Audi is preparing to launch its first-ever RS Q5, and prototypes have now been caught testing ahead of a reveal that could leave rivals BMW and Mercedes without a direct competitor in this corner of the performance SUV market. The plug-in hybrid model is shaping up to bring huge power alongside a fresh design direction for the brand's RS range.

While Audi hasn't touched the underlying body-in-white structure, unlike the approach taken with the RS 5, engineers have added small arch extensions to the RS Q5. These make room for wider axles and bigger wheels, with the spotted prototype running on 21-inch rims. To keep the SUV's substantial mass in check — expected to be around 2,500kg — Audi is borrowing hardware proven on the RS 5, including its clever rear differential and rear-wheel steering system, both aimed at sharpening handling despite the car's heft.

Perhaps the most striking change is visual rather than mechanical. The RS Q5 is set to be one of the first performance models to adopt the design language debuted on Audi's Concept C and the Nuvolari supercar concept. That shift is already visible on the test car, which wears a squarer front grille flanked by two tall, narrow outer air intakes — a notable departure from the wider, more aggressive fascias Audi's RS models have worn over the past decade. The headlights and bonnet haven't been altered for now, but the overall effect points to a more restrained, understated aesthetic than buyers have come to expect from the brand's hottest SUVs.

The move to a plug-in hybrid powertrain marks new territory for the RS Q5 nameplate, and the timing looks shrewd. Neither BMW nor Mercedes currently fields a direct, high-performance PHEV rival in this segment, potentially giving Audi a window to capture buyers wanting serious power without abandoning electrification entirely. Combined with the chassis upgrades carried over from the RS 5 and the SUV's substantial wheel and arch changes, the RS Q5 looks to be positioning itself as a genuine performance flagship rather than a mild refresh of the standard Q5.

With prototypes now testing on public roads, further details on power figures, electric range and pricing are likely to emerge as Audi edges closer to an official unveiling. For now, the spy shots offer the clearest look yet at how the brand's new design philosophy will translate to its SUV lineup, and just how seriously Audi is taking the shift toward hybridised RS performance.

Source: Auto Express