Audi RS 6 Avant and RS 7 Sportback Performance Duo Confirmed for SA
Station wagons aren’t dead, well, at least at Audi. As much as South Africans don’t like station wagons, we at TopGear South Africa love them. Hence, we can’t stop pondering the idea of the BMW M3/M5 Touring and Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance Estate Wagon.
At least, for now, Audi still has faith in the segment if the introduction of the RS 6 Avant Performance and RS 7 Sportback Performance models are any indication.
Already available to order from the Audi SA dealer network, the performance duo will be the only models on sale in Mzansi, packing a significant boost in power and torque, chassis upgrades and visual tweaks.
Same At Heart But Different
Both the RS 6 Avant and RS 7 Sportback Performance models use a 4.0-litre V8 Bi-Turbo TFSI engine that spurts out 463kW and 850Nm courtesy of larger turbochargers that channels better boost. For comparison, that’s 22kW and 50Nm more than the regular variants.
The increase in power shaves 0.2 secs off the predecessors’ time, allowing for a 3.4-second sprint to 100km/h while shifting through a standard 8-speed tiptronic that sends power to all-fours via the Quattro system.
Audi says it has tweaked the self-locking differential by making it lighter and more compact for more precise cornering prowess and less understeering.
Aesthetically Pleasing
The new RS 6 Avant and RS 7 Sportback Performance models come in 16 different exterior colours, including metallic, matte Ascari Blue, and matte Dew Silver, for the first time. Buyers can have the Audi rings and the model name painted in chrome or a black hue.
They both come with standard RS exterior components finished in matte grey, such as the outside mirrors, front spoiler, front side flaps, side sill inserts, roof rails, trim on the side windows and rear diffuser.
As standard, the RS 6 Avant and RS 7 Sportback Performance ride on a set of lightweight 22-inch matte titanium grey, diamond-turned wheels with further customisable colour schemes that include burnished glossy metallic black, matte black, or matte neodymium gold, depending on your taste.
These are wrapped in new high-performance Continental ‘Sport Contact 7s’ tyres, measuring 285/30, which Audi says provides better grip in both dry and wet conditions.
Revamped Interior
The interior of the car has been updated to feature the blue colour as part of the RS design packages. The steering wheel rim is now black Alcantara with contrasting stitching in Mercato blue.
The floor mats, the sides of the centre console, and the selector lever cuff feature contrasting blue stitching. There is a standard 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit which sees the addition of a blinking shift indicator when in manual mode.
SA-Bound Pair
Priced at R2,332,700 for the RS 6 Avant Performance and R2,444,500 for the RS 7 Sportback Performance, they both promise to deliver where speed and comfort are required while being more agile and involving than before.
The pricing includes an optional 5-year/100,000km Audi Freeway Plan.
