On June 2, we’ll have our first official encounter with Audi’s next generation A5 and S5 coupes, but Ingolstadt is also working on a successor to their high-po RS5 to compete against BMW’s M4 and Mercedes-AMG’s C63, among others.
The car we captured crawling outside the Nürburgring in Germany is a test mule covering the running gear of the RS5 under a slightly modified body of the upcoming S5 Coupe with fender extensions on all four corners to make room for the bigger wheels and wider tracks, plus larger air ducts on the front bumper.
As with its sister model, the forthcoming RS4 that we recently spied in Avant form, the RS5 will ditch the previous naturally-aspirated 450PS (444hp) 4.2-liter V8 for a newly developed 3.0-liter V6 rumored to get either two conventional turbochargers, or a small electric turbocharger for instant boost at low rpm and a conventional exhaust gas-driven turbocharger for high-end performance.
Either way, expect an output of close to 500 horses, which would place the new RS5 above the 425hp BMW M4 and in the same league as the 503hp Mercedes-AMG C63 S.
A dual-clutch automatic transmission will send power to all four corners via Audi’s rear-biased Quattro all-wheel drive system featuring a torque vectoring system on the rear differential, allied to (possibly optional) carbon ceramic brakes and magnetic dampers.
In production guise, the RS5 will likely keep the restrained but muscular styling of its predecessor with blown wheel arches and uniquely styled front and rear bumpers, together with model-specific wheels and interior trimmings.
We should see the new RS5 about a year or so after the launch of the regular A5 and sportier S5 models.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops
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