The New Audi RS5 Sounds Pretty Darn Good

In the age of downsizing, Audi appears to be bucking the trend with its next-generation RS5. Prototypes of the hot sedan (technically a five-door liftback) and wagon were spotted at the Nürburgring, making sweet engine noise. The sound we hear definitely comes from something with more than four cylinders. Our money is on a V-6, likely a plug-in hybrid to comply with stricter emissions regulations.

Audi has pledged never to produce a four-cylinder RS car, so it’s not surprising that the next RS5 could retain all six cylinders. We haven’t forgotten about the five-cylinder unit, but the 2.5-liter TFSI is now basically confined to the RS3, as the TT RS is long gone and the RS Q3 is unlikely to return with the inline-five. In September 2019, Audi promised that the RS4 Avant successor would come with an electrified six-cylinder powertrain.

The new RS5 models are clad in swirly camouflage but don’t hide the fat oval exhaust tips, which now sit closer together, giving off Porsche vibes. The two exhausts are very much real, with Audi having pledged to stop fitting fake exhausts on its cars, not that RS models were ever guilty of that anyway. While I generally think bigger is better, these ovals might be just a tad too large. Feel free to disagree.

Elsewhere, the RS5 duo sports larger air intakes and bulging fenders, with the front ones appearing to have big (and hopefully functional) vertical vents to cool the brakes or for aerodynamic purposes. Large wheels with low-profile tires fill the arches nicely, and Audi has added a small spoiler at the rear of the not-a-sedan.

If you’re concerned about the new RS5 gaining weight, so are we. The outgoing RS4 Avant tipped the scales at 1,745 kilograms in Europe, or 3,847 pounds. Keeping the six-cylinder setup while adding a battery and electric motor could push the super wagon above 2,000 kilograms, around 4,409 pounds. On the plus side, it’s bound to offer more power than the RS4 Edition 25 Years, which had 464 hp and 443 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque.

But this spy video isn’t just about the new RS5. The larger, next-gen RS6 Avant also appears, sporting similarly positioned oval exhausts, now closer to the center of the rear bumper. It has even wider fenders and sounds aggressive as well. It’s unclear if the new RS6 will also go the plug-in hybrid route, but it’s a strong possibility given how a V-8-only setup might struggle under Europe’s tightening emissions rules.

Ex-Audi design boss Marc Lichte has said these cars will represent the “last-generation RS ICE models,” adding that the next RS5 and RS6 will be “mind-blowing.” We’re here for it. The regular A6 has just been revealed, so the RS6 will have to wait, especially since the new S6 has yet to break cover. Audi might debut the new RS5 before the end of the year or sometime in 2026.