Return of the scary estate car? Yes, the Audi RS6 Avant is back

Audi South Africa is re-introducing the hot estate car – meet the high-power load-lugger known as Audi RS6 Avant.

Long RS Avant tradition

In a long tradition, completely Audi specific, the high-performance estate car started when Audi collaborated with Porsche to create the RS2 Avant.  It featured a powerful turbo engine and quattro all-wheel-drive in an unlikely station wagon, which Audi calls Avant.

Through the years some RS4 Avant appeared, based on the Audi A4 Avant, but – only on rare occasions – does Audi bring out the big RS6 Avant.

Audi RS6 Avant – for those with a passion for performance and space

While most South Africans somehow shy away from “station wagons”, saying these look like hearses, or not liking the family carrier image it portrays, there are those who appreciate the estate body shape for its looks and practicality… especially when those are aggressive looks come with mean performance.

OK, you can look at the images to see the dis/approve (delete where applicable) of the design for yourself, but there is no denying its sports-car presence.

The engine, aaah!  It is the 4.0 TFSI turbo V8 from the RS7 Sportback, meaning a mean 412kW and 700Nm of torque.  This translates though the quattro and 8-speed tiptronic drivetrain into 3.9 seconds for the 100 dash, on to 250 top speed, or optionally 305km/h.  Incidentally, if you think 412kW is mad, the previous RS6 launched here in 2008 (which was locally only in sedan – we missed out on the RS6 Avant – had a 5.0 V10 turbo giving 426kW).

Lots of extra kit

Not only can it load lots more of your kit, it also carries lots of extra kit, generously included, such as LED headlights and big 21-inch alloy wheels with RS-tuned air suspension, 360-degree cameras with top view, electrically-operated tailgate, quattro sports differential, and RS braking system with wave discs.

There are still a few options, including matrix beam LED headlights, Dynamic Ride Control, and you can change the Alcantara / leather seats for leather with honeycomb inserts and coloured outlines along the cells.

Local pricing – Audi SA unique in segment

Audi SA is brave to stick with bringing in the RS6 Avant – there is a following for Audi RS Avant cars, and the RS6 Avant was assumed to again miss local roads… but it was highly anticipated.

The Audi RS6 Avant is priced at R 1 465 000, or similarly-priced to your average mid-size performance sedan such as BMW M5, Mercedes E63 AMG (available overseas in estate) and Jaguar XFR or XFR-S – none of these are available to us in handsome estate shape, so well done Audi SA for securing the scary hot high-performance estate.  Numbers are limited.  Exclusivity guaranteed.