There’s always been a certain purity to the RS5 that kept Audi Sport purists happy — two generations of no-nonsense performance built around widened bodywork, a sharper quattro setup, and either a naturally aspirated V8 engine or the torquier twin-turbo V6 that followed. But the third time around, Audi Sport has done something it’s never done before: gone plug-in hybrid.
The 2027 RS5 is the marque’s first high-performance PHEV, and with 630hp, a world-first electromechanical torque vectoring system, and a starting price of around $125K, it’s got our attention.
A NEW CHAPTER FOR RS
The RS5’s lineage traces back to the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, where Audi Sport — then operating as quattro GmbH — debuted the original on the 8T A5 platform with a 450-hp naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8. That car became something of a collector’s item before it was even discontinued, revered for its high-revving personality and the fact that it was the last of a dying breed. The B9 second generation swapped the V8 for a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 and an eight-speed auto, trading soul for substance but earning broader praise for usability and straight-line punch. Now the third-gen car rewrites the formula yet again.
POWER, UNPACKED
The same 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 carries over from the previous RS5, but Audi Sport has done serious work on it. Water-to-air intercoolers appear for the first time, alongside a revised intake, higher-pressure fuel injection, and optimized turbo piping that together push output to 503 hp on the combustion side alone — up 59 hp over the outgoing car. A 130-kW (174-hp) electric motor is integrated into the eight-speed Tiptronic, and together the system delivers 630 hp and 608 lb-ft of torque. Audi quotes 0–60 mph in 3.6 seconds, but expect that figure to be conservative. A 25.9-kWh battery (22 kWh net) lives under the cargo floor, enabling up to 52 miles of EV range in European testing. On-board charging tops out at 11 kW, meaning a full charge in about 2.5 hours.
THE TRICK STUFF OUT BACK
Available in both Avant and Saloon body styles, the 2027 RS5 introduces a production-car-first with Dynamic Torque Control, an electromechanical torque vectoring system, housed in an all-new rear transaxle that’s been dubbed quattro. A water-cooled permanent-magnet electric motor — fed by the main battery — works with overdrive gears and a conventional differential to shuffle torque between the rear wheels in as little as 15 milliseconds. The car also debuts an RS Torque Rear mode, which is essentially drift mode.
A Bit More Aggressive
Visually, the RS5 takes Audi’s muscular RS language further than the previous model. The body is about 90mm wider than the standard A5 on both axles, and the flared fenders intentionally draw a direct stylistic line back to the legendary Ur-quattro. Up front, a three-dimensional honeycomb Singleframe grille sits behind darkened Matrix LED headlights featuring a checkered-flag DRL signature. Out back, matte oval exhaust tips are flanked by a sculpted diffuser with vertical fins and second-gen OLED taillights running the same checkered flag motif. The ducktail spoiler on the Saloon adds a finishing touch.
Interior-wise, the three-screen layout from the A5 carries over — 11.9-inch virtual cockpit, 14.5-inch MMI touchscreen, 10.9-inch passenger display — augmented with RS-specific data readouts, a lap timer with sector analysis, and an optional dashcam integrated into the rearview mirror.
SPEC SHEET
Model: 2027 Audi RS5 Hybrid (Saloon / Avant)
Engine: 2.9L Twin-Turbo V6 + 130-kW Electric Motor (PHEV)
System Output: 630 hp | 608 lb-ft
ICE Output: 503 hp | 443 lb-ft
Electric Motor: 174 hp | 339 lb-ft
0–60: 3.6 seconds
Top Speed: 155 mph standard | 177 mph w/ Audi Sport package
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic
EV Range: ~52 miles (European estimate; EPA TBD)
Charging: 11 kW AC | ~2.5 hours (0–100%)
Body Styles: Saloon | Avant (wagon — US availability TBD)
Production: Neckarsulm, Germany
PRICING & AVAILABILITY
U.S. pricing and on-sale date have yet to be announced for the 2027 RS5, but European orders are already open with deliveries set for this summer. Pricing will be around $125,000. The RS5 Avant wagon is likely to remain a Europe-only affair, so stateside buyers should plan around the Saloon.
Recap
2027 Audi RS5 Hybrid
The 2027 Audi RS5 Hybrid is the brand’s first high-performance PHEV, pairing a reworked twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor for 630 hp and a world-first electromechanical torque vectoring system.
