America's Wait for the Audi RS6 Avant Will Soon be Over
For the first time, Audi is bringing its coveted and beloved RS6 Avant to the U.S. market. With upgraded performance, aggressive yet elegant styling, and advanced technology, the latest Audi wagon is bound to attract luxury buyers away from the saturated crossover and SUV segment.
Hot Wagon Made Hotter
After many, many years of drooling from afar, the U.S. market is finally getting its chance to experience the coveted Audi RS 6 Avant. Coincidentally, the introduction of the new RS 6 Avant helps Audi celebrate 25 years of the RS brand. For those that have longed for this forbidden fruit, Audi has stepped up the hot wagon market with this all-new 2020 model.
Photos courtesy of Audi
RS 2
Audi's first "RS" vehicle, the RS 2 Avant, launched in 1994. Codeveloped by Audi and Porsche, the RS 2 shared many visual elements with its Porsche brethren such as the horizontal reflector on the hatch. Powered by a 2.2-liter inline 5-cylinder turbocharged motor with 311 horsepower, Audi's OG performance wagon moved from 0 to 60 in 5.3 seconds with a top speed of 163 mph.
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Market Watch
It's actually a great time for Audi to be bringing the RS6 Avant to the US. In a report published by Bloomberg earlier this year, it was shown that wagon sales were up 29 percent from 2013 to 2018, according to new data from Edmunds.com. Although wagon sales account for less than two percent of the US auto market according to the same data, the increasing number of wagon models being introduced may allow the segment to continue its growth as buyers seek alternatives to crossovers and traditional SUVs.
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Big Motor, Big Numbers
Under the hood, the RS 6 Avant is powered by Audi's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. The updated TFSI motor, introduced on the new 2019 Audi S8, features a 48-volt mild hybrid system that enhances the automatic stop/start system for improved efficiency. Additionally, cylinder deactivation comes standard. In total, the motor produces 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque.
Since the '94 RS 2, the RS wagon line has seen a whopping 280 hp increase (or 90%) in its 25-year history. Motivating this wagon is an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission with optimized shift times and new launch control function to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive. Audi reports that the RS 6 Avant sprints from 0-100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.6 seconds and achieves a top track speed of 250 km/h (155.3 mph).
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Athletic Stature
Looking on the outside, the RS 6 takes on a more aggressive look than its A6 counterpart. Overall, the car is wider thanks to its flared fenders. Its low-slung body hugs the road beneath. The sharp lines that move from the front fascia and through its elongated hood on back to the dual exhaust tips give this hot wagon an edgy, yet elegant, appearance.
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vs. the Competition
Compared with its main competitor, the Mercedes AMG E63 S, the RS 6 Avant has a little less horsepower and torque, but for what it lacks in performance, it most certainly makes up for in its more robust appearance and tech package.
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Edgy on the Outside, Beautiful on the Inside
Looking inside, the new RS 6 Avant features a very well-appointed interior. Complete with Audi's Virtual Cockpit and MMI touch response system, the digital gauges and screens are well accented by premium materials throughout the cabin. The honey-comb patterned tan leather sport seats seen above are bolstered to keep drivers and passengers snug through corners.
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Adaptive Air Suspension
When the RS 2 launched, it featured Porsche designed braking with Brembo four-piston calipers and 1.6 inches lower ride height. Lowered suspension and Brembos have been apart of the RS Avant package for several generations. As part of the 2020 RS 6 Avant's performance package, adaptive air suspension with controlled damping will come standard as a first for the brand.
The latest RS 6 Avant's quattro sport differential enhances cornering agility by actively splitting torque between each of the rear wheels, with the ability to direct nearly all torque to one wheel.
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2020
When the Audi RS 6 Avant goes on sale in 2020, U.S. wagon enthusiasts will get to see what the European market has gushed about for decades. Audi has pulled out all the stops on preparing this iteration of the RS 6 Avant to make its grand entrance in the U.S. market. Its styling, power, and tech will make it an avid competitor in the growing, yet still minor, wagon market. Audi hasn't released price figures just yet, but for context, the current 2019 Mercedes E 63 S starts at $108,850.
>>Join the conversation about the RS6 coming to the US right here in AudiWorld Forum.
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