2026 Audi RS 7 Avant is unveiled for the first time

Audi was spotted testing a new member of the next-generation A7 family. This time it's a prototype of the fire-breathing RS 7 Avant.

Previous shots showed the regular A7 Avant, the A7 Allroad Softroader, and the sporty S7 Avant.

The current members of the A7 family are all based on a single sportback hatchback body style. However, the next generation will also feature an Avant Wagon, which will succeed the current A6 Avant Wagon.

Audi's next-generation A6 family will move to the E-Tron electric vehicle route later this summer, but the automaker still wants to offer a gas-powered mid-size lineup, which is why the A7 family is being expanded. This is all part of Audi's new naming strategy announced last year, where an even number in a model name indicates an EV and an odd number indicates a model with an internal combustion engine (ICE).

You can tell that this prototype is for the RS 7 because of the wider front mask with large intakes, widened wheel arches, and cutouts in the rear mask to accommodate the oval-shaped exhaust tips that will eventually become the RS's signature.

It is not clear what kind of powertrain the next RS 7 will have, but it is almost certain that it will feature plug-in hybrid technology. The most likely setup would be the current RS 7's twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 combined with an electric motor integrated into the transmission.

The same setup is already used by other brands in the Volkswagen Group, including Porsche's Cayenne and Panamera, Lamborghini's latest Urus, and Bentley's latest Continental GT.

The current RS 7 has a maximum output of 621 hp, but electrification could push the output level of the new generation past 700 hp, while BMW's rival, the M5, has a V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain in its latest generation, reaching a maximum output of 717 hp.

Audi has not announced plans for the new A7 family, but it is expected to use an updated version of the current generation MLB platform. This updated platform is known as PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) and debuted this week in the redesigned A5 family.

The first members of the new A7 family are expected to debut next year. Its introduction in the U.S. will be for the 2026 model year, with both the RS 7 Avant and Sportback expected to make their way to the States.