Audi is about to RS up its range! Having maintained a stance of 'one RS model at a time' until now, the Ingolstadt-based German marque appears set to abandon that philosophy in favour of a new model hi-po onslaught.
These spy pictures obtained by Carparazzi show that both RS 5 and RS 3 models are well advanced. They will join the current RS 6 and new TT RS in the widest high-performance Audi line-up ever.
The writing was on the wall when the four-ringed brand pulled the covers off the TT RS Coupe at the recent Geneva motor show, signalling a changed plan of attack for Audi's answer to Benz's AMG and BMW's M division.
Previously one model run had to finish before another started hence why Audi isn't currently offering an RS version of the new A4 as it instead builds the bigger RS 6 sedan and Avant (more here).
There have been rumours and speculation about an RS 5 ever since the attractive coupe was launched in A5/S5 form. Now these images of the car undergoing performance and handling tests at Germany's famed Nurburgring confirm its imminent release, despite Audi officially staying quiet.
Our spies tell us the car is likely powered by the same twin-turbo V10 found in the RS 6 that produces 426kW. The giveaways that this is not a humble S5 are the bigger guards and much larger brakes that fill-up the 20-inch alloy wheel.
As for the RS 3 that appears to be a certainty after Audi's board of management for technical development, Michael Dick, admitted in recent interviews that the company is considering building the car.
Power will come from the same 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine that is found in the TT RS. That engine is good for 250kW and 450Nm in the TT and should be more than capable of turning the RS 3 into a seriously hot hatch.
This would also give Audi the high ground in the hot hatch stakes over the upcoming uber-GTI from Volkswagen (more here).
While the RS 5 was always considered a good bet, the news of the RS 3 comes as a surprise. Speaking at last year's local launch of the RS 6 Avant Audi Australia General Manager Marketing, Immo Buschmann indicated it was unlikely.
"I mean anything is possible in the future. It's not like you take an S3 engine and chip tune it and you have an RS. RS is a completely different car," Buschmann said.
"We've got so many other cars we could consider putting an RS philosophy in. Let's put it this way, I don't think the A3 range is at the top of the list in our technology department to put the RS philosophy in."
But questioned further about the future direction of the RS range and the company's decision to build one model at a time, Buschmann dropped hint that things are changing when he refused to commit to that continuing.
"Generally we have the policy of only coming with one RS model in the market. Now with the RS 6 it's going to run for a while and then we'll see where we go," he said.
Asked if the intention was to stick to that he added: "We'll see."
Given Audi's well-known mandate to become the world's leading prestige brand by 2015 driven by a greatly expanded model line-up, especially in niche markets, planning for more RS models is only logical.