Audi RS6 Avant, the beast returns with 560 CV

After months of waiting and uncertainty, it has finally been made official. Audi unveils its fastest and most radical estate to date, the RS6 2014, a vehicle capable of going head to head with the best supercars on the market today. It will reach the market next year, while its public debut will almost certainly take place at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

The brand itself has described the model as a high-performance sports vehicle capable of being used day to day. The truth is that the Audi RS6 strikes the perfect balance between elegance and aggression, two concepts that are very difficult to combine in a single body. Luxury and speed are the words I would use to describe this estate.

MECHANICS

The Audi RS6 2014 has little in common with the previous generation. It is true that they share turbochargers, an automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive, but those could be said to be their only similarities.

As with the S6, the RS6 houses under its bonnet a twin-turbocharged V8 engine capable of producing 560 CV of power between 5,700 and 6,700 rpm, 20 CV less than the previous V10 and the same as its rival, the BMW M5.

The eight-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox is paired with the Quattro all-wheel drive system featuring a new torque-vectoring drivetrain. In this way, the maximum amount of power is delivered to each wheel at all times without loss of grip.

Thanks to the intensive use of aluminium in its chassis, which saves 100 kg over the previous generation, the 0 to 100 km/h sprint has been reduced to an incredible 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 305 km/h with the Dynamic Plus package. In these measurements it is quicker than any of its rivals.

Fuel consumption has been reduced to 9.8 litres/100 km on average thanks to the automatic engine start-stop system and a system capable of deactivating four of the eight cylinders when excess power from the engine is not needed.

As expected, the brakes have been prepared for the occasion. The larger discs (390 mm) and the number of pistons per wheel (6) make themselves felt when stopping this metal behemoth. The suspension has been specially developed for this model. It is pneumatic and lowers the body by 20 mm. The brand also offers an even more sporty and performance-oriented version, along with carbon-ceramic brakes.

EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR

Such complex mechanics, with the aim of creating the fastest production estate in the world, need to be accompanied by a body and aerodynamics that are both sublime and carefully studied.

The front nose features a honeycomb grille, common to all of Audi’s RS models, where the name of the vehicle’s creator subsidiary, Quattro, is written in white letters. It is accompanied by large air intakes and elegant matt aluminium trim. At the rear we find a spoiler, a twin oval exhaust system, 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels and a matt black diffuser.

The elegant exterior lines are accentuated in the cabin. There, luxury and fine materials come to life and take on meaning. The way the sports seats are upholstered in leather and Alcantara stands out, along with the carbon fibre and aluminium details and the striking flat-bottomed steering wheel.

On top of all this, there is an MMI Plus navigation system for information and entertainment, a head-up display, an Audi sound system with 15 Bang & Olufsen speakers and the ability to connect to the Internet.

It has four seats only.

Source | Audi

Technical specifications of this car

SedanAudi A628 versions · from 63,920 €