What does the future hold for those of us that love practical performance cars? The arrival of a 630bhp load-lugger this week left me pondering how much brands are struggling to entertain drivers while embracing electrified tech that, like it or not, is going to define how we power our cars over the next decade and beyond.

 

The new Audi RS 5 could be a defining moment, or another setback as we gently wean ourselves off internal-combustion engines. However, my optimism or pessimism with this car comes in waves depending on whether the focus is on the 630bhp and 3.6-second 0-62mph figure, or the fact that it weighs more than 2.3 tonnes. We’ll be driving it soon so all will be revealed then, but given Audi’s hit-and-miss record with its RS models, this could be a big moment for how manufacturers deliver their halo cars.