The RS Q5 was spotted within a convoy of camouflaged Audi RS prototypes.
Audi is expected to use the same plug-in hybrid V6 powertrain found in the new RS5 models.
Spy photographers also caught the new RS6 Avant and SQ9 undergoing final testing.

The Volkswagen Group aims to slash its extensive lineup in half to reduce expenses sharply, yet this shift will unfold gradually. Before trimming underperforming models, Audi intends to launch two previously unseen vehicles. Although the three-row Q9 has already surfaced publicly, the RS Q5 represents an unexpected addition for many observers.

Audi has offered the Q5 for nearly two decades without applying the RS badge. Recent spy footage from Europe captured a group of disguised prototypes, among them the RS Q5. Beyond the paired oval exhaust tips, flared wheel arches hint at wider tracks and larger tires underneath the camouflage.

A high-voltage yellow sticker confirms the prototype is a plug-in hybrid. Because the Q5 shares its platform with the A5, the performance variants are expected to adopt a similar approach. The RS Q5 will likely draw from the RS5's plug-in hybrid V6, rated at 630 horsepower and 608 pound-feet (825 Newton-meters) of torque.

Audi Sport's initial plug-in hybrid incorporates a sizable 25.9-kWh battery, contributing to the RS5 Avant's curb weight of 5,225 pounds (2,370 kilograms). The RS Q5 could weigh even more, as SUVs generally exceed the mass of comparable sedans or wagons. By comparison, the SQ5 sits 165 pounds (75 kilograms) above the S5 Avant.

The RS Q5 carries significance for both Audi and Porsche. Porsche will phase out the current Macan at month's end and introduce its successor in 2028. That model will again share architecture with the Q5, suggesting close parallels between Porsche's flagship variant and the forthcoming RS Q5.

The two brands are collaborating more closely to share development expenses and speed up projects such as Porsche's 718 Boxster and Cayman EVs along with Audi's Concept C. The forthcoming Q9 may also utilize components from Porsche's three-row SUV.

The spy footage reveals more than the RS Q5 alone. The convoy includes the SQ9 with its quad exhaust outlets and the next-generation RS6 Avant. The latter will also appear as a sedan, succeeding the RS7 Sportback and bringing back the RS6 Sedan after over 15 years. While the timing for these performance models remains uncertain, the SQ9 is slated to arrive shortly.

Audi's range continues to evolve with incoming models and the departure of others. Additions such as the RS Q5, Q9, and SQ9 join the lineup, while the A2 returns as an entry-level electric hatchback. The electric sports car planned for 2027 stands out as the most notable newcomer. Limited-production efforts like the Nuvolari remain separate, with a possible convertible variant under consideration.

The A1 and Q2 left the range earlier this year. The A8 flagship sedan is also being discontinued, joining the Q8 E-Tron variants retired last year. Additional departures include the A5 Coupe, A5 Convertible, TT, and R8.

The impact of these lineup adjustments is still unclear. Audi nevertheless holds larger ambitions, including a major redesign of its styling direction and upgrades to interior quality through improved materials, additional physical controls, and fewer screens.

Models including the RS Q5, Q9 and SQ9, and the revived A2 were developed years earlier, so they will largely continue existing practices ahead of the broader transformation beginning in 2028 with the A4 E-Tron electric sedan.