Next generation low resolution photos Audi RS5showing unveiled liftback and estate versions of the mid-size luxury/performance car have leaked online, suggesting the official unveiling of Ingolstad’s latest BMW M3 fighter may not be that far away.
The images you see here were posted by cochespias1 (now removed) and Shiftech on Instagram. It’s not clear how these two reports came across these images, but they show us that the new car doesn’t stray too far from the established RS formula.
Of course, there are dramatically curved front and rear wheel arches, with the trailing edge of the front fenders featuring an arched vertical vent. Sculpted side skirts connect the chunky arches that house split six-spoke alloy wheels with low-profile tires.
At the front, the blackened single-frame grill merges seamlessly into the glossy black surrounds of the side air inlets. The rear, meanwhile, is dominated by two massive oval exhaust outlets that protrude from the glossy black diffuser, which integrates an F1-style third brake light.
We’re pretty sure these leaked photos are real as they match previous spy photos as well as the two teaser videos Audi released on social media in the last 24 hours.
Details shown in the teasers include the design of the front seats, the light signature of the OLED taillights and drilled disc brakes with red calipers (below).
The teasers also show off the steering wheel and its red boost button, likely providing a bit more oomph from the car’s briefly confirmed plug-in hybrid powertrain.
There are signs that there will be a revised version of the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 used in the superseded RS4 and RS5.
Outputs have yet to be announced, but it’s certain that the new plug-in hybrid powertrain will surpass the old RS4 Competition’s outputs of 331kW and 600Nm.
For reference: The current BMW M3 has a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six that produces between 353 kW/550 Nm and 405 kW/650 Nm, depending on the variant.
On the other hand, the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E-Performance features a 2.0-litre four-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain that produces 500kW and 1020Nm.
The AMG boss has confirmed that the C63’s controversial plug-in hybrid system will be scrapped and the model will be replaced by a new C53 model with a 3.0-litre inline-six turbo petrol engine.
MORE: Explore the Audi RS5 showroom
