2026 AUDI E5 paves the way for Aussie-bound MG IM6
Aussie buyers might never get the advanced new E5 Sportback but its platform and tech will be donated to the MG IM6 that will be sold Down UnderThe 2026 AUDI E5 has been officially launched at the Shanghai motor show ahead of first deliveries commencing in China later this year, with the E5 tipped to spin-off its platform and advanced EV tech to the MG IM6 that launches in Australia later this year.
Not to be mistaken with Audi, AUDI is a joint venture with MG's parent SAIC Motor that has been created to develop and build electric cars that are tailored to Chinese buyer's tastes.
Based on a new Advanced Digital Platform architecture that has been developed by both Audi and SAIC, the new mid-size E5 Sportback will be available with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive with the choice of four power outputs - 200kW, 300kW, 425kW and a range-topping 579kW.
The most powerful version is said to be capable of a 0-100km/h sprint of just 3.4 seconds, while covering up to 770km on a single charge on the more lenient Chinese CLTC test cycle.
All versions are said to come powered with a 100kWh battery that will be combined with an 800-volt electrical system that allows fast DC charging, with as much as 370km of range added in little more than 10 minutes.
Measuring in at 4881mm long, 1959mm wide and standing 1478mm tall, the AUDI E5 is 179mm shorter, 59mm wider but 37mm lower than a BMW i5 sedan that along with the Mercedes EQE, should be the closest rival.
Featuring an entirely new design language, the E5 ditches Audi's famous four-ring logo and sports a cleaner, simpler look, compared to the latest A6 e-tron.
But at the rear the E5 is far more radical, with looks that appear to have been shaped in the wind tunnel for optimal efficiency.
Inside the AUDI features a cabin devoid of buttons and dominated by a near full-width 27-inch curved 4K digital screen. Headrest speakers, advanced ambient lighting and a fragrance diffuser, plus a pair of air-cooled 50W wireless chargers are all present.
On sale from next year in China the 2026 AUDI E5 Sportback will be followed by another model co-developed by SAIC and Audi in 2027 with both models expected to only be built and sold in China.
The MG IM6, meanwhile, is hotly tipped to have been developed alongside the AUDI E5 and share not only its platform but most of its advanced tech.
When it lands in Australia late this year the MG IM6 will be named the 'IM Presented by MG Motor IM6' and will be sold alongside the renamed IM6 SUV.
Related: MG locks in luxury IM Motors brand for Australia
Related: SPY PICS: 2025 IM5 spotted in Sydney
Related: Audi reinvents itself for China
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