Audi Hints At More Powerful Versions Of The RS6 And RS7

Audi used the Frankfurt Motor Show to introduce the new RS6 Avant and RS7 Sportback.

Both feature a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that produces 592 hp (441 kW / 600 PS) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. Thanks to an eight-speed automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive, the cars can rocket from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in just 3.6 seconds.

Those are some pretty impressive numbers, but more powerful variants are expected in the future. This shouldn’t be too surprising as the previous-generation RS6 and RS7 were offered in Performance guise. They had a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that developed up to 597 (445 kW / 605 PS) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque.

Also Read: 2020 Audi RS7 Sportback Will Rocket You To 62 MPH In Just 3.6 Seconds

While the company wasn’t ready to talk about new variants, Audi Sport officials dropped a few hints in an interview with Road & Track. Among them was Oliver Hoffman who confirmed “we will have plug-in hybrid technology in our RS portfolio.” He suggested they’d be a step above the basic RS models and this strongly implies plug-in hybrid powertrains will be used in new Performance variants.

There have been rumors about plug-in hybrid versions of the RS6 and RS7, and they’re expected to use the same twin-turbo V8 as the standard model. However, they could also borrow some components from the A7 Sportback 55 TFSI e – namely its 14.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and 141 hp (105 kW / 143 PS) electric motor.

In related news, Audi Sport officials confirmed plans for an RS Q8 and said it will be unveiled later this year. This likely means it will be introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show alongside the e-tron Sportback.