New Audi RS5 Avant previewed by Carwow: bonkers estate car to gain plug-in hybrid tech

• New Audi RS5 Avant coming next year
• Carwow-exclusive renders preview the design
• More modern appearance than the current car
• Could use a 3.0-litre V6 from Porsche
• More than 520hp possible
• On sale next year

The Audi A4 has been given a new identity. The brand’s new alternative to the BMW 3 Series will now be called the A5, and the flagship RS5 Avant has been spotted a few times now undergoing development testing.

The Carwow team has taken these spy shots and, using some computer magic, has peeled back the camouflage to give you an idea of what this new plug-in hybrid performance wagon could look like when it launches in 2025.

New Audi RS5 Avant design

Both the new Audi A5 and the RS5 Avant have been spotted out and about during development testing a few times now, and the team at Carwow have used some computer wizardry to peel back the camouflage and reveal what may be lurking underneath.

Starting up front the new RS5 Avant appears to have a much more sloped bonnet than the car it replaces, but you still have the massive Audi grille with an aggressive-looking honeycomb design. The huge air intakes and lower splitter add to the sporty look, and there could well be some silver accents like you see on current Audi RS cars.

Moving down the side of the car you have similar flared arches to the current Audi RS4 to accommodate larger wheels and tyres, and there could be a similar side vent to the Audi RS3 hiding under that wrap. The flush-fitting door handles can be seen on the A5 prototype, and they’ll almost certainly be carried over to the RS5.

The rear of the car is where you see the biggest change over the current RS4. That new light bar across the tailgate is very similar to the one found on the new A6 e-tron, making the car look more contemporary. The exhausts are also much closer together than they are on today’s RS4, and you can bet that an aggressive-looking diffuser can be found under the disguise.

New Audi RS5 engine and performance

As is the way with modern performance cars, it looks as though Audi will add plug-in hybrid tech to the new RS5 Avant to both boost power and lower emissions. There’s a fuel door on both sides of the prototype, and one of them is more than likely for a charging cable.

The current Audi RS4 uses a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 with 450hp. While the new one may not use exactly the same engine, it could still use a six-cylinder unit courtesy of Porsche.

Specifically, Audi could make use of the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 from the new Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. This engine, when combined with an electric motor, puts out a combined 519hp and 750Nm of torque, which would put the new RS5 Avant right in line with the BMW M3 Touring.

See how the Audi RS4 Avant gets on in a drag race against the BMW M3 Touring…

This would also give the new RS5 a healthy 70hp increase over the outgoing RS4, so what does that mean for performance? Well the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid can do 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds, almost exactly the same as the current RS4. The RS5 Avant is a lot smaller than the Cayenne though, and likely a lot lighter, so it could get close to the 3.6 second sprint time of the BMW M3 Touring.

When can I buy the new Audi RS5 Avant?

While the new Audi A5 Avant is due to go on sale this year, you’ll have to wait until 2025 to see this hot RS5 Avant hit the showrooms. It’s likely to fetch a premium over the Audi RS4 as well, with a starting price over £70,000 to be expected.

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