Following on from the RS6 Avant launched at the start of the 2008, Audi has revealed the saloon version of its hottest A6. And it’s hot! Like the estate, the four-door RS6 is powered by a twin-turbo 5.0-litre V10 with outputs to shame the CLS63 AMG and M5…
Spill the mechanical beans on this Audi RS6 saloon, then.
With direct injection and dry-sump lubrication – always handy if you plan to knock off a few laps of the Nürburgring on the way home from work – the blown V10 whips up a supercar-rivalling 572bhp at 6250rpm and a mighty 479lb ft that kicks in at just 1500rpm.
Running through the Audi’s Quattro 40/60 front/rear drivetrain and quicker shifting six-speed Tiptronic box, the RS6 will blast to 60mph in 4.5 seconds and slam up against its 155mph limiter with ease. There’s an option to raise that limit to 174mph, and insiders claim that with the right rubberware and electronic liberation, the big Audi could nudge 200mph.
Its on-paper figures may be the stuff of dreams, but if our drive of the RS6 Avant is anything to go by, the RS6 saloon will be incredible fast and grippy but lacking in real driver engagement. An M5 and E63 might be slightly slower point-to-point but they’ll arguably provide a more involving driving experience.
Click ‘Next’ below to find out what is new about the Audi RS6 saloon
What else is new?
There’s the usual line-up of engineering goodies – aluminium-intensive suspension, speed-dependent steering assistance, three-way adjustable dampers, a recalibrated stability programme that steps in later than expected and (in light of the performance, an entirely sensible) option of 420mm front and 357mm ceramic brake discs, gripped by eight piston callipers.
And of course, there’s all the visual trim to go with that power – the single-frame grille, gaping air intakes, active bi-Xenon lamps, bespoke LED daytime running lights, flared wheelarches, body kit and a pair of oval exhaust pipes. Bucket front seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, a top-drawer Bose audio system and – crucially – a boost gauge rounds off the in-cabin upgrade. The saloon arrives in here in the autumn, and will be priced around £76,500.
What do you think of the new Audi RS6 saloon? Would you ever buy one over an RS6 Avant? Click ‘Add your comment’ below and have your say.