If you long for the days of an RS 6 sedan, your wait may soon be over. AutoNotion’s photographers in Europe have snagged what appear to be photographs of the upcoming, non-wagon, variant of the Audi RS 6 testing at the Nürburgring.
The big news here is that BMW is no longer standing alone in the “three box” performance sedan segment. It’s going to have a direct rival again, which may make things interesting after a controversial couple of years. It’s also nice that Audi fans will have a performance option that isn’t all-electric, after the S6 went all e-Tron for the 2026 model year.
As has long been rumored, the new RS 6 is going to have a hybrid powertrain. That yellow sticker, plus a driver’s side charging port, serve to confirm speculation that the performance sedan is going to be a PHEV. This could be considered a bit of a gamble, as the M5 Audi is going up against has been roundly criticized because of the added weight that come with the extra batteries. Yes, it’s faster, acceleration is more “violent,” but there’s a suggestion it’s lost that M5 “feel.” And Audi may have just walked into the same trap. This is not going to drive like a 2010 RS 6.
On the plus side, there are rumors that the new RS 6 will outgun the M5 when it comes to horsepower. Audi’s hybrid system can reportedly churn out 730 horsepower, edging out BMW’s effort which stands at 717. All of that will be going through Audi’s standard all-wheel drive Quattro system, which arguably has the edge on BMW’s xDrive, and benefits from the advanced dynamic torque control system Audi currently has in the RS5. Mind, these are not official figures, so there’s a chance BMW could still come out on top when Audi drops the spec sheet.
As for the mule, it’s heavily camouflaged. Which is to be expected at this stage. Still, it’s obvious we’re not just dealing with a standard S6. The stance appears wider and more aggressive, larger performance brakes have been fitted, the air intakes are seemingly larger allowing more air to get to the brakes, a secondary vent gives the now heated air somewhere to go.
At the back, the dual exhaust is very RS 5, while a ducktail spoiler has been added to increase downforce. The light strip taillight Audi has been rocking on the A6 and S6 may still be there, but it’s under camouflage so Audi could have gone in another direction there. Only a tiny strip of the rear lights are exposed, suggesting Audi has something to hide.
Can the new RS 6 take on the M5?
I’ve driven the latest BMW M5, and can understand the criticisms about the added battery weight. However, that was not the issue for me. During the first few days of testing, the M5 felt lackluster. The throttle response was terrible, as was everything else outside of the “M” modes. Said modes turned off traction control, which is great on a track but not really advisable on a public road with no clear run offs.
Halfway through the test, I discovered you can have fun with a current-generation M5. You just need to take a bit of time tinkering with all of the settings so it actually drives like a performance vehicle.
So what I experienced may not be an issue for an actual M5 owner. You’ll soon have the car set up exactly how you like it. Plus, you’ve just dumped six figures on a new toy wrapped in a thin, sedan-patterned, veil of responsibility. Of course you’re going to spend hours messing with every aspect of it during the honeymoon phase.
But it also means that, while they may have fallen into the same hybrid-vehicle pitfall, Audi does have an opportunity to make their performance sedan notably better right off the lot. If someone is test driving both, and the BMW dealer hasn’t had a tinker with the settings, this could be pretty significant.
Audi is expected to launch the new RS 6 as a 2027 model, which means it’s likely to be unveiled later in 2026. At the very least, we should expect an official announcement sometime soon. It will also be interesting to see how the 2027 BMW M5 shapes up now it’s no longer the only flagship performance sedan in town.
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