No, there isn't a typo in the headline. The super wagon from Ingolstadt is transitioning from the RS4 badge to the RS5. Audi has already moved the A4 and S4 Avant models to the higher number and will do the same for the range-topping version.
Ahead of its official debut likely next year, the BMW M3 Touring rival has now been spotted during high-speed testing at the Nürburgring. It's already been five years since Audi announced the next-generation model would be a plug-in hybrid . However, unlike the four-cylinder Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate, the RS5 Avant will not have a downsized combustion engine as Audi Sport has ruled out making four-banger RS models .
The inline-five is going away and we can't imagine the V-8 coming back in this segment, so the V-6 is a safe bet. It would make sense for the hot new wagon to retain the V-6 considering the S5 Avant still has six cylinders under the hood. Electrification is necessary to keep up with increasingly stringent emissions regulations.
That yellow sticker on the top-left corner of the tailgate's glass reveals the test vehicle has a hybrid setup. You can already tell the weight of the car will increase after adding the hybrid bits. The outgoing model tips the scales at around 3,874 pounds but its successor seems to be heavier.
The test driver was going flat out, abusing the tires and even sliding through some of the corners. Hardly any owners will likely drive the RS5 Avant like that, but Audi is trying to make the sports wagon as dyn.