Audi RS6 Avant - Baggage Handler (Part 2)

The noise? The V8 rumble that’s crisp and delicate at low revs becomes a louder bark, and as the boost builds the two turbos overlay a filthy urgent roar like there’s a couple of Renault sport Meganes under the bonnet. And the big oval exhausts emit loud staccato cracks of automatic weapons fire when the V8   inevitably bangs hard up against the redline.

The top speed? Up to your wallet: the RS6 is limited to 250kph, but that can be increased to 278kph with the optional Dynamic Package. Or 302kph with the optional Dynamic Plus Package.

Honeycomb seating likely to be as sticky as actual honeycomb after ingress of nippers

Enough of the straights. The donor A6’s aluminum-intensive construction means it weighs around 15% less than if it were built from steel, so the lightweight bonnet, front wings, doors and bootlid help the new RS6 tip the scales at 90kg less than the old RS6. And with the smaller and lighter engine, Quattro r&d boss Stephan Reil says 70kg of that saving comes over the front axle. An M5 is another 65kg lighter, but considering the RS6 is carrying four-wheel drive, and the Avant body shell comes with a 55kg penalty, it’s hardly a Heffer. Only when you make sudden mid-corner adjustments can you really detect how far forward the engine sits, but otherwise the wider front track and wide 285/30 ZR21 Pirelli P-Zeros let you lean hard and long on the strong and stable nose.

And then the four-wheel drive system (normally split 40:60 front-to-rear, but able to send 70% of the torque to the front wheels, or 85% to the back axle) means you don’t have to modulate the throttle out of corners like you do in the M5 or E63. On the (surprisingly poorly surfaced) country roads that wind through the hills north of Audi’s Ingolstadt HQ, you can drive the RS6 like a big front-wheel drive hot hatch and not worry too much about what the rear end might do if you’re too keenly on the power.

four-wheel drive system (normally split 40:60 front-to-rear, but able to send 70% of the torque to the front wheels, or 85% to the back axle)

Just make sure you set up the RS6 correctly before setting of: Audi’s Drive Select system is standard (it lets you toggle between Comfort, Auto and Dynamic modes, or configure your own preferences via the Individual setting) but you need to delve into a few sub-menus to make the changes.

Our choice? Pick Individual, don’t fret over settings for the seatbelt tensioners, cornering lights and adaptive cruise control, but stick the exhaust in Dynamic (it’s still hushed on part-throttle) and do the same with the rear diff, because unless you’re on a track (and who takes the family estate onto a race circuit?) you won’t notice any difference. Dynamic for the engine/gearbox combo? Only if you can put up with a throttle that’s abrupt to the point of being jerky – we’d go with Comfort and stick the eight-speed auto in Manual, or Sport for more aggressive automated shifts.

Small war in your immediate vicinity? No, just the 412kW V8 getting better acquainted with a 6600rpm redline

All done? Not yet, because our car has the optional Dynamic Steering and Dynamic Ride Control, the latter ditching the air suspension for steel springs and three-stage dampers hydraulically connected to reduce body roll. We’d leave both in Comfort: the Dynamic setting for the steering adds too much weight without any extra feel, and even on smooth German roads the DRC dampers are too stiff in Dynamic. Test drive an RS6 without either option before you buy.

Which leaves us little room to mention the boot (big) or the high-speed refinement (excellent) or the cabin (peerless Audi quality mixed with special touches like diamond- quilted RS seats) or that you don’t have to have ‘quattro’ emblazoned across the grille (though there’s been strong uptake in China for the LED version).

Verdict? The RS6 has ditched some foibles (V10-inspired understeer) but retained the better facets (peerless traction and grip) and become a more overt entertainer (awesome noise). It’s almost enough to make you want to start a family.

As for whether it’s better than the M5, we’ll answer that soon…