SPY PICS: RS5 Audi lurks in the shadows

This squat, hunkered-down matt-black coupe is, according to the spy photographers at Carparazzi, Audi's long-anticipated RS5. Unlike the A5 Sportback we brought you yesterday (more here), this car is very plainly a two-door variant of the A5/S5 range. But is it the 'Furious 5'?

Certainly the likelihood of it being the superheated version of the A5 coupe is very high. With its identifiable RS front end and pop-up rear spoiler -- plus monster wheels -- there's an unquestionably high degree of mongrel lurking within.

While it is certain the upcoming RS5 will deliver its power via Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system, there are still question marks over what Audi will do about the engine.

It's hard, for example, to imagine the bulky 5.0-litre V10 squeezing into what is essentially an A4 engine bay.

So what are the chances of a twin-turbo version of the 4.2-litre V8 currently used in the RS4 and various other Audis?

The previous generation Audi RS6 V8 used such a combination, producing 331kW and 560Nm -- in normally aspirated but wound-up S4 tune, it was good for around 253kW and 410Nm -- so it's not hard to see a current equivalent managing somewhat more, particularly with today's 4.2-litre V8 RS4 producing 309kW and 430Nm under normal aspiration.

All this is mere speculation. Who knows, maybe Audi will find a way of cramming in the 5.0-litre V10 from the RS6...

-- with Carparazzi

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