The Audi RS 5 Avant plug-in hybrid is already unleashed at the Nurburgring

The 'on tap' estate will have more than 450 PS and will arrive in the coming months. Here is the latest from the Green Hell

Audi RS 5 Avant, the spy video

Photo by: CarSpyMedia

By: Alberto Carmone

Published by: Brian Potter

Sep 18, 2024 at 5:01am ET

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Audi continues to work on the RS 5 Avant, the successor to the RS 4 and the next rival to the BMW M3 Touring and the Mercedes C-Class 63 S in estate format.

The sportiest version of the Ingolstadt-based family car was spotted testing at the Nurburgring, with the brand's test drivers putting every component of the car through its paces ahead of an ever-closer debut.

The Nurburgring is already home

In the video published by CarSpyMedia, the RS 5 Avant appears completely wrapped in black and white camouflage, but the shapes and proportions leave little room for doubt. The styling is reminiscent of that of the new A5 Avant, albeit exaggerated by the presence of a more aggressive diffuser and larger wheel arches.

Other changes to this variant should also include a lowered set-up and a specific aerodynamic package, as well as a braking system with carbon ceramic discs and dedicated alloy wheels.

One detail that certainly does not go unnoticed, however, is the yellow sticker on the rear window, indicating the presence of a large battery. As Audi announced some time ago, in fact, the next RS 5 Avant will be a plug-in hybrid.

The power of the hybrid

The path chosen by the House of the Four Rings, then, is similar to that of Mercedes, although unlike the C 63, the RS 5 Avant will not have a four-cylinder engine. Ruling out a V8 and believing a five-cylinder to be unlikely (for emissions reasons), it is possible that under the bonnet of the RS 5 Avant there will be a V6 updated in various elements.

Audi S5 (2024) e Audi S5 Avant (2024)

Audi S5 Avant (2024)

Audi

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Certainly, power will be higher than the 450 PS of the current RS 4, powered by a non-electrified 2.9-litre V6. It has to be said that the addition of a battery and electric motor will be felt not only in terms of sheer power (and range, with the zero-emission EV mode that could allow some 30 miles), but also in weight, with the RS 5 possibly exceeding 2-2.1 tonnes.

We will see, however, what solutions Audi will adopt to make the RS 5 Avant even better on the road and between the kerbs.

More recent Audi debuts:

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