- The new RS6 Avant may come with a hybridized V6 pumping 725 hp, replacing the twin-turbo V8.
- An all-electric version of the new-age RS6 will also be offered, potentially outperforming the ICE.
- These photos show a revised rear end with oval-shaped tailpipes closer to the center of the bumper.
The new BMW M5 Touring might have stolen the Audi RS6 Avant’s thunder, but Audi Sport is hard at work on the latest version of its super estate. Once set to be renamed the RS7 Avant, it will now still be called the RS6, and a near-production-spec prototype was recently spotted testing in Spain’s Sierra Nevada mountains by a Carscoops reader.
As part of a revised nomenclature announced back in 2023, ICE-powered Audis were set to use odd numbers in their names, whereas EVs would use even numbers. As such, the RS6 we all know and love was going to morph into the RS7. However, the German brand has since backtracked on its new naming scheme, so the car pictured will still be known as the RS6 Avant and, presumably, the all-electric version will be named the RS6 e-tron.
Read: Someone Just Lost $25,000 On A Nearly New RS6 Wagon
This prototype looks closer to production-ready than the one we spotted earlier this year. The front end is just as aggressive as an RS6 is expected to be, complete with large air intakes and a big grille. You’ll also notice a pair of vents on the front quarter panels, roof rails, and a set of sizeable five-spoke wheels sitting over a massive brakes.
The rear end is shaping up to be the car’s best angle. It’ll feature the same LED taillights as the updated A6, complete with a full-width light bar. We can also see that Audi has stuck with the familiar oval-shaped tailpipes of the previous-gen car, but they have been repositioned to sit more centrally on the bumper.
According to reports, the new car will ditch the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 of the current model in favor of a plug-in hybrid V6, which will also be used by the new RS5. While it’ll lose two cylinders, it will gain an electric motor. This could give the new RS6 upwards of 725 hp, right in line with the 717 hp offered up by the M5’s plug-in hybrid V8.
Hat tip to Carlos Garcia for sending us these photos!
Carlos Garcia/Carscoops
