Following an image leak late last night, Audi has officially unveiled the 2014 RS6 Avant.
Described as a "high-performance sports car for everyday use", the all-new RS6 features a unique body kit which includes an aggressive front bumper, a plastic mesh grille with "quattro" badging and large air intakes. There's also a tailgate-mounted spoiler, an air diffuser that is integrated into the rear bumper, a dual exhaust system and 20-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels.
Inside, the cabin has also been upgraded and comes with premium materials and high-end accents. Notable highlights include sporty bucket seats, a Lamborghini-esque flat-bottomed steering wheel, illuminated sill plates and an MMI navigation plus infotainment system. Customers can also receive a head-up display and a 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system.
Power comes from a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine with 560 hp (between 5,700 rpm and 6,700 rpm) and a constant 700 Nm of torque (between 1,750 rpm and 5,500 rpm). It is linked to an eight-speed tiptronic transmission and a quattro permanent all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring. This allows the high-performance sports car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 250 km/h, 280 km/h with the optional Dynamic package and 305 km/h with the optional Dynamic plus package.
In terms of efficiency, the wagon is equipped with start/stop technology and a cylinder-on-demand system. This enables the car to reduce fuel consumption by around 40 percent over its predecessor at 9.8-liter per 100 km (24 mpg US) on the combined cycle.
In particular, the RS6 Avant will be the first RS model in Audi’s lineup that will come standard with a specially-developed adaptive air suspension with a 20mm reduced ride height. The German carmaker also offers high-performance brakes, carbon ceramic brakes and an optional sport suspension with steel springs and three-way adjustable shock absorbers. There's also an electronic stabilization control (ESC) with a Sport mode which can be deactivated entirely.
The 2014 Audi RS6 Avant will go on sale in Europe next summer, with pricing to be announced closer to its actual launch date.
