Audi is gearing up to introduce the redesigned A5 in the second half of the year, so it’s not surprising that attention is turning to the upcoming RS5 Avant. Set to replace the RS4 Avant, the model is a high-performance wagon that is expected to pack a plug-in hybrid punch. Caught undergoing testing on the Nürburgring, the model sports an evolutionary but streamlined design. Starting up front, we can see a more expansive grille that incorporates a number of sensors. It’s flanked by vertical air curtains and angular intakes that feature a horizontal element. We can also see familiar headlights that appear to incorporate customizable daytime running lights.
Moving further back, there are bulging
fenders that contrast with svelte bodywork. Designers also gave the car
flush-mounted door handles, a gently sloping roof, and a sporty front fender
vents. The rear end is heavily disguised, but the wagon has eye-catching
taillights that are connected by a slender strip. We can also see smaller reflectors
and a dual exhaust system.
Spy photographers didn’t get a good look
inside, but previous pictures of the mainstream variant have revealed the model
will have a freestanding digital instrument cluster. We can also expect a
minimalist shifter as well as a more modern design. Audi has been tight-lipped
about the upcoming RS5 Avant, but it will ride on the new Premium Platform
Combustion (PPC). As the name suggests, the architecture was designed for
vehicles with combustion engines and it’s expected to be an evolution of the
current MLB Evo platform.
Little else is known about the car at this
point, but rumors have suggested the model could use a plug-in hybrid
powertrain that incorporates the current twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6. The engine
currently produces 444 hp and 600 Nm of torque,
which enables the wagon to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds
before hitting a limited top speed of 250 km/h. The plug-in hybrid
powertrain would undoubtedly improve on those numbers, while also enabling the
car to travel on electricity alone for a distance.
