Hot Audi RS 6 saloon to be reborn in 2027

Audi will bring back the RS 6 Saloon as part of its next-generation A6 line-up, and our spies have caught it testing. It means the company will be offering its high-performance model in a second bodystyle alongside the Avant estate for the first time since the C6 generation was killed off in 2010. 

The news comes as the brand readies its next generation of plug-in hybrid RS models, starting first with the RS 5 next year, and an RS 6 coming in late 2026 or early 2027. 

The decision to offer a three-box variant of the RS 6 might seem surprising, but it tallies with the fact that the sleek Audi A7 Sportback won’t be renewed for a new generation. This means there will be no RS 7 Sportback to fulfil the demand for a large four-door RS model, which is still a more popular bodystyle in global markets than the European-focused Avant. 

As with the Avant, though, there are some hefty changes to the body and chassis for the new saloon. The body on this prototype is wider than the already chunky A6 saloon, giving the car a very aggressive stance. These arches don’t just hide wider axles, but bigger wheels, too, which are expected to match the existing model’s 22-inch designs. 

This test car also looks to be running carbon-ceramic brakes, and we expect other high-end suspension tech such as air suspension, rear-wheel steering and even a new generation of Audi’s cross-linked hydraulic dampers. 

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The design of the new RS 6 will be just as aggressive as on former models, dominated up front by huge air intakes to help feed the Audi’s powertrain. At the rear, the company has fitted a small ducktail spoiler on the bootlid, which will help the aerodynamics as well as balance the design of the rear bumper. This will integrate a very large diffuser section and two huge exhaust outlets that are mounted closer together due to the complex exhaust system. 

What we don’t yet know is what sort of plug-in hybrid powertrain will be installed in the car. As with the RS 6 Avant, there has been an ongoing discussion about whether this model will feature a V6-based powertrain (as is expected on the smaller RS 5) or a larger V8 system. 

Original reports suggested it would be the former, leaving the ultimate performance from an RS 6 to come from a future all-electric e-tron model. But over the course of the car’s development, things have changed. A re-jig of Audi’s EV plans means the electric RS 6 e-tron has been scrapped in its initial form. 

Lessons have also been learned from outside Audi, with arch-rival AMG seeing slow sales of its downsized hybrid models. By contrast, the RS 6’s main competitor, the BMW M5, is selling in higher numbers than ever with its plug-in hybrid V8 powertrain – and given that a Touring variant is also available, it’s eating into Audi’s dominance in the ultra-high-performance estate market. 

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