An all-new generation of Audi’s iconic and epic RS6 is set to go on sale next year. And when this all-new superwagon arrives, it will also be offered as a sedan for the first time in 16 years.
If that’s not enough of a change of pace for you, then the RS6, which should make well over 700 horsepower, is also going to be sold as a fully electric vehicle. But don’t worry, there will still be a V8 engine, with a plug-in hybrid electric system behind it. Audi is all about choice.
RS6 Will Give Horsepower Junkies Choice
An electric RS6 might not be a complete surprise. It’s getting tougher and tougher to meet emissions any other way. Plus, we’ve already seen the electric RS6 e-tron being tested in lousy weather in the Alps. That RS6 prototype was a sedan, too, which gave away that part of the equation as well.
But Autocar reports that Audi is taking a dual powertrain approach with this one. It’s probably not much of a surprise, as electric vehicle sales have struggled to hit anticipated (and ambitious) targets.
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Giving the next RS6 PHEV and EV power means two different cars. According to the report, the electric RS6 will use the newer Premium Platform Electric EV bones. The gas-engine RS6 will use Premium Platform Combustion, which is really just an evolution of the architecture under the current car.
The V8 engine in question here is expected to be the 4.0-liter twin-turbo unit in the current car. That engine makes 621 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque.
Audi Needs 700 Horses Just To Keep Up
Audi’s competition has gone plug-in. The BMW M5’s PHEV and gas engine make 717 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. The E63 is currently on a break, but the Mercedes-AMG S63 uses a PHEV V8 to make 791 horsepower.
If it wants to keep up, Audi will need to crack into the Seven Hundred club, and it is expected to do that with the same electric motor and battery. A look inside the VW Group shows Porsche using exactly that system, with the same V8, to make 730 horsepower in the Cayenne. The Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid uses it to make 771 horsepower. While the RS6 probably won’t step on the Panamera, that leaves plenty of room to grow into the 750 horsepower realm.
Surprisingly, the all-electric RS6 might make less horsepower. Autocar reports that its Audi Sport insiders claim it will make in the range of 670 horsepower. The company doesn’t want the RS6 e-tron to step on the toes of the RS e-tron GT, which makes 912 horsepower.
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It’s not clear if both electric and gas models will offer sedan and wagon bodywork. While the A6 e-tron is available in both forms, as is the gas A6, that could simply be too many very similar performance cars for a brand that is already facing struggling sales. On the other hand, offering four different RS6 options could be a way to try to appeal to more buyers. Expect to find out soon, as Audi gets the new cars ready for launch.
Source: Autocar
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