GALLERY: 2020 Audi RS6 Avant – the beast in detail

The Audi RS6 Avant is in many ways an aspirational car for car guys. Some like its looks well enough to warrant wanting one, others for its blistering pace, or in most cases, both. Whichever camp you’re in, the RS6 has a sizeable fanbase, and the latest generation performance wagon aims to keep the fire burning.

The star of the show here rests under the bonnet, that being a 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 that produces a whopping 600 PS at 6,000 to 6,250 rpm and 800 Nm of torque from 2,050 to 4,500 rpm. An eight-speed tiptronic automatic channels power to all four wheels via the automaker’s famous quattro AWD system, propelling the wagon from zero to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, and zero to 200 km/h in 12 seconds.

Naturally, top speed is electronically capped at 250 km/h, but can be raised to 280 km/h with the dynamic package, and 305 km/h with the dynamic plus package. As before, two twin-scroll turbochargers are employed, but their diameters are up by three millimetres, and each turbo supplies up to 1.4 bar of boost (0.2 bar more than before). The compression ratio is 10.1:1.

When not driven hard, drivers get to reap the benefits of the integrated 48 volt mild-hybrid system. At the heart of it is a belt alternator starter which recoups up to 12 kW of power under gentle acceleration, channeling it into a lithium-ion battery as energy. This also facilitates the engine start-stop technology, which Audi says is virtually undetectable by the driver and passengers.

Depending on the selected drive mode and driving behaviour, engine coasting (up to 40 seconds with the engine completely shut off) or cylinder deactivation will kick into play, further saving more fuel. The claimed fuel consumption figure is between 11.7 to 11.5 litres per 100 km, whereas average CO2 emissions is 268 to 263 grammes per km.

For suspension, it gets RS adaptive air suspension with controlled damping as standard. It features a new air spring module with a 50% stiffer spring rate (with the dynamic plus package), and includes automatic levelling control. The electronic chassis platform (ECP) is standard as well, and the air suspension also includes automatic level control.

If that’s not enough, you can upgrade to the RS sport suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control. This, Audi says, improves the RS6 Avant’s handling, and it’s thanks to the three-way adjustable dampers that counteract pitch and roll. No electronics are used here. Instead, each damper is connected to a central valve via two separate oil lines, providing the exact compensating volume via internal pistons.

To ensure daily drivability, the RS6 Avant gets a progressive steering with specially designed gear rack which varies the turning ratio (from 12.6:1 to 15.8:1). Steering weight also varies, with variable assistance level depending on the selected drive mode.

Other visual niceties include the sporty RS interior and exterior treatment. The latter gets huge 21-inch cast aluminium wheels shod with 275/35 sized tyres as standard, but RS-specific 22-inch five-spoke wheels with 285/30 profiled rubbers can be had as an option. Standard discs measure in at 420 mm up front and 370 mm at the back, but the optional RS ceramic brake kit gets beefier 440 mm units for the front axle.

Inside, it’s pretty much the same story as the new A6, but comes with RS-specific design touches, equipment, and graphics. For example, the steering wheel, gear lever gaiter and knee pads are wrapped in Alcantara with contrast stitching (available in red or grey), while the seat belts get coloured edges, and RS floor mats are standard.

The ambient lighting system boasts up to 30 different colours, and the seat belt buckles themselves illuminate in the dark. A number of RS and RS6 badges are littered throughout the cabin, and as usual, the interior can be further customised to the owner’s liking. There is also number of exterior colours to choose from, including the RS-specific Nardo Grey and Sebring Black pearl.

Lastly, the RS6 Avant features over 30 driver assistance systems, such as adaptive cruise assist (which gains lane-tracking function on top of adaptive cruise control, works up to 250 km/h), emergency assist, 360-degree cross-traffic alert (with vehicle, pedestrian, and cyclist detection), exit warning, lane change warning, and more. So, whose dream car is this?

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