Audi’s RS cars have always seemed angry about something, but it’s hard to tell whether this new RS5 is angry that it’s suddenly carrying too much weight, or that it’s waving human hands around, or that it’s partially electric.

Because yes, folks, that’s what happened. Audi Sport has installed the first-ever plug-in hybrid system in an RS car, resulting in a wickedly nasty 630bhp performance wagon. Attention, the BMW M3 Touring, the original high-speed estate, is back as an almighty scrap.

Oh, sure, you can also spec the new RS5 as a saloon. No, the name still doesn’t make any sense to those of us who grew up with fast, small(ish) Audi saloons and estates called RS4s. 630 horsepower is what Marty McFly calls “heavy.”

Of course, as mentioned above, it’s actually quite heavy, with Audi quoting 2,355kg for the saloon and 2,370kg for the wagon. That’s a significant increase over the previous generation (1,790kg) and significantly heavier than the cumbersome M3 (1,865kg). Powering this many vehicles requires a healthy engine, and luckily we have one.

It’s an “improved” version of the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, now capable of producing 503bhp on its own. In a rational, sane world, that would be enough. But we don’t live there, we live here. That’s where a ton of hybrid technology comes in to make up for the rest of that tremendous total weight and tremendous weight.

As well as the 130kW electric motor paired with the V6, there’s also a 25.9kWh battery mounted under the boot floor, a 400V system, an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox that’s said to be faster than before (thanks to reduced “resistance in heavy rotating parts”), a limited-slip center differential and, of course, Quattro AWD.

Audi says it accelerates from 0-62 mph in 3.6 seconds, has a top speed of 277 mph (with the Sport Pack option), and has an all-electric range of up to 52 miles (54 miles in the city). Indeed, when in EV-only mode, it is RS! – Audi believes this motor “makes the RS5 feel like an RS model.”

When in one of the two RS-specific modes, ‘RS Sport’ or ‘RS Torque Rear’, the battery is maintained at 90% SOC and actively cooled down to 20 degrees Celsius to ensure complete cooling.

Before we talk more about the RS5’s modes, we need to talk more about its technology. Because there are a lot of techniques for that. All of it is designed so that you can turn it in any direction you want depending on your mood (on the track or on the closed road, of course).

Because, following everything else in the Hybrid RS, another first is the electromechanical torque vectoring of the rear axle, which “quickly and precisely distributes torque between the rear wheels” in just 15 milliseconds. There’s a lot of TechSpeak explaining exactly how it’s done, but the short answer is mostly “witchcraft” and “dark arts”.

In short, it’s there to guarantee maximum acceleration, increased stability in and out of corners, and tricky terrain. Also contributing to this is the next-generation center differential that distributes the RS5’s abundant torque between the front and rear axles, which Audi says is always preloaded and “always at least partially locked.”

It is said to reduce understeer, increase the car’s precision, and transfer power to the wheels faster between throttle on and off. Do you sense a theme here?

Other tweaks include redesigning the five-link front suspension with new joints, links and bushings, giving the rear a “clean seat” design. The shocks are twin-valve, the steering is tuned for better feedback, it’s got huge brakes (420mm front, 400mm rear), and there’s even a “boost” mode that gives you maximum power for 10 seconds.

Phew. There are others. There are plenty of modes to choose from (as is often the case), but the interesting ones are the ‘RS Torque Rear’ setting, which gives maximum rear bias for ‘controlled drifts’, and the ‘RS Sport’, built for speed and agility.

You’ll have your own opinion on what this looks like, but in the eyes of TopGear.com, it’s…pretty brutal. Compared to regular A5, the front and back are each 4cm wider, so you can insert your own “going to the gym/eating all the pie” analogy here. Audi’s Singleframe grille and side vents look wider and angrier than ever, but there are even more vents, the obligatory flared arches, diffuser, fins, special exhaust pipes…like we said above, it’s angrier.

What’s inside isn’t surprising. It’s the same as the refreshed A5, just more RS-oriented. That means a lot of OLED screens, a specially configured virtual cockpit, HUD options, sports seats, a selection of luxurious materials and what we call a ‘driving experience’ that allows for analysis of driving inputs and lap times. Use this at your own risk.

“The highly technical interaction between the internal combustion engine and electric power brings performance and efficiency to Audi in new ways,” says big boss Gernot Dörner. “Customers can experience both the best of sports performance and everyday comfort.”

Customers who have some cash. UK pricing has not yet been announced, but in Germany the Saloon will go on sale for €106,200 and the Avant for €107,850.