The RS6 Was Avant-Only for 15 Years. Audi Is Fixing That

Audi is preparing to battle the BMW M5 head-on as the RS6 sedan is about to make its triumphant return. The last two generations were Avant-only, leaving anyone who prefers a traditional four-door out in the cold. You have to go all the way back to the C7 era to find the previous RS6 sedan, which exited stage left in 2011.

That’s about to change as a hardcore prototype was recently spotted near the Nürburgring and it certainly means business. You can tell this with one look as the model has a unique diamond mesh grille and huge air intakes. They’re joined by a splitter as well as familiar headlights.

More: After 15 Years, Audi’s Finally Making An RS6 Sedan Again

Designers didn’t stop there as the model has been outfitted with vertical front fender vents as well as sportier side skirts. They’re joined by sizable wheels and a high-performance braking system with ventilated discs.

A massive dual exhaust system defines the rear end and instantly identifies this as an RS variant. We can also see a new spoiler as well as a sportier bumper.

Spy photographers haven’t gotten a good look inside yet, but we can expect screens to be front and center as the regular model has an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.5-inch infotainment system, and an available 10.9-inch front passenger display. They’ll likely be joined by a flat-bottom steering wheel, carbon fiber trim, leather sport seats, and Alcantara or Dinamica microfiber upholstery.

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The biggest question is the powertrain and the lack of an ICE-powered S6 certainly doesn’t help us put the pieces together. That being said, the company recently introduced the RS5 and it provides some possible hints at what to expect.

The high-performance model has a plug-in hybrid powertrain that consists of a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 engine, a 25.9 kWh battery pack, and an eight-speed automatic transmission with an integrated electric motor. This gives the RS5 a combined output of 630 hp (470 kW / 639 PS) and 608 lb-ft (825 Nm) of torque.

Those healthy numbers enable the car to rocket from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.6 seconds and onto a top speed of up to 177 mph (285 km/h). Drivers can also travel up to 52 miles (84 km) on electricity alone.

Audi RS5

Quattro all-wheel drive is obviously part of the package, but the RS5 introduced a new electromechanical torque vectoring system. Audi is particularly proud of this and has previously described it as an “invisible maestro conducting an orchestra of performance and making sure customers experience driving fun and safety like never before.” We wouldn’t be surprised to see the system carryover to the RS6 and it will presumably be joined by unique axles, a sport-tuned suspension, and a revised steering setup.

Of course, the RS6 will be more powerful than the RS5. How much more remains a key question, but rumors have suggested an output of around 720 hp (537 kW / 730 PS). However, those reports suggested the car will use a plug-in hybrid system with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, so only time will tell.

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