2021 Audi RS6 - Wild Luxury Avant

Thanks: S&S Motors
instagram.com/ssmotors/
Price: $110,045
Highs: Twin-turbo V-8 makes deliciously vicious sounds, more enthralling to drive than its numbers suggest, dramatic appearance.
Lows: Low fuel-economy ratings, lofty price tag, 190-mph top speed requires pricey carbon-ceramic brakes.
Verdict: The macho-looking RS6 Avant is the raucous-sounding, smile-inducing wagon that America was missing
What's New for 2021?
When we heard that Audi would bring its new RS6 Avant to America for the 2021 model year, we were understandably excited. Because there's a serious lack of station wagons in the States, especially one with the high-performance attributes of the RS6. Our first impressions of the super wagon proved that it was worth the wait.
There's only one model to choose from, but there's a host of fancy standard features and desirable options. Most paint colors cost extra, so we'd have ours sprayed in the pretty Navarra Blue metallic. We'd also select the Black Optic package that gives the wagon an even more sinister look and adds snazzier 22-inch wheels on summer performance tires. Those who want their Avant to reach 190 mph will have to shell out for the expensive carbon-ceramic front and rear brakes, but we'd save our money and then some for the Individual Contour Seating and Executive packages. Together they cover the cabin in extra leather, add massage functions to the front seats and heat for the rears, bring a head-up display, and add power soft-closing doors. Of course, our wagon needs the optional sport exhaust system to best voice its intoxicating engine sounds.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Audi endows the RS6 Avant with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, which generates 591 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. The powerplant combines with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that's found on other Audi products, such as the A8 luxury sedan and the Q8 crossover. The RS6 Avant feeds its standard Quattro all-wheel drive through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The combination helped rocket our 5031-pound test car to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds and complete the quarter-mile in 11.5 ticks at 120 mph. But those numbers don't accurately demonstrate the wagon's glorious ability to increase our heart rates and tingle our ear drums with its breakneck acceleration and badass soundtrack. Rolling on a set of 22-inch wheels with summer performance rubber and buoyed by a sport-tuned air suspension with adaptive dampers, our Tango Red RS6 Avant was able to deliver a relaxed or rollicking ride depending on the selected drive mode. The longroof Audi also felt extremely agile thanks to its four-wheel steering and torque-vectoring rear differential. Ours stopped from 70 mph in a tidy 160 feet, but that was with the standard brakes. A set of front and rear carbon-ceramic stoppers are available for a sizable sum, but the upgrade also unlocks a higher top speed of 190 mph.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA estimates the 2021 RS6 Avant will earn 15 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. Compare that with the 16-mpg city and 23 highway ratings for the 2020 E63 S wagon and the 18-mpg city and 23 highway ratings for the 2020 Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo. Once we can run the RS6 Avant on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, we can evaluate its real-world mpg.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Inside, the RS6 Avant showcases Audi's sophisticated interior design and cutting-edge technology. The driver faces a 12.3-inch fully digital gauge cluster, and the snazzy dashboard features a pair of large touchscreens between the front passengers. The rest of the cabin is covered in leather and accentuated with racy materials. The RS6 Avant also has a roster of upscale standard features that include heated and ventilated front seats, four-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, and wireless charging. The interior can be upgraded with a head-up display, massaging front seats, richer leather, and heated rear seats. The wagon has 30 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seats, too. A power rear liftgate is standard while a motion-activated one is optional.
Read More www.caranddriver.com/audi/rs6-avant
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