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After driving and evaluating Audi’s RS6 Avant I’m left overwhelmed and positively infatuated.

Menacing to look at, in fact, it’s just darn right evil. I love it! If Darth Vader had a car and was responsible for dropping his kids, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, at school this would be it. No doubt they would be the cool kids. Picture this: Darth pulls up to the private schools drop off point, the other kids watching and listening as the RS6’s door thuds closed. Luke and Leia step away as Daddy Vader floors the accelerator pedal. The sound of the 4.0l V8 turbocharged engine snarls from its two large oval exhaust. Luke and Leia walk away, they look back, at the other kids with a smirk on their faces as father Vader accelerates his Mythos Black RS6 Avant with rapid pace into the distance.

Excuse my vivid imagination – I blame this momentary side story on the car!

If it is perfect for Darth, it must be perfect for you? Right?  The RS6 Avant is all the car you’d ever need – it has presence, it’s powerful, refined, luxurious, comfortable, incredibly dynamic, it offers sheer driving exhilaration and cavernous levels of interior and storage space (565 litres of luggage capacity in standard configuration, which increases to a massive 1680 litres with the rear seats folded down).

What more could one ask for?

Being an RS means it’s a “RennSport”. Translated, Racing Sport – this is what defines Audi’s RS range of vehicles. These are the ultimate in the Audi’s hierarchy of cars. That means Audi’s already fantastic product assortment is honed and perfected into the ultimate example of itself.

The RS6 Avant is essentially a wagon version of the executive sedan, the A6. Fitted with Audi superior all-grip traction system, quattro. This all-wheel drive geometry allows the mammoth 412kW of power to be planted perfectly onto the road. The RS6 is fitted with a superb engine. It is a monster. Able to churn out an eye-popping 700 Nm of torque. To put it in layman’s terms, it’s like being flung around by the Big Friendly Giant. It’s as quick as Mercedes-Benz’s newest supercar, their AMG GT that has less power from the same sized engine at 350kW or 375kW for the GT S version and the same as a Ferrari California. That should give you an idea of just how powerful this wagon is. If it doesn’t, here are some figures that will – 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 305 km/h.

Power is one thing, delivery altogether another. The RS6 is mated to my favourite 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox – it is divine – seamless, flawless and perfected. You know what I think about the quattro system – it’s the best way to put that much power on the road through all four massive 21-inch wheels. It makes less experienced drivers feel safe. I love it.

Cleverly, the RS6 is also fitted with air suspension, like you’d find on an S-Class or full body Range Rover. What that means is despite being fast and furious it also floats over crappy road surfaces like an S-Class. The combined sensation of Ferrari like power mixed with an S-Class ride and fool proof dynamics is astonishing. Flicking through Audi’s Driver Select system allows for either Comfort, Dynamic or an Individual setting. These are real settings which allow for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde character traits respectively.

Better than any SUV I’ve driven and with loads more road presence. South Africans are traditionally fond of wagons but not all wagons are created equal – this is the ultimate wagon – it is so good I’d consider selling a kidney for one.

Pro’s

Styling

Accommodation

Outstanding performance

Dynamic drive

Comfortable

Quiet

Better than any SUV

Better than most sports cars

Con’s

Not cheap

Thirsty fuel consumption. Audi claims 9.8 l/100 km. I got figures closer to 18L/100 km – granted it was urban driving and I was enjoying the cars exhilarating power.

Warranty and Service

The Audi RS6 Avant will be priced as per below, inclusive of VAT and the standard Audi Freeway Plan (5 year/100 000km), also available to be extended to 6 years/200 000km.

Pricing

Audi RS6 Avant 4.0T FSI quattro tiptronic: R 1,465,000  

www.audi.co.za/za