RS e-tron GT

Make
Audi
Segment
Sedan

Audi is pulling no punches when it comes to the future of motoring. While fellow German brands BMW and Porsche work with hydrogen technology and synthetic fuels respectfully, Ingolstadt has nailed its flag to the mast - by 2026, all new Audis will be electric, and the brand's combustion-engined vehicles will die in 2033.

Even the RS performance models will head down this route, with Audi not willing to consider downsizing as an alternative. Speaking at the track launch of the hardcore RS5 Competition at the Ascari circuit in Spain, Audi Sport's Constantin Dressler told CarBuzz that it will electrify its performance cars, but "won't ever do a four-pot." This is a blatant dig at Mercedes-AMG, which recently revealed the four-cylinder C63 S E Performance.

Even though the RS5 and RS4 Avant (the latter of which is not sold in the USA) are powered by a glorious-sounding 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6, both are outclassed by the AMG in terms of performance and power. Where Ingolstadt's RS twins produce a maximum of 444 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque, the four-pot Benz has a hearty combined total of 671 hp and 752 lb-ft. But Audi is not obsessed with winning a power war right now. Instead, Dressler said that it is aiming to provide more "character" and "greater emotion" from the driving experience, as requested by customers.

Of course, the Merc's muscle comes courtesy of electrification - a rear-mounted electric motor provides as much as 201 hp/236-lb-ft to the equation. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes have been engaged in a horsepower war for nearly 30 years, so we can expect the next iteration of RS cars to produce even more power from the electrically assisted V6s and V8s.

Audi has already shown us the future of electrified performance with the gorgeous RS e-tron GT. It may not have the bark of the TT RS's five-cylinder or the gravelly grumble of the RS7's V8, but the electric performer is astonishingly fast and worthy of the RS badge affixed to its rear.

A boost mode increases power to 637 hp, allowing the Model S rival to hit 60 mph in a mere 3.1 seconds. To put that into perspective, that's quicker than the hallowed R8 V10 Performance. Speaking of Audi's halo car, Ingolstadt even has plans to replace its supercar with an all-electric successor.

In a previous interview, Audi Sport's Sebastian Grams said the new model will retain its mid-engined feel (by using Porsche architecture). It won't, however, keep the R8 name.

Interestingly, Ugur Yeter, who was in charge of improving the RS5 Competition's sound and character, told us that he believes there's a "90/10" chance that the combustion engine will live on for more than a decade because the V6 twin-turbo mill in the RS5 is so good and so efficient that, with electrification, the same basic engine could well beat emissions requirements beyond 2030.

However, avoiding full-scale electrification depends on a number of factors, from synthetic fuel technology to the brand's focus in the future. Oliver Hoffman, the brand's head of technical development, has expressed interest in creating an all-electric RS6 Avant, commenting that "the PPE platform has a wide range in terms of power output. For me, it's very clear that when we present an electric A6, it has to also include some performance versions of it."

Interestingly, Yeter also told us that the next B10 Audi A4 (and therefore subsequent RS4 and RS5) will be based on the new C9 A6, which means the brand can keep its options open for future powertrains. Expect the B10 in 2025.