Old RS6 owners might take some persuading, after all the previous generation car with its phenomenal twin-turbocharged V10 is a very tough car to follow. But, like lots of manufacturers out there, Audi is on a pretty evident downsizing movement with its engines so it’s no surprise that the motor in the new RS6 has lost 1-liter and a pair of cylinders in the quest for more “efficiency.” So while the charismatic V10 howl that accompanied the old RS6 may be gone, there has been only a small power drop as the 4L twin-turbo V8 develops 11 HP less than the V10, with 560 HP on tap. However there is more to this new engine than power figures as it manages to mate those 560 horses to a far more humane thirst for gasoline. The new RS6 returns 24 mpg (9.8 L/100 km), which if you compare it to the old car is a substantial improvement. Add to this a series of other very convincing figures, like a top speed of 189 mph, a 0-62 mph time of 3.9 sec, a towering flat torque curve of 516 lb/ft (700 Nm) available between 1,750~5,500 rpm, it quickly becomes obvious the RS6 is still very much a tough contender for the BMW M5. Plus with the RS6 available in Avant guise from the get go, it’s obvious this car will continue to reign high as the king of wagons. Needless to say we can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this beast and report back on how it performs.
-Dino Dalle Carbonare