Audi’s Next RS Model Is Doing Things Differently

The first-ever Audi RS Q5 has been spied for the first time as Ingolstadt prepares an answer to the remarkably popular BMW X3 M, and Audi may give it a more restrained look than its other RS high-performance products. At first glance, it appears as if we’re looking at just another SQ5, the current most potent Q5 variant, but a closer look reveals that this is a test mule for something more exciting, with wider arches attached to the fenders being one of the biggest clues. Audi painted these the same blue as the rest of the prototype to try to hide the crossover’s identity, but zoom in, and the rivets show that the hottest Q5 will get a wider track to help put monstrous power to the asphalt.

First Audi RS Q5 Expected to Adopt RS 5 Powertrain

Our spies report that the first-ever RS Q5 will use the same 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 and electric motor as the latest RS 5, in which total output is rated at 630 horsepower and 608 lb-ft of torque. While an eight-speed automatic is likely, we don’t yet know whether it’ll be the hybridized transaxle of the RS 5, particularly since that could impact cargo volume, especially with the hybrid battery already taking up space. Thus, it’s also unclear if the RS Q5 will have figures quite as high as the RS 5, but given that the current BMW X3 M Competition makes 503 hp and a new, more powerful version with Neue Klasse influence is undoubtedly on the way, it would not be a surprise to see Audi throw the kitchen sink at its first serious high-performance crossover since the now-discontinued five-cylinder RS Q3. Whatever the case, yellow decals on the glass confirm that this will have hybrid power of some sort.

It’ll likely be quite some time before we have answers because this is an early prototype in an SQ5 body, and after initial development is complete, Audi will begin testing mules with bodywork more like the final product. These will likely have large, more central exhaust tips and much more aggressive bumpers. We can also expect a sportier roof spoiler, and since this test car has those additions to its wheel arches, it seems likely that Audi will mold new bodywork with vented front fenders and muscular rear haunches that flow from bulbous rear doors. If these predictions are accurate, the first RS Q5 certainly won’t be a sleeper.

Multiple Screens Expected Inside RS Q5, Drift Mode Possible

Our spies weren’t close enough to see inside, but like the latest SQ5, the RS model will have an 11.9-inch digital cluster, or Audi Virtual Cockpit, with a 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display, both featuring unique RS graphics and readouts. What we’re most keen to see is if the RS Q5 gets a drift mode like the RS 5. The current BMW X3 M wasn’t launched with one, though its all-wheel-drive system favors the rear axle. BMW has surely taken note of the numerous aftermarket tuners who have coded the system to allow for a rear-drive-only setting that smokes the rear tires with ease, and it’s entirely possible that this will become commonplace in future hot crossovers. Sure, a tall center of gravity makes such a move seem unsafe, but given how heavy modern cars are and how much weight is concentrated down low in hybrids, it’s not a major concern. We’ll keep our ears to the ground and report back once more info becomes available.