With Audi set to launch its final gas-powered car in 2026, most models in the automaker's lineup in the coming years will transition to electric power, including those from the Audi Sport division.
Audi Sport is responsible for S- and RS-badged Audis (as well as the R8 supercar), and there are already electric models carrying both badges in the form of the SQ8 E-Tron SUV and RS E-Tron GT sedan.
Our latest spy shots show what's thought to be another electric S model, an S6 E-Tron based on the upcoming A6 E-Tron sedan.
The prototype may look like some of the testers for the regular A6 E-Tron but a closer inspection reveals details like a rear diffuser, lowered suspension, and an uprated brake package with red calipers, pointing to it being a performance variant.
Audi A6 E-Tron Concept - 2021 Shanghai auto show
A concept of the A6 E-Tron shown in 2021 packed a 100-kwh battery and dual-motor powertrain good for 469 hp. It's possible that output will be reserved for the S6 E-Tron, though a higher figure is also possible. Audi's SQ8 E-Tron comes with 496 hp on tap.
The A6 E-Tron, and thus the S and any future RS version, has been designed around Volkswagen Group's new PPE modular EV platform for high-volume luxury models. The platform debuts later this year in the Audi Q6 E-Tron crossover, which is also expected to spawn a hot variant.
The A6 E-Tron should debut late this year or early next. The S version will likely trail it by about six months. An arrival for the 2025 model year in the U.S. is likely.
Audi is also working on an A6 Avant E-Tron wagon, and this body style should also receive the S treatment. Stay tuned.
