{"id":1779679,"date":"2026-02-19T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1779679"},"modified":"2026-02-19T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T21:00:00","slug":"watch-out-m3-touring-the-630bhp-2-3-tonne-audi-rs5-is-here-and-its-now-a-v6-hybrid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1779679","title":{"rendered":"Watch out, M3 Touring: the 630bhp, *2.3-tonne* Audi RS5 is here, and it\u2019s now a V6 hybrid"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Audi\u2019s RS cars have always looked angry about something or other, so it\u2019s hard to tell whether this new RS5 is upset that it’s suddenly put on so much weight, that it has to entertain flailing mortal hands, or that it\u2019s partly powered by electricity.<\/p>\n

Because, yes folks, it\u2019s happened: Audi Sport has fitted its first ever plug-in hybrid system inside an RS car, and the result is a supremely vexed 630bhp performance wagon. Watch out, BMW M3 Touring<\/a>, the original fast estate has returned for an almighty scrap.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Oh, sure, you can spec the new RS5 as a saloon, too, and no, the name still doesn\u2019t make sense to the rest of us raised on fast, small (ish) Audi saloons and estates being called RS4s, but whatever. Six hundred and thirty horsepower is what Marty McFly would call \u2018heavy\u2019.<\/p>\n

Of course, as we mentioned up top, it is actually really very heavy, Audi quoting 2,355kg for the saloon, and 2,370kg for the wagon. A significant increase over the previous gen (1,790kg), and significantly porkier than that pesky M3 (1,865kg). Needs a healthy engine to power that much bulk along, and luckily there is one.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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An \u2018improved\u2019 version of its 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, no less, now able to output 503bhp on its own. In any rational, sane universe, that\u2019d be enough. But we don\u2019t live there, we live here. So in comes a boatload of hybrid tech to make up the rest of that bonkers total and bonkers weight figure.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a 130kW electric motor paired not only with the V6, but a 25.9kWh battery mounted underneath the boot floor, a 400V system, an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox said to be faster than before (thanks to reduced \u2018resistance of heavy rotating components\u2019), a limited-slip centre diff, and of course, quattro AWD.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Audi claims 0-62mph in 3.6s, a top speed of 177mph (if you\u2019ve optioned the Sport pack) and an electric-only range of up to 52 miles (or 54 in the city). Indeed, when in EV-only mode \u2013 in an RS! \u2013 Audi reckons the motor \u201censures the RS5 feels like an RS-model\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u00a0<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re in one of two RS-specific modes \u2013 \u2018RS sport\u2019 or \u2018RS torque rear\u2019 \u2013 the battery is kept at a 90 per cent SOC and actively cooled to 20 degrees C for full hoonery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Before we talk more about the RS5\u2019s modes, we need to talk more about its tech, because there\u2019s lots of it, all designed to keep you pointing in whichever direction you feel like (on a circuit or closed road, of course).<\/p>\n

Because another first \u2013 after the whole hybrid RS thing \u2013 is electro-mechanical torque vectoring on the back axle, which \u201crapidly and precisely distributes torque between the rear wheels\u201d in just 15 milliseconds. There\u2019s a lot of TechSpeak to explain exactly how it does it, but long story short: mostly \u2018witchcraft\u2019 and \u2018dark magic\u2019.<\/p>\n

Bottom line, it\u2019s there to ensure max acceleration, better stability in and out of corners, and over trickier terrain. Also helping this is a next-gen centre diff apportioning the RS5\u2019s plentiful torque between the front and rear axles that Audi says is always preloaded, \u201cmeaning that it is always at least partially locked\u201d.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s said to reduce understeer, increase the car\u2019s precision, and transmits power to the wheels faster between on and off throttle. Sensing a theme here?<\/p>\n

Other tweaks include redesigning the five-link front suspension with new joints, links and bushings, and giving the rear a \u2018clean sheet\u2019 design. The shocks are twin-valve items, the steering\u2019s been tweaked for better feedback, there are huge brakes \u2013 420mm up front and 400mm at the back \u2013 and even a \u2018boost\u2019 mode that gives you max power for ten seconds.<\/p>\n

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\"Audi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Phew. There\u2019s more. There are many selectable modes (yer usual suspects) but of interest are the \u2018RS torque rear\u2019 setting \u2013 which gives you max rear-bias for \u201ccontrolled drifts\u201d – and \u2018RS sport\u2019 which is built for speed and agility.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll have your own opinions on how this thing looks, but to TopGear.com\u2019s eyes, it\u2019s\u2026 fairly brutal. A full four centimetres wider on each side, front and back, versus the regular A5, you can insert your own \u2018been hitting the gym\/eating all the pies\u2019 analogy here. Audi\u2019s singleframe grille and side vents look wider and angrier than ever, there are yet more vents, the obligatory flared arches, diffusers, fins, a special exhaust\u2026 like we said up top, it Angry.<\/p>\n

No surprises inside: it\u2019s as per the refreshed A5, only more RS-ier. So, many OLED screens, a specially configured virtual cockpit, the option of a HUD, sports seats, fancy material choices and something called \u2018driving experience\u2019 which allows analysis of your driving inputs and lap times. Use this at your peril.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sophisticated technical interplay between combustion engine and electric power brings performance and efficiency together in a new way at Audi,\u201d said big boss Gernot D\u00f6llner. \u201cCustomers can experience both peak sportiness and every-day comfort.\u201d<\/p>\n

Customers who have a fair bit of cash to hand. UK prices haven\u2019t yet been announced, but it\u2019ll go on sale in Germany at a cost of \u20ac106,200 for the saloon, and \u20ac107,850 for the Avant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Audi\u2019s RS cars have always looked angry about something or other, so it\u2019s hard to tell whether this new RS5 is upset that it’s suddenly put on so much weight, that it has to entertain flailing mortal hands, or that it\u2019s partly powered by electricity. Because, yes folks, it\u2019s happened: Audi Sport has fitted its […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,237],"class_list":["post-1779679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-topgear-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1779679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779679\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1779679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1779679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1779679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}