However, beyond this car’s spread of driving talent, there’s another reason this RS 5 might be the right car for right now. Because the BMW M3 Competition does without any form of hybridisation, its high CO2 figure puts it in the maximum Benefit in Kind tax bracket if purchased through a business – as many high performance cars like this are. Thanks to a bit of help from the PHEV system, the Audi avoids this.
The two might cost largely the same on paper, but the Audi’s 50-mile electric range means you’ll see a saving of over £400 per month just in tax. That electric range will also come into its own if you have access to cheap home charging and regularly do short journeys, increasing the gulf in running costs. Unfortunately, there’s no DC fast charging for the batteries, so a quick top-up on the move isn’t really an option. On the 11kW AC system, it’ll take close to three hours to charge.
Audi RS models have long directly competed with rivals from AMG and BMW M in terms of size, price and the capabilities they offer. But thanks to its PHEV system, this new RS 5 largely sits in a class of one. And while two new BMW M3 models are coming, these will operate with either mild-hybrid or full BEV powertrains only. If you want a PHEV M car, you’ll need to find an extra £25,000 and a few extra feet of driveway for a BMW M5.
AMG’s Mercedes C-Class competitor is also absent, although not for the lack of trying. Mercedes made the decision to design and engineer a system based around a four-cylinder petrol engine paired to a less substantial hybrid system that offered almost no electric range. This, plus some rather uninvolving driving dynamics, landed with fans like a lead balloon, causing AMG to cancel the model entirely. Its C 53 replacement will pack an inline-six, but this should be considered more of an S5 rival due to some fairly underwhelming performance stats.
So while the RS 5 might not be the most exhilarating compact executive hot rod in history, it might well be the only one you can actually justify in 2026. It seems Audi has once again delivered on its mission to create an ultimate everyday driver.
| Model: | Audi RS 5 Carbon Black |
| Price: | £95,485 |
| Powertrain: | 2.9-litre V6 petrol PHEV |
| Power/torque: | 630bhp/825Nm |
| Transmission: | Eight-speed auto, all-wheel drive |
| 0-62mph: | 3.6 seconds |
| Top speed: | 155mph |
| Economy: | 70mpg, 92g/km |
| Size (L/W/H): | 4,896/1,952 (no mirrors)/1,428mm |
| On sale: | Now |
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