The Audi RS5 Thread

Hot or not: what does Frank Stephenson think of the Audi RS5 Avant?

Safe to say that Audi's new RS5 Avant doesn't fly under the radar...

The fast German estate has long been a staple of the autobahn. At 120mph and beyond, something low, wide and purposeful fills your mirrors, and instinct alone tells you to move over. The latest RS5 still plays that role, though perhaps now it doesn’t fly so subtly under the radar as an RS car once did. In the name of progress, what was once a ‘4’ is now a ‘5’, but the recipe is still largely the same.

The car still aims to be a one car solution for all of life’s demands – practical, fast, and now electrified to a degree. You can even have it with a tow bar. Walter de Silva said the first generation A5 was the most beautiful car he had ever designed, and proportion remains the RS5’s greatest strength.

The side view is spot on. The long bonnet, relatively low greenhouse, and pronounced haunches give the car a sense of balance and composure. Despite accommodating a sizeable battery pack, it retains a sleek silhouette, resisting the high-sided bulk that plagues so many modern hybrids and EVs.

 
All-new Audi RS 5 sold out for 2026 amid strong demand

Order books for the new Audi RS 5 are completely filled up for 2026, as demand for the brand’s first-ever plug-in hybrid performance model showcases immense popularity…

The new RS 5 is proving a successful venture for its maker. Audi’s first-ever plug-in hybrid (PHEV) performance model has surpassed all initial demand forecasts. Indeed, orders across European markets reached nearly double the anticipated volume. This has resulted in the entire 2026 annual production run selling out prior to the overseas rollout. Built at the German marque’s manufacturing plant in Neckarsulm, Germany, the new RS 5 is now available in key international territories, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.

The latest RS 5’s PHEV powertrain pairs a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine with a 130 kW/460 N.m electric motor. The latter sources power from a 22 kWh battery pack. The PHEV setup produces a combined system output of 470 kW and 825 N.m of torque – good for a claimed 3.6-second 0-100 km/h sprint time. Audi balances this performance by including a revised quattro all-wheel-drive system, coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission, featuring a centre limited-slip differential.


1791556545374.png

1791556552583.png

1791556558865.png
 
ABT’s new limited run RS5 comes with 715bhp and a whole load of carbon

Tweaked RS5-R with 22in wheels will be limited to 130 units

Audi Sport may have gone plug-in hybrid for the first time with the new RS5, but that hasn’t deterred German tuner ABT from breaking out the spanners. So, say hello to the RS5-R… and if the standard RS5 already looked aggressive, ABT’s visual tweaks make it look like it’d punch you straight in the face if you even dared to think about the M3 Touring.

Limited to just 130 units, the RS5-R is cloaked in a carbon bodykit that includes a front splitter, side skirts and a new rear bumper with a nod to a diffuser. There’s also extra vents in the front wheelarches, new mirror caps and a hefty rear wing for the Avant. Apparently that’s all available in either ‘gloss visible carbon or something called ‘matte carbon camouflage’. Right.

It’s not just a cosmetic makeover though, because the RS5-R also gets something called the ‘ABT Power S performance upgrade’ which raises the total system output from 630bhp to a whopping 715bhp. There’s also now 667lb ft of torque thanks to some massaging of the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, although ABT does say the top speed is still limited to 155mph.

Not enough? The modded Audi experts are also still working on an upgrade to 789bhp that should arrive – along with a special titanium Akrapovic exhaust – at some point in 2027.

 
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X