2026 Audi RS 5 goes hybrid, 10 things to know about Audi Sport’s first RS plug-in hybrid

KUALA LUMPUR: Audi has done something pretty significant here, the new Audi RS 5 is now a plug-in hybrid, and it is the first time an Audi Sport RS model has gone this route in production form. That alone is the story.

This is not just an A5 with a battery stuffed into it, either. Audi is pitching it as a proper RS with new chassis hardware, a new rear torque-vectoring setup, and enough electric support to change how the car behaves both in traffic and when pushed hard.

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Here are the 10 key things worth knowing.

1) The big headline, the RS 5 is now a PHEV

The new Audi RS 5 is Audi Sport’s first high-performance plug-in hybrid. That is the shift.

Audi is trying to keep the usual RS character intact, but now with a broader spread of abilities, quiet electric driving in town, then full-fat performance when you want it. If you want the simplest takeaway, this is it, the RS 5 has gone hybrid without giving up the RS badge.

2) Audi is calling this a new era for RS, and the bosses are saying it out loud

Audi is not being subtle about the direction here. These are the two key quotes from their press release:

“The A5 model series’ new pinnacle is our first high-performance plug-in hybrid. Our newly developed quattro drivetrain with Dynamic Torque Control is the world’s first electro mechanical torque vectoring system in a production car. The sophisticated technical interplay between combustion engine and electric power brings performance and efficiency together in a new way at Audi. Customers can experience both peak sportiness and every-day comfort,” says Audi CEO Gernot Döllner.

Rolf Michl, Managing Director of Audi Sport adds: “The RS 5 and its innovative drive concept mark the beginning of a new era for our RS models. They bring a new level of dynamics to the driving characteristics our customers love and further improve day-to-day use value thanks to all-electric driving and innovative technologies. A new interpretation of the true RS experience.”

3) Powertrain numbers are serious, V6 plus electric motor, 470 kW total

This is where the RS part is still very much alive.

• 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6: 375 kW (510 PS), 600 Nm

• Electric motor: 130 kW (177 PS), 460 Nm

• Total system output: 470 kW (639 PS)

• Total system torque: 825 Nm

• 0 to 100 km/h: 3.6 seconds

So yes, it is hybrid, but it is not a soft one. Audi has also reworked the V6 with improved turbo response, higher injection pressure, a modified Miller cycle, and water-to-air intercoolers for the first time on an RS 5.

Audi also claims the V6 can use up to 20 percent less fuel under high loads than before, which is a big claim for an RS car, even if real-world numbers will still depend a lot on how you drive it.

4) The electric side is not just for economy, it is built into the performance story

A lot of PHEVs feel like two systems forced together. Audi is trying to make this one feel integrated.

The RS 5 gets a 25.9 kWh battery (22 kWh net), a 400-volt system, and an electric motor designed specifically for this car. Audi says the motor uses an external-rotor design for better torque, cooling, and efficiency.

Important bits:

• All-electric range: up to 84 km (EAER), up to 87 km in the city

• AC charging: up to 11 kW

• 0 to 100% charge: around 2.5 hours (AC, per Audi)

Also worth noting, Audi only mentions AC charging here. If you were expecting DC fast charging, it is not highlighted in this release.

5) The real engineering headline is the new quattro setup with Dynamic Torque Control

This is the nerdy bit, and honestly the most interesting part after the hybrid switch.

Audi says the RS 5 gets a completely new drivetrain called quattro with Dynamic Torque Control, and the big claim is this, electro mechanical torque vectoring at the rear is a world first in a production car.

What it does:

• Shifts torque between the rear wheels almost fully variably

• Recalculates torque distribution every 5 milliseconds (200 Hz)

• Can deploy torque differences of up to 2,000 Nm in around 15 milliseconds

• Works on throttle, off throttle, and under braking

In normal language, the RS 5 should be able to rotate more cleanly into a corner, put power down harder on exit, and stay more stable when things get messy.

6) There is also a new center differential, and it stays partially locked

This sounds small, but it matters for how a car feels when you turn in.

Audi says the center differential now has preload, which means it is always at least partially locked. That helps keep the front and rear axles coupled even when you come off the throttle.

Why that matters:

• Better turn-in response

• Less internal understeer

• More stable transitions between off-throttle and on-throttle

• Faster power delivery when you get back on it

Basically, Audi is trying to make the car feel more alert and less lazy in fast direction changes, despite the added hybrid hardware and weight.

7) Yes, it is heavy, but Audi has thrown a lot of chassis hardware at the problem

No sugar coating, this is not a lightweight car.

• Curb weight (Sedan): 2,355 kg

• Curb weight (Avant): 2,370 kg

That is a lot of mass. Audi knows it, and the chassis spec reflects that.

Key chassis upgrades:

• 10% stiffer body than the base A5

• New RS-specific front and rear axles

• Five-link suspension front and rear

• RS sport suspension with twin-valve dampers

• RS-tuned steering with a quicker 13:1 ratio

• RS-specific ABS software and brake-by-wire braking with regen blending

Audi says the twin-valve dampers are the trick here, because they can separate compression and rebound control, which should help the RS 5 feel comfortable on rough roads but still stay tied down when pushed.

8) Audi is giving the RS 5 more range in character, including an actual drift mode

This is where the hybrid setup changes the usual RS recipe.

The RS 5 gets:

• EV mode

• Hybrid mode

• Usual drive select modes (comfort, balanced, dynamic)

• RS sport

• RS torque rear (new)

• RS individual

The standout mode is RS torque rear, which sends more torque to the outside rear wheel for a stronger rear-biased feel and controlled drifts on closed courses.

There is also a boost button that gives you maximum acceleration for 10 seconds, handy for overtakes or quick bursts. Press it in EV driving, and the V6 wakes up immediately.

Audi is also managing battery charge aggressively in the sporty modes:

• In dynamic, battery is not allowed below 20%

• In RS sport and RS torque rear, it tries to hold 90% charge

That tells you a lot about the philosophy, the battery is there for performance consistency too, not just emissions.

9) The RS 5 still looks like an RS, wide body, big hardware, and a lot of visual aggression

Audi has not gone subtle.

Highlights:

• Wider body with flared fenders

• Big Singleframe grille with honeycomb pattern

• Air Curtains and functional aero detailing

• Strong rear diffuser

• Matte oval RS exhaust tips

• Optional darkened Matrix LED headlights

• Checkered-flag themed DRL and rear light signatures

The Sedan also gets a useful design trick, the shallow rear glass is part of the trunk lid, so it should be more practical than it looks.

Wheel and brake options are properly serious too:

• 20-inch wheels standard

• Optional forged 21-inch wheels

• Steel brakes standard

• Optional ceramic brakes, including rear ceramics, which Audi says is a segment first

• Ceramic setup saves around 30 kg versus steel brakes

10) The tech and pricing are premium RS stuff, but launch timing is Europe-first

Inside, it is a full digital setup:

• 11.9-inch virtual cockpit

• 14.5-inch MMI touch display

• 10.9-inch passenger display (standard, per release)

• Optional head-up display with RS-specific performance views

Audi is also leaning into track-day telemetry with the standard Audi driving experience function:

• Lap times and sector times

• Drift angle (in RS torque rear mode)

• G-force and vehicle data logging

• Route analysis on the MMI screen

• Optional dashcam integrated into the mirror

As for pricing and availability, this is Europe-first:

• Audi RS 5 Sedan starts at €106,200 (Germany)

• Audi RS 5 Avant starts at €107,850 (Germany)

• Built in Neckarsulm, Germany

• European order books open Q1 2026

• Deliveries expected Summer 2026

The new Audi RS 5 is a big shift for Audi Sport, not because it is faster on paper, but because it changes what an RS car is supposed to be. It is now a plug-in hybrid, and Audi is using that to sell two things at once, daily usability and harder-edged performance tech.

The part to watch is not just the V6 plus battery combo, it is whether this new quattro with Dynamic Torque Control setup actually delivers the sharper, more adjustable RS driving feel Audi is promising.

On paper, it sounds properly interesting. And for an RS car in 2026, that is probably the point.

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