Audi RS6 Avant

RINGING IN THE CHANGES
Audi RS6 AvantAudi RS6 Avant
Audi RS6 Avant

Engine: Twin-turbocharged 5-litre V10

Power: 572bhp and 479lb.ft.

Performance: 0 to 62mph in 4.6 seconds and 155mph (restricted)

Fuel Economy: 20.2mpg (combined)

CO2 Emissions: 333g/km

Price: £77,730

Tom Sharpe samples Audi's credit crunch-busting TT coupe...and experiences an ultimate hit of acceleration.

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WITH everyone telling us that we'll all soon be penniless, living on the streets, with food aid delivered by wealthy southern chefs being our only reprieve driving for pleasure sits ever lower on the agenda.

But for those of us that still count driving among the releases that keep us sane, however, a more pragmatic approach must be taken.

Thankfully, at a recent Audi test day, I discovered that bosses at the renowned German manufacturer feel exactly the same way...

While 2008 has seen Audi attempting to deliver environmentally and wallet-friendly thrills with their 50mpg TT TDI they are still pulling out all the stops to reach the pinnacle of performance driving in other areas...with the stunning R8 sitting atop the super coupe parade and the utterly bonkers 572bhp RS6 Avant the most powerful estate car ever produced.

First the TT.

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It was always going to be unusual hearing Audi's 168hp two-litre TDI reverberating from the chic little TT, like Bryan Adams covering a helium-inspired Justin Timberlake hit, but what matters to buyers intrigued by its fuel (and tax) savings is how much more sportiness has been lost.

At £26,350 the TDI costs £1,140 more than the 2-litre petrol TT but offers 16 more miles-per-gallon and a 50g/km saving on CO2 emissions means a £90 cut in road tax.

Behind the wheel, however, this TT feels as much about performance as ever.

Audi Magnetic Ride (£1,150) and a short-shift gearbox (£150) ensure that it has the hardware and–thanks to the TDI's 258lb. ft. of torque–Quattro four-wheel-drive has been retained.

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The TDI pulls from low revs and Audi's claimed 0 to 62mph acceleration time of 7.7 seconds never seems in doubt.

Through the corners things are sure-footed but despite the 40:60/front:rear power split the TDI leans more towards understeer than its similarly Quattro-equipped 3.6-litre V6 stablemate.

A narrower power band also limits ultimate adjustability but the TDI still exits corners with aplomb, riding a rich wave of torque.

Tackling a one-in-six incline (broken by two switchbacks) on our test route the TDI's torque demonstrates that, in terms of cross-country ability at least, it has lost little in terms of cross-country pace. All four tyres dig in and fire me up the hill...

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"Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!" A couple of hours later Audi's epic RS6 Avant, a car which seems to have forgotten we are living in an age of restraint, packs a mind scrambling hit along the same stretch.

As a dramatic glut of acceleration pins me to the seat the air inside the plush RS6 matches the Sepang Blue paintwork outside.

A five-litre V10 twin-turbo delivering a slightly absurd 572hp and 479lb. ft. of torque means that, despite its family-sized scale and 2,655kg gross weight, the RS6 boasts the same power-to-weight ratio as a Ferrari 550 Maranello.

Each time its six-speed tiptronic gearbox kicks down I feel as though I'm embarking on an Apollo space mission as, with the help of a similar Quattro system to the TT, the near-five-metre-long estate launches towards the horizon. The one-in-six incline is ironed flat before I can catch my breath.

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Audi's claimed 0 to 62mph time is 4.6 seconds despite the fact that, from a standstill, electronics meter out the V10's thrust (I have no doubt that it could light up all four wheels with ease). In-gear the RS6 is truly staggering.

Through corners it's similarly surreal. Sitting higher than I might normally, and aware of the car's scale, it's worryingly easy to cover ground at warp-nine.

Grip levels seem almost unimpeachable and the instant nature of the power delivery makes keeping within the realms of the law my only concern.

Even if you can afford to spend £77,730 on a basic RS6 at the moment (and put up with the running costs incurred by 333g/km CO2 emissions and 20 miles-per-gallon) I don't suppose you can afford to lose your licence.

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As Audi make genuine efforts to placate the environmentally-friendly demands being placed on car manufacturers, as a car fanatic, I can't help being impressed by the RS6.

The TT TDI is a timely addition to their range but the ballistic estate car could prove the last of a dying breed, the ultimate, an instant classic...

Now all Audi have to do is sell them.

**** (out of five)

 

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