Motorsport Magazine
Car market ·
Discover the new Audi RS5 2026: 639 PS, plug-in hybrid V6 engine, performance, electric range and all the new features of Audi’s sports car.
Ultimogiro Newsroom · 7 April 2026 · 3 min read
With the new generation of the Audi RS 5, the Ingolstadt marque is ushering in a historic turning point for its high-performance line-up: for the first time, an RS adopts a plug-in hybrid system. A choice that does not represent a compromise, but rather a technological leap capable of combining supercar performance and greater efficiency, in line with future regulations.
The heart of the new RS 5 remains faithful to tradition, but undergoes major changes. Under the bonnet we find the well-known 2.9 TFSI twin-turbo V6, now extensively updated and paired with a powerful electric motor.
Internal combustion engine: 2.9 TFSI twin-turbo V6 with 510 PS
Electric motor: 177 PS integrated into the gearbox
Total power: 639 PS
Maximum torque: 825 Nm
Battery: 25,9 kWh (22 kWh net)
Drive: quattro all-wheel drive with Dynamic Torque Control
Gearbox: 8-speed tiptronic automatic
The performance figures speak for themselves:
0-100 km/h: 3.6 seconds
Top speed: up to 285 km/h
Figures that mark an increase of around 30% over the previous generation, which stopped at 450 PS.
It is not just a matter of horsepower: the electric unit guarantees an immediate response, eliminating turbo lag and delivering full thrust from low revs.
The new RS 5 is not only more powerful, but also more versatile. The plug-in system in fact allows:
Up to 80 km (over 80 km claimed) in electric mode
AC charging up to 11 kW, with times of around 2.5 hours
Electrification therefore becomes a true performance multiplier, as well as a tool for reducing consumption and emissions in everyday use.
The evolution does not concern only the powertrain. Audi has also worked in depth on chassis and dynamics:
New all-wheel drive with Dynamic Torque Control for active torque distribution
Stiffened chassis
Advanced dual-valve suspension
Availability of carbon-ceramic brakes
The result is a more precise car, but also a more usable one, capable of adapting both to track driving and everyday use.
The styling language evolves in an even more muscular key:
RS Singleframe honeycomb grille
Dedicated bumpers and larger air intakes
Widened wheel arches and carbon details
RS oval exhausts and pronounced rear diffuser
Inside, the cabin is dominated by technology and sportiness:
Premium materials (leather, Alcantara, carbon fibre)
Advanced digital interface
Customisable RS packages for seats and trims
The new RS 5 sits at the top of the A5 range, with a starting price of around 111.000 euro on the European market.
Available in both saloon/Sportback and Avant versions, it aims to take on rivals such as BMW M3 Competition and Mercedes-AMG C63, both of which are now also moving towards electrification.
With the new RS 5, Audi shows that electrification is not the end of driving pleasure, but its evolution.
The formula is clear:
more power, more technology, more versatility.
And while the weight increases because of the batteries, the response in terms of performance and dynamics promises to more than compensate. The RS 5 2026 is not just a new generation: it is a paradigm shift for all future Four Rings sports cars.
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