Audi Might Finally Be Building the RS Q5 Everyone Expected Years Ago

It is a bit odd when you think about it. Audi has RS versions almost everywhere, yet the Q5, one of its core models, never got one. That could finally be about to change.

The latest prototype seen in Germany keeps things low-key, but it is not exactly hiding. At first, it looks like an SQ5. Similar bumpers, same overall shape. Then the stance gives it away. It sits wider, more planted. Those bolt-on arch extensions look temporary, like they are covering the proper RS fenders that will come later.

Then the small details start to give it away. Drilled brake discs. And at the back, those oval exhaust tips. Audi usually keeps that shape for RS models, so it’s not there by accident.

What really matters, though, is what’s likely under the hood. The word is, it’ll borrow the RS5 setup. That means a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with a plug-in hybrid system, pushing around 630 hp (639 PS) and 825 Nm. That’s a big jump from the SQ5’s 362 hp and 406 lb-ft.

If that setup carries over, you are looking at around 3.7 seconds to 62 mph. Fast for something this big. The downside is weight. The RS5 is already at 2,370 kg, so an RSQ5 could end up closer to 2,450 kg with the 22 kWh battery. The electric range could be around 80 km, maybe a bit less in an SUV.

It should not rely on power alone. The RS5’s hardware, like the updated center differential and rear torque vectoring, could help it feel more balanced than the numbers suggest. There is also talk of a drift mode and a short boost function for maximum power.

Inside, it should feel familiar. It sticks close to the SQ5, with a 14.5-inch infotainment screen and an 11.9-inch digital cluster. Then Audi adds the usual RS bits on top, sport seats, more aggressive trim, and those red buttons on the steering wheel.

Nothing is official yet, but it looks closer this time.