Audi has a thing for confusing enthusiasts and prospective customers. A few years ago, the Ingolstadt-based automaker introduced a naming system according to which 30 TFSI means 81 to 96 kilowatts and 70 TFSI stands for 400-plus kW. Adding to the confusion, models with odd numbers will feature zero-emission muscle. In other words, the combustion-engined A4 will turn into the A5 as Audi prepares to roll out a fully electric A4.
This being said, the RS 5 Avant prototype captured by our spy photographers while testing in Germany is the direct successor of the current-generation RS 4 Avant. Camouflaged though it may be, it's easy to notice that we're dealing with an evolutionary design. The centrally-mounted tailpipes are spicy in their own right, and the oversized wheel arches add to the eye candy.
Pictured with performance-oriented rubber and five-spoke alloys, the compact executive sports wagon further sweetens the deal with a charging port door on the driver-side rear fender. That's another way of saying that Audi has gifted the RS 5 Avant with electric assistance in the form of a plug-in hybrid setup. Mercedes-AMG C 63, anyone?
But as opposed to the C 63, which tries to compensate for its disappointing four-cylinder turbo with four exhaust pipes, the Audi Sport model features a twin-turbocharged V6. The big question is, will Audi Sport dare push the RS 5 Avant beyond 680 ps (671 horsepower) and 1,020 Nm (752 pound-feet) of twist? If you ask me, probably no.
Audi Sport GmbH and the former quattro GmbH never had a thing for insane output figures, although the short-lived Q7 V12 TDI is the most ludicrous diesel-engined production SUV of them all. We also have to remember that Audi Sport advertises the V6-engined RS 4 Avant with 450 ps (444 horsepower) and 600 Nm (442 pound-feet) on deck, whereas the previous-generation C 63 offers 510 ps (503 horsepower) and 700 Nm (516 pound-feet).
Photo: Baldauf
Considering the Volkswagen Group's PHEV and EV know-how, the RS 5 Avant could easily make 600-odd ponies. However, in a similar fashion to the C 63, the plug-in hybrid part of the powertrain will inevitably add a few hundred extra kilograms.
More weight means worse handling, but alas, that's a small price to pay as long as there is a V6 under the hood rather than an I4. Speaking of which, care to guess how many kilograms the C 63 T-Modell has gained for the 206 series? Believe it or not, the station wagon-bodied version tips the scales at 2,115 kilograms (4,663 pounds). By comparison, Mercedes-AMG lists the V8-engined 205 series with a curb weight of 1,750 kilos (3,858 pounds).
Clearly punchier than the I6-powered BMW M3 Touring, the Audi RS 5 Avant will be arriving in 2025 for the 2026 model year. The platform underpinning the dramatic-looking wagon is the latest evolution of the MLB. That means Torsen-style AWD rather than Haldex. The latter is used in transverse applications, including the Audi RS 3 and TT RS.
That said, the RS 5 Avant is certainly going to cost a few grand more than its forerunner. Over in Germany, the B9-generation RS 4 Avant retails at 87,500 euros from the outset. Make that 95,055 dollars at current exchange rates. The C 63 T-Modell, for reference, is €116,960 ($127,060).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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