8 S’s 503 hp (510 PS).

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Audi’s upcoming RS5, on the other hand, doesn’t promise a V8 but is expected to come with a V6, so it should deliver that smooth, expensive sound and feel buyers have come to expect from an $85,000 sports sedan. That might appease buyers if the RS’s total power figures don’t exactly match the AMG’s. The outgoing RS4/RS5 is only made with 444 hp (450 PS).

Like the C63, the new RS5 effectively replaces the old RS4 and RS5 (the RS4 badge will return on the EV), also with plug-in hybrid power. But we’d be surprised if Audi doesn’t use that PHEV technology to deliver some meaningful EV range, not just performance. AMG prioritized the latter, allowing it to get away with a small 4.8 kWh battery, but the downside is a meager 8 miles (13 km) of range.

While we won’t be able to make any definitive comparisons until we learn the full specs later this year, we can already say that the RS looks like it could easily win the visual attitude war. Just look at those massive flared fenders and the giant wheels hiding beneath them. The C63 is a beautiful car, and yes, some buyers like their cars to be invisible. But we think the C63 looks too much like its C43 little brother.

Watch: Ice, hybrid or electric car? BMW M3 CS vs. AMG C63 S vs. Tesla Model 3 performance

Even though we’re calling this RS5 a sedan, it’s technically a lift like the old RS5 Sportback. However, Audi will drop the Sportback name, just like the A5 when it launches in 2024. However, an Avant-garde station wagon is also in development, and spy photographers have already captured it a few times.

What do you think the RS5 needs to offer in terms of power, cylinder count and EV range to make life miserable for AMG dealers trying to divert unpopular C63s? Does BMW’s aging, non-hybrid M3 still stand a chance against its newer, more powerful rivals? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Image: SH Proshots, Mercedes-amg