The new Audi RS5 Avant (B10) is following in some pretty illustrious tyre tracks, taking over from multiple generations of RS4, and Henry Catchpole has been to Morocco in North Africa to drive it. This new RS5 also represents a significant shift for Audi Sport, because it is the first RS plug-in hybrid. However, Audi has approached the technology in typically balanced fashion, ensuring electrification gives it both more practicality (in some ways) and more performance (in some ways).
Increased performance comes most obviously in the guise of, yes, more power and torque. With the addition of a radial flux electric motor to the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, total outputs are up to 630bhp and 603lb ft of torque and the 0-62mph time is down to 3.6 seconds.
But the most interesting performance upgrade is to the quattro system because there is now an electromechanical torque-vectoring rear differential with its own 10bhp, 30lb ft electric motor. It’s incredibly powerful, a world first in a production car and wouldn’t have been possible without the 400 volt architecture that came with being a PHEV. Engage ‘Torque Rear’ on the Drive Select menu and you have an RS5 that is very happy to oversteer and even do donuts…
The downside in terms of performance is of course that the RS5 Avant weighs 5225lb (2370kg), albeit split almost equally 49:51 front:rear. The downside in terms of practicality, is that carrying all the batteries around has also encroached on the luggage space in the boot to the tune of about 25 per cent compared to the old RS4 Avant or a non-hybrid A5.
However, the practical plus point for the new PHEV system is that it allows for around 54miles of EV range, which, unlike a lot of hybrid performance cars, is a genuinely useful amount. The 25.9kWh battery can either be recharged at home (a full charge at 11kW takes approximately 2.5 hours) or on the go using the V6. The price for the new RS5 Avant starts at £92,120 in the UK.
Let us know in the comments – would you rather have a new Audi RS5 Avant or a BMW M3 Touring? Or does the Saloon perhaps appeal more than the Avant this time? We’d love to hear your thoughts. And if you’re thinking about a quote for some insurance on your special car that you don’t drive every day, then just click on this link: www.hagerty.com/Henry
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Yea get a shot of my watch. Right right at that angle.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
now the bmw m5 touring's weight is acceptable .
New cars make me sad. Fat, tasteless, terrible design…
I hate modern cars a liitle bit more with every new release.
I clicked on the thumbnail because I wondered, "WTF is wrong with that front end" and at 00:10 I paused it to see. It's awful. If the vertical beams under the headlights and the "chin" under the grill were all body colored, it would be acceptable. Then if the front grille was a tighter mesh and the rings were silver, and it would be nice.
"back in F1" have they been in F1 before? 🤔
"Bronze brake calipers" – LOL. Sorry, these are just grey that has been heat cycled by the press track event.
Underwhelming, even the looks. Doesnt look as wow as the hype suggests
This thing is heavier than my BEV 😂
Same car remove all the drive train and install a twin turbo v8. Instant classic
That carbon fibre looks awful. I thought they had forgot to wash the car when I first saw it. 🤮
5225 lbs?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?? 😮😮😮😮
is there a warranty for the batteries? how about the gas tank size? how often oyu have to stop for fuel? every 3 or 400kms?
its an elephant, with that weight
And this is what EU legislation does. Unelected bureaucrats putting continued pressures on car manufacturers to remain compliant.
Nice car! Thanks for the ride! 😃👍
So many strange choices. Would be pretty cool with the corporate 4.0 v8 and a 1000+ less lbs. As it stands, this weighs as much as an Audi SQ7
this rear pipes are pre production , right? ….right?
Hard to believe this is 25% heavier than the outgoing RS5.
Will hold RS6 C8 Avant for the foreseeable future. Subpar interiors, no real roof, cheapness all along, coupled with a non-sensical plugin bs which has nothing to do with an RS model. Great job Audi in ruining also this for us. If nothing changes, sadly my RS6 will be my last Audi
It is a big mistake from Audi, it is way to heavy…..
those rear exhaust pipes? Come on Audi, so good, but classic RS is on the sides! It’d look so much better. Also, the all the electrics inside is a headache.
German Engineering <3
absolutely love your videos guys. Henry is so good at hosting this. but green lines on top of footage appearing not the first time.
Kudos to the Berneron comment 🙌🏼😂
Well it looks awesome. But maybe the King Ranch F350 will be easier on my soft driveway.
Henry Catchpole – For me, he's the best automotive journalist… for those who love cars, no nonsense or BS with little relevance. Here, the star is the car and the emotions it conveys
European car manufacturers are lost.
No thanks. Whatever happened to the saying “Driving a slow car fast is more enjoyable than driving a fast car slow”? Excessive weight and power are NOT suitable for our roads. Drive a light, moderately powered car briskly and be prepared for lots of FUN.
The car is absurdly heavy. And the exhaust tips look like bum holes. 😮
Exterior design is spot on. Amazing work. Inside is a mixed bag for me. I don't mind the screens but the steering wheel, the plastic consoles for the windows and memory and the central console…too much plastic. And I wonder…since performance is not better (taking into consideration the weight), what was the point of this exercise?
gimmie 🙁
Weighs almost as much as my LandCruiser. No thanks
Definitely not into the screens I could live without that. Unfortunately totally out of reach for me though, like most performance cars 😂
My German is not so good. Does the "Rennsport" from the RS badge mean heavier and slower than the outgoing model? any help is appreciated.
What ugly screens, sell it in China we are not interested anymore.
@4:00 going from full EV and hitting boost: wouldn’t that be flogging a stone cold engine?
360l boot is tiny for an estate car. That is less than a Golf hatchback.
This was a beautiful video. Well done, thanks for sharing.