Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.A new report claims that the upcoming next-generation C9 Audi RS 6, which will be offered in both sedan and Avant (wagon) forms, will not arrive by the end of 2026 as originally forecast, instead debuting in March 2027. The second claim made by The Supercar Blog is more concerning: the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine is making way for a twin-turbo V6 plug-in hybrid powertrain like the RS 5. But we wouldn't get too upset and break out the pitchforks just yet because all the evidence to date points in the opposite direction. Let's see if we can quell this rumor.Audi Seems Committed To The V8 EngineSH Proshots/AutoblogWhile the new Audi Nuvolari limited-edition supercar is an outlier, it's still proof that Audi's penchant for large-displacement eight-cylinder engines remains. But we have more evidence. Firstly, let's go back to April of this year, when Audi Sport boss Rolf Michl said the RS 6 would have individuality within the RS range and wouldn't be a copycat of the RS 5. The following month, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner was quoted as saying he's "a big fan of V8 [power]." He added that it's ideal for full-size SUVs, hinting at the since-revealed Audi SQ9, but the RS 6 is not as small as the RS 5, so a V8 would have similar appeal there.AdvertisementAdvertisementRelated: Audi Wants More Wagons In America, If The Math WorksAnd a few days after the Nuvolari was revealed in June, Autocar reported that the next RS 6 would have a plug-in hybrid V8 (potentially making as much as 730 horsepower) to complement the all-electric RS e-tron. The EV is rumored to have been canceled, and Audi won't comment on future product speculation, so we have to draw our own conclusions. But between Autocar and TSB, it's the former that has a stronger track record for accurate reporting.Autoblog's TakeSH Proshots/AutoblogAudi will no doubt have seen the backlash Mercedes has faced after dropping V8s from certain models, forcing a comeback, and at the same time, it's surely taken note of the success of the V8 PHEV BMW M5. Dropping or delaying the all-electric RS 6 seems like a prudent move given that only the cheapest EVs seem to be popular, but getting rid of the V8 to meet European emissions regulations seems like a risk, particularly if Audi still wants to offer the RS 6 in the U.S. Electrifying it is a decent middle ground, even if it comes with a significant weight penalty, and even if owners in the real world drive the car like a combustion-only one. Hopefully, Audi will break its silence soon so that we can dispel or confirm rumors of the V8's departure from the RS 6, but if we were to put money on it, we'd say the V8 has a better-than-50/50 chance of surviving.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.