Audi teases image of new RS5 Avant

• New Audi RS5 Avant replaces RS4
• Avant estate will be followed by saloon version
• Rival for BMW M3 Competition Touring and Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance
• Audi's first performance plug-in hybrid

This is the first official image of the new Audi RS5 Avant, which is due for a full unveil very soon.

Revealed in an Instagram story on the Audi Netherlands page, it will be a landmark car for the German brand – its first performance plug-in hybrid (PHEV), according to a hastily deleted company LinkedIn post.

The RS5 Avant is the latest in a long line of performance RS estate models from Audi, replacing the RS4 and chanelling the spirit of the RS2. A saloon version will likely follow, also based on the existing generation of Audi A5.

The likely move to a plug-in hybrid system will help Audi comply with increasingly tight emissions regulations. We'll have to wait for full details, but it seems likely that the new RS5 will use an updated version of the existing 2.9-litre V6 from the RS4, with the addition of an electric motor likely pushing the power output way past 500PS. It'll use Audi's Quattro four-wheel-drive system.

For comparison, the BMW M3 Competition Touring makes 530PS from its pure petrol engine, and the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance pushes out 680PS from its PHEV system.

We'll update this story with more information on the new Audi RS5 Avant once it's released.

2026 Audi RS5 Avant price and release date

There's no official release date or price yet announced for the new Audi RS5 Avant, but expect it to be revealed in full within the next month or so. A bump up from the RS4 Avant in terms of price is likely, which means a jump from around £70,000. The BMW M3 Competition Touring costs from just under £94,000, while the Mercedes C63 S E Performance starts at £102,685.