Audi’s RS5 returns as high-performance plug-in hybrid

Audi has released its new RS5 which hits the road as a plug-in hybrid for the first time.

The previous RS5 was defined by its turbocharged V6 engine and while the new model may introduce electrification, it does still retain the same 2.9-litre engine as before.

However, that V6 engine is now paired with a 130kW electric motor to bring 630bhp, a sizeable uplift on the 450bhp you would’ve got from the previous generation car.

Plus, Audi says that the 22kWh battery equipped to the RS5 allows it to travel for nearly 50 miles on electric-only power. It can be charged at speeds of up to 22kW, too, allowing for a 100 per cent charge to be finished in two-and-a-half-hours.

As with all Audi RS cars, the new RS5 benefits from quattro all-wheel-drive, as well as a new Dynamic Torque Control system which can actively shift power between the rear wheels for improved cornering.

The new model will be available in both saloon and Avant layouts, offering buyers some variety within the range.

On the outside, the new RS5 exhibits a classical sporty design with a long, streamlined roof tapering off into a sharp boot. At the rear, large oval exhaust pipes – a hallmark of Audi’s RS models through the years – highlight some of the car’s performance.

Inside, there are large bucket seats and, like the most recent RS3, quick-fire buttons on the steering wheel for the drive modes. It seems that Audi has also reverted to more physical controls on the steering wheel, replacing the haptic-style ones on previous models. While the gear paddles behind the steering wheel allow drivers to take control of the automatic gearbox, when driving in electric mode, they can be used to adjust the amount of regenerative braking, too.

Audi has yet to confirm UK pricing for the new RS5, but has stated that it’ll start at €106,000 for the saloon and €107,850 for the Avant when it goes on sale in Germany later this year. That would put it between £92,000 and £93,700 in the UK.