Audi RS6 GTO, or how to pay tribute to 40 years of quattro

If Audi stood out for anything during the 1980s and 1990s, it was its excellent work in the world of rallying, where quattro traction and its flawless lineup of competition vehicles shone. Over the years, the brand of the four rings has known how to carry the best of that era over to the road car, offering creations as admired as the Audi A1 quattro or the RS range. However, Audi has wanted to go further this time by presenting a truly special prototype: the Audi RS6 GTO.

And we must admit that the Audi RS6 has become an iconic model for the brand almost by necessity, becoming one of the most anticipated with every generation of the A6. This latest one was no exception, and it has generated as much or more expectation than anticipated, but the engineers of the German company have known how to improve the formula.

This creation arrives on the occasion of quattro’s 40th anniversary, the traction system that caused a sensation in the world of rallying and that is still used in Audi models. And it was the apprentices of Audi who were tasked with conceiving the Audi RS6 GTO, a hypothetical variant inspired by the iconic 90 Quattro IMSA GTO.

This tribute is reflected mainly in the styling. This RS6 not only uses the same combination of red, black, grey and white, but also several elements that directly evoke the racing car. Its styling kit, made up of a larger rear spoiler, an exhaust outlet located on the sides and fully faired white wheels, are some of the components that aim to set it apart from any other RS6 and, of course, pay tribute to the 90 Quattro IMSA GTO.

The cabin also shows significant changes. The rear seats have been removed in favour of a roll cage, and the front seats are now thin, lightweight bucket seats. However, we don’t know whether the mechanical side has undergone any changes, although if it hasn’t, there would be no complaints either. After all, we must not forget that the Audi RS6 comes as standard with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 capable of delivering 600 CV and 800 Nm of torque.

Be that as it may, the Audi RS6 GTO is a fine homage to a racing car that, although it did not achieve the success it deserved, will be remembered as one of the wildest creations from Audi. For now we don’t know the brand’s aim with this concept but, who knows, perhaps it will surprise us at some point with a special edition of similar calibre.