Audi Just Built Its First Plug In Hybrid RS Car. It Does 0 To 62 In 3.6 Seconds And 52 Miles On Electric Alone

The new Audi RS 5 is available to order in the UK from today, and it marks a turning point for the brand’s performance division. For the first time, an RS model is a plug-in hybrid. The 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 510PS is paired with a 130kW electric motor, giving a combined system output of 639PS and 825Nm of torque. That is enough to send both the Saloon and Avant from 0 to 62mph in 3.6 seconds. And when you are done with the performance, it will cover up to 52 miles on electric power alone.

UK pricing starts at £89,400 on the road for the RS 5 Saloon and £91,300 for the Avant estate. Three specification levels are available: RS 5, RS 5 Carbon Black and RS 5 performance Vorsprung. The top-specification performance Vorsprung reaches £107,485 for the Saloon and £109,385 for the Avant. First customer deliveries are scheduled for this summer.

Every version sits comfortably above the £40,000 threshold for the VED expensive car supplement, meaning buyers will pay £640 per year in road tax for the first five years at the standard rate before dropping to £200.

What The Powertrain Actually Does

The 2.9-litre V6 TFSI engine produces 510PS and 600Nm on its own. The electric motor adds 130kW, and when both work together under a boost function that the driver can activate for ten-second phases, the combined output hits 639PS and 825Nm. Power goes through an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox and a completely new quattro all-wheel-drive system.

The rear axle features electromechanical torque vectoring that Audi describes as a world first in series production. It can shift torque between the rear wheels in milliseconds, working alongside a new centre differential with a preload function that keeps it partially locked at all times. The result is a car that can put its considerable power down more precisely than any previous RS model.

In pure electric mode, the RS 5 covers up to 52 miles on a full charge. That is enough for a daily commute or a school run without the engine firing at all. When plugged in at home using an 11kW charger, the battery goes from empty to full in around 2.5 hours. During driving, intelligent regenerative braking harvests energy under braking and coasting to keep the battery topped up.

Top speed is limited to 155mph on the RS 5 and RS 5 Carbon Black. The performance Vorsprung raises that to 177mph. Official combined fuel economy is 74.3mpg for the Saloon and 72.4mpg for the Avant, with CO2 emissions of 87g/km and 89g/km respectively. Those WLTP figures reflect the hybrid system’s ability to cover shorter journeys on electric power alone, though real-world consumption will depend heavily on how often the car is charged and how it is driven.

What You Get For The Money

The entry-level RS 5 at £89,400 is far from sparse. Standard equipment includes sport seats with massage and ventilation, a heated flat-bottomed steering wheel with drive mode controls, the curved OLED display housing an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit and 14.5-inch touchscreen, a head-up display, a 10.9-inch passenger display, Bang and Olufsen 3D sound, Matrix LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, surround-view cameras, and 20-inch forged alloy wheels.

The RS 5 Carbon Black at £95,486 (Saloon) adds 21-inch wheels in Neodymium grey, high-gloss carbon trim for the rear spoiler, mirror housings, front intake blades and side skirts, and carbon twill interior inlays.

The RS 5 performance Vorsprung at £107,485 (Saloon) brings RS performance bumpers with enlarged air intakes, a more aggressive rear diffuser, matte black exhaust pipes as part of an RS sport exhaust system, second-generation Digital OLED taillights with selectable light signatures including a chequered flag motif, a panoramic sunroof with switchable transparency, Bang and Olufsen Premium sound with headrest speakers, heated rear seats, the 177mph top speed increase, and carbon camouflage exterior trim. The Digital OLED taillights also include a communication light that can display warning symbols to alert drivers behind to hazards ahead.

Track Technology Built In

Every RS 5 comes with the Audi driving experience function, which is designed for circuit use. It records data on accelerator and brake inputs, oversteer, understeer, lateral and longitudinal acceleration, and G-forces. Lap and sector times can be logged and compared across multiple runs.

The system includes pre-loaded track profiles for well-known circuits and will automatically create new profiles for any private track based on a recorded lap. The virtual cockpit displays RS-specific dials covering engine speed, vehicle speed, G-forces, individual tyre pressures, temperatures and a shift light for the Tiptronic gearbox.

On the road, all of that hardware translates into a car that rides on RS sport suspension with twin-valve Dynamic Ride Control dampers. The driver can adjust the car’s character through Audi drive select, which alters throttle response, steering weight, suspension firmness and the balance between electric and combustion power.

The Bigger Picture

The RS 5 is Audi Sport’s statement that electrification and performance are no longer in conflict. A car that can do the school run in silence and then cover a quarter mile in under twelve seconds is a different proposition from anything the RS badge has represented before.

For buyers in this segment, the 52-mile electric range also has a practical financial benefit. Company car drivers will pay Benefit in Kind tax based on the car’s CO2 emissions, which at 87g/km places it in a significantly lower BiK bracket than a pure petrol performance car of equivalent power. That can mean a saving of several thousand pounds per year in tax for higher-rate taxpayers running an RS 5 through a business.

Whether the RS 5 is bought for its performance, its electric versatility or its tax efficiency, it represents a clear signal of where high-performance cars are heading. The V8 era at Audi Sport is over. What replaces it is faster, more efficient and, for 52 miles at a time, completely silent.

UK Pricing

RS 5 Saloon

• RS 5: £89,400
• RS 5 Carbon Black: £95,486
• RS 5 performance Vorsprung: £107,485

RS 5 Avant

• RS 5: £91,300
• RS 5 Carbon Black: £97,385
• RS 5 performance Vorsprung: £109,385

All prices are on the road. First UK deliveries are scheduled for summer 2026.