Audi RS6 Avant High-performance wagon moves into its fourth generation with more fun in mind
New high-performance estate aims to be more stimulating in corners than before while still being heroically rapid On sale Now Price from £92,750
EVER SINCE THE first generation was released in 2002, the RS6 has stood proud as Audi’s unofficial halo model, mixing supercar-baiting performance with exceptional practicality. In that respect, this fourth-generation model is no exception.
Under the bonnet lurks a tweaked version of its predecessor’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, now producing a mighty 592bhp and 590lb ft of torque. That immense power is fed to all four wheels through an eightspeed automatic gearbox, an effective combination that results in the kind of acceleration that feels like you’ve been rear-ended by an express train. The sprint from rest to 62mph is over in just 3.6sec and the top speed is as high as 189mph if you’ve specified the optional carbonceramic brakes on a high trim level. Fit the RS sports exhaust system as well and there’s a mellifluous V8 bellow to accompany the eye-popping acceleration.
Then again, the old RS6 was never short on straight-line speed. Where it really needed to improve was in corners, and, boy, has Audi Sport worked some magic. All Uk-bound RS6S get four-wheel steering as standard, and this helps to make the car feel far more nimble than its two-tonne-plus weight would suggest. With the rear wheels angled in the opposite direction to the fronts at low speeds, it takes a few corners to get used to the back of the car pitching you into bends. Once you learn to trust it, though, it really does make the RS6 feel like a smaller, lighter and more agile car. At higher speeds, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the fronts to boost stability, making it feel planted on the motorway. However, even though the steering is fast and precise, it doesn’t give you a great sense of connection to the front tyres.
Happily, this isn’t an oldschool Audi RS that just runs wide at the front if you push it hard. Although it doesn’t have a ‘drift’ mode like the Mercedes-amg E63 S, you can feel power being directed to the back wheels on the exit of corners. This not only prevents the nose from running wide but also gives you an opportunity to make the RS6 wag its tail slightly, should you enjoy that kind of thing.
With optional Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) suspension (conventional springs but hydraulically linked dampers), you get a good sense of connection to the road through your seat, but it won’t rattle your child’s baby teeth out. Point the RS6 at an undulating, pockmarked B-road and you’ll certainly be aware of the road’s topography, but it never thumps, thuds or get remotely uncomfortable.
The DRC feels a little firmer over broken surfaces at city speeds than the standard-fit
air suspension, but this is offset by the better body control. Indeed, the only weak spot in an excellent package arises from the traditional automatic gearbox, which doesn’t feel quite as quick as the newest generation of dual-clutch ’boxes. However, it works well at a cruise, being linked to a 48V mild hybrid system that allows for up to 40 seconds of engine-off coasting, to the benefit of fuel economy.
In fact, with the drive mode set to Comfort, it’s easy to forget you’re in a car with enough performance to embarrass a Ferrari. Accelerator response is easy to meter in normal traffic, the DRC suspension falls just on the right side of compliant and the engine is relatively muted. Factor in that the RS6 is as well built and practical as the A6 Avant, with five spacious seats and a capacious boot, and this fourth-generation model really does fulfil its brief of being all the car you’d ever need.