Audi’s Next RS6 May Drop V8 And Still Beat BMW’s M5

The last time we saw Audi’s next-generation RS6 Avant, it was stuffed rather unceremoniously into a Nürburgring barrier. Happily, Audi has found another one, and this latest prototype is keeping all four wheels on the pavement while revealing a few more clues about Ingolstadt’s next super wagon.

Caught testing in the Austrian Alps, the RS6 looks both stealthy and menacing in the way RS6s have done since the first appeared almost 25 years ago. Giant 20-spoke wheels barely squeeze beneath swollen fenders, while the front arches feature vents just ahead of the doors. Those should help evacuate heat and pressure from the wheelhouses when the huge brakes are working hard to pull up a likely 5,500-lbs (2,500 kg) curb weight.

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There’s another giveaway stuck to the hood, doors, and trunk. A yellow warning label confirms the prototype is packing hybrid hardware, though that won’t surprise anyone who’s followed development at Audi and the industry in general. What remains less certain is exactly what Audi has paired with the electric side of the equation.

Related: Audi Is Eyeing More Wagons For America Beyond The RS6 Avant

Earlier speculation suggested the RS6 could borrow the Bentley Continental GT Speed’s plug-in hybrid 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. That powertrain makes 771 hp (782 PS) in the Bentley and sounded like an appropriately outrageous solution. But other rumors contradict that theory, claiming Audi has instead chosen a twin-turbo V6 hybrid setup.

If those reports are accurate, don’t expect downsizing to mean down-on-power. The new RS6 is rumored to produce around 740 hp (750 PS), putting it slightly above the 717 hp (727 PS) BMW M5, and well ahead of its RS5 little brother, whose hybrid V6 makes 630 hp (639 PS). Quattro all-wheel drive is non-negotiable, which should give those four enormous tires plenty to do.

Sedan Comeback

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Hopefully, they’ll stay pointed in the intended direction. Back in May, an RS6 prototype understeered into a barrier during Nürburgring testing. That doesn’t necessarily tell us anything meaningful about the finished car’s handling, since development mules exist precisely so engineers can discover and fix problems.

The RS6 will reportedly debut in spring 2027, with European sales following around the middle or latter part of that year, and US deliveries coming a little later. When it does land, this time as both a fastback sedan and an Avant after 15 years exclusively as a wagon, it’s going to be in the same price ballpark as its BMW M5 rival, which currently costs just over $130,000 including destination.

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