For a long time there was speculation about the possibility of a total change for one of the most radical sedans on the market. The Audi RS 6 Avant is an institution in itself. A high-performance family capable of standing up to the big sports cars on the market. Audi He knows the importance of getting it right, and that’s why he’ll come up with a big change for next-gen, but not as much as we originally imagined: The Audi RS 6 Avant will be a plug-in hybrid in its next generation.
The latest news we had access to indicated a much more energetic electrified jump. At the end of last year, the the rumor of an RS 6 Avant e-tron is spreading like wildfire. Everything indicated that the next generation of the sedan, the C9 generation, would leave behind all traces of combustion to completely embrace 100% electric systems, stealing some of its mechanics from the impressive Audi RS e-tron GT. However, Audi changed its mind, but what led to this?
The RS 6 Avant is not the best-selling model in the range, but it is the one that generates the most brand image. Hundreds of thousands of photos of the exaggerated and alluring family sports sedan travel the world and, as you know, the Germans are not very keen on radical changes. For this reason Stephan Reil, current head of research and development and former head of Audi Sport admitted to the media wheels that the goal is to transform the RS 6 Avant into a plug-in hybrid sedan, and even brought some technical touches.
Reil himself has confirmed that Audi will use an improved version of the current MHEV system. It is not known if the V8 engine will remain in the engine compartment or if, on the contrary, a smaller engine will be chosen., like Porsche’s three-litre V6. What is clear is that it will be accompanied by one or two electric motors and a large capacity battery that will provide great autonomy. The launch date is set for the end of 2025, when the current generation C8 will say goodbye.
Will there be an electric version?
Stephan Reil’s remarks to the Australian midfielder did not close the doors to the complete electrification of the RS 6 Avant. In fact, he has confirmed that it will arrive, but not as soon as expected. The Audi RS 6 Avant e-tron will appear once the C9 generation is obsolete, that is, it will be the seventh generation of the sports sedan, code C10, which will receive the radical leap in its propulsion system. In this way, Audi will stagger the presence of electricity in the mechanics, moving from the current MHEV system to a BEV (pure electric) system in two generations and not in one as everyone expected.
Obviously, this decision postpones the deadlines beyond the year 2030. The C9 generation will see the light of day in 2025 and will survive between six and eight years depending on the performance achieved.. As for the power, no detailed data has been provided, although everyone expects great powers capable of exceeding the current 600 horsepower. The change will involve a change of platform, starting to use the future PPE platform which will debut on Audi A6 etron in a few years. When the electric era of the RS 6 Avant arrives, it will take a drastic leap in performance, boasting over 700 horsepower.