Auto Express – August 20, 2019

16 SpecialIssue http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

NEWS AudiRS6Avant

Av

ar

va

rii

Porsche designer mulls Range Rover rival

AUDIiscelebratingits25thanniversary

ofbuildinghigh-performanceestate

carsbylaunchingthenewRS6Avant.

Therange-toppingAudiperformance

estatecarwillmakeitsworlddebutatthe

FrankfurtMotorShownextmonth.Whilein

previousyearstheS6andRS6Avantshave

sharedengines,thelatestmodelsbreak

withthattradition.TheS6nowpacksa

344bhp3.0-litremild-hybriddieselengine

buttheRS6usesoneofAudiSport’s

4.0-litretwin-turboV8petrolmotors.

Equippedwithaneight-speedautomatic

gearboxandAudi’squattroall-wheel-drive

system,the592bhpV8wagoncangetfrom

0-62mphin3.6seconds.Maximumtorque

standsat800Nm–availablebetween

2,100and4,500rpm–whilethetopspeed

islimitedto155mph.Youcanraisethis

figurewithoneoftwoperformancepacks;

theDynamicPackageliftsitto174mph,

whiletheDynamicPackagePluswilltake

thefive-seaterestateto190mph.

Asusual,theRS6getsafullsuiteof

modesintheAudiDriveSelectsystem,

whichchangesparameterssuchasthrottle

andengineresponse,buttherearealsotwo

newmodes.RS1tunesthesteering,engine,

suspensionandthedifferentialformore

enthusiasticdriving,whileRS2turnsoff

theESC.Goforthe(again,optional)sports

exhaustsystemandtheRSmodesalso

changehowtheRS6sounds.

Airsuspensionisfittedasstandardon

thenewRS6butitcanbeupgradedtothe

RSSportSuspensionPluspack,whichuses

steelspringsandthree-stageadjustable

dampers.Four-wheelsteeringisanother

featureontheextensiveoptionslist.

TheRS6’sbodyis40mmwiderthana

regularA6’s,anditsblisteredarchescover

standard-fit21-inchalloywheels.Upfront,

thenewmodelditchesthestandardA

Avant’sheadlightsandinsteadpoachesthe

slimmeronesfoundontheA7.There’salso

●Prices startat£85,

●592bhp,800Nm V8 engine

“Equipped with an eight-speed autoand Audi’s quattro

all-wheel drive, it can get from 0-62mph in 3.6seconds“

STYLING

Audi’s hot

estateuses

the A7’sslim

headlights, a

restyled front

bumper and

grille, and gets

abonnet with

power bulge

FLAGSHIP

How we think the

new X7 and GLS

rival could look

anewwiderandflattergrille,afrontbumper

withmassiveairintakes,andanewbonnet.

ApairofNappaleatherandAlcantara

sportsseatsdominatethefrontcabinand

thesteeringwheelgetsaluminumpaddles.

TheRS6willgoonsaleintheUKearly

nextyear,pricedfromaround£85,

–althoughthelengthyoptionslistmeans

thatfigurecanrisenorthof£100k.

OFFICIAL

RS 6marksAudi’s hot-est

PORSCHEwillcontinuetodevelopitsSUVrange

andcouldproduceapossiblerivaltotheubiquitous

RangeRover,AutoExpresscanreveal.

Suchaflagshipwouldbuildonthesuccessofthe

MacanandCayenne,offeringmorespaceandmore

luxurythanitsstablemates,butwithsimilarlevelsof

dynamicprowess.ChiefdesignerMichaelMauertold

usthatalargerPorscheSUVisfeasible,providingit

doesn’tdilutethebrand’ssportscarDNA.

Mauerconcededhe’dbewatchingthesalesofthe

newBMWX7andMercedesGLSclosely.Hesaid,“So

longasitsticksto[Porsche’s]principles,thereisno

reasonwhywecan’tlookatothermodels.”

ButhesaidPorsche’stakeontheflagshipformula

mightlookalittledifferent–potentiallywithamore

aggressiveroofline(previewedinourexclusiveimage)to

keepthecentreofgravitylowerdown.“Therewouldhave

EXCLUSIVEIMAGE tobecompromisesinsizeandpackaging,”hetoldus.

JamesBatchelor

[email protected]

@JRRBatchelor