Pure hedonism, that’s the new Audi RS 6. The powerhouse from Ingolstadt has a fat V8 in the nose and a rude amount of power.
For a moment, nothing seems to happen on board the new Audi RS6 when the accelerator hits the bulkhead. A moment in which the electronics must determine how to meet the driver’s demands, without the car pulling itself apart. That one pedal movement produces no less than 600 hp and 800 Nm. It seems almost tangible how the power is transferred to both axles via the automatic gearbox and the center differential. And then the world starts to move very, very fast backwards. The fact that it rains and the temperature is nowhere near double digits makes little difference to the quattro all-wheel drive system. That brings the power to the asphalt almost as efficiently as if it had been 30 degrees and sunny. Disregarding anything as banal as air resistance, the four-liter V8 with its twin turbo pounds the two-ton RS6 to its national limit in less than four seconds. Less than ten seconds later, the counter is double and if we were to look up the free space on the autobahn, the counter will only stop increasing at 305 km / h thanks to the optional Dynamic Package Plus. In a station wagon.
A tidal wave of torque
Shameless excess has always been the hallmark of the RS 6 and the new one fits seamlessly into that tradition. The way the powertrain works also characterizes the new Audi as a real RS 6. At the bottom, surprisingly little happens, at least with the knowledge of all that power in mind. Then at 2,000 rpm both turbos clap in and then the car surfs on a tidal wave of torque in the middle range. At the very top, the storm diminishes somewhat, although there are often numbers on the counter that have no place on the public road. That shameless ease with which the RS 6 delivers disastrous performance, and that with a deep, grating drumming sound to the surroundings, is addictive.
The fact that the eight-speed fully automatic does not actually want to downshift in standard mode, makes little difference due to the wide coupling platform. In full attack mode it all goes a lot faster, the V8 hammers even more beautifully and the consumption is even higher. The RS 6 does not save fuel. In name, the Audi has a mild-hybrid system, but that is so mild that the Scoville scale barely comes from zero. The fast Audi makes no apologies for its excessive lifestyle. An RS stands for hedonic speed experience and nothing else.
In addition to supercar performance and surprisingly fun cornering, the RS 6 also proves to be a real station wagon. It fits 565 liters in the back and adults are extremely spacious in the rear seat. Up front, it fits seamlessly into the current line-up of the Ingolstadt brand. Bizarrely well-finished, ultra-modern screens and a clinical, minimalist styling. The choice to accommodate everything in one touchscreen is not necessarily the best for ergonomics. On the other hand, the screens work super fast and are logically arranged.