The Audi RS 6: Astonishingly Powerful
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The Audi RS 6 — a limited production powerhouse from the company that built its name on performance — is unquestionably the perfect synthesis of extraordinary power, practicality and poise. The company’s most powerful model to date, the RS 6 features an engine producing an amazing 450 horsepower at 6,500 revolutions per minute, making it a world-class luxury sedan with the heart of a sports car. Tuned by quattro GmbH, the high-performance arm of Audi AG and well known for the remarkable RS 4 model sold exclusively in Europe, the RS 6 is the first vehicle quattro GmbH has produced for the North American market. At the heart of this amazing vehicle is its incredible engine, inspired by the powerplant of Audi’s victorious Le Mans-winning R8 racing car. Such lineage makes the sleek RS 6 among the fastest five-passenger sport sedans ever to enter the U.S. market, with a 0-60 mile-per-hour time of just 4.6 seconds. The history of this remarkable eight-cylinder powerhouse can be traced back to the mid 1930s when its ancestors powered the Horch models that preceded modern day Audis. The RS 6 4.2-liter V8 produces an incredible 415 lbs. ft. of available torque across a wide range of 1,950-5,600 rpm; top speed is electronically governed at 155 mph. The V8 engine has twin turbochargers, one for each cylinder bank, to provide increased low-end torque, more power at the upper end and overall improved engine response. Engine architecture includes power-producing 90-degree cylinder banks, a lightweight aluminum block and five valves per cylinder — two of which are sodium-cooled for maximum valve temperature control — that help feed and ventilate the cylinders faster, producing more torque and power with less fuel consumption and lower emissions. Light alloy cylinder heads, dual overhead camshafts with variable intake and exhaust camshaft adjustment, roller cam followers and a direct ignition system enhance the overall engine package. Electronically controlled waste gates and twin intercoolers optimize engine performance. An intercooler mated with each cylinder bank prevents loss of turbo pressure while cooling the intake air. This force-fed, temperature-optimized “breathing” results in minimal turbo lag and peak engine performance. The Motronic® adaptive engine management system controls boost pressure, knock and exhaust-gas temperature for enhanced engine performance and efficiency. The optimized dual-branch exhaust system with middle and rear mufflers, larger pipe sections and metal-base catalytic converters adds to performance and sound. To save weight, the upper section of the air cleaner is made from a carbon fiber composite. A carbon-fiber cover over the front section of the engine adds to the striking underhood appearance. |