Pricing and specifications have been revealed by Audi Australia on the brand’s high performance wagon, the RS4 Avant. On sale now, the fast A4 derivative from Audi Sport (previously Quattro GmbH) will set you back $152,900 before on-road costs, which is a little under $2,000 dearer than the car it replaces.
To make up for this price uptick, Audi promises that the RS4 will be mostly free of optional extras and, delightfully, very well equipped from the outset compared to its predecessor. Despite this, the Ingolstadt super wagon is still less expensive than its closest rival, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Estate.
Notably, this B9-generation RS4 ditches the 4.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 in favour of a newly developed 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6, the same already seen in the RS5 Coupe. It’s a bit of a return to roots as the original RS4 (B5) from 1999 used a similar powertrain: a. 2.7-litre bi-turbo V6.
The 2018 car develops 331kW and, most encouragingly, a much heartier 600Nm of torque from as little as 1,900rpm and sustained to 5000rpm. Naturally, this is relayed to the road using Audi’s famous quattro all-wheel drive system, but prior to that is funnelled through an 8-speed torque converter automatic - a departure from the S tronic dual-clutch transmissions used before.
All that translates to a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 4.1 seconds (a 0.6 second improvement) while being efficient enough to boast an 8.9-litres/100km claimed consumption figure on the combined cycle. Not that far off from a ho-hum family sedan, if you keep your right foot calm.
Standard feature highlights include 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, electrically adjustable and massaging RS Sports Seats in pleated Nappa Leather, Dynamic Ride adaptive dampers, RS Sports Exhaust, ambient cabin lighting, Audi Virtual Cockpit, and a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo.
Additionally, there’s Active Cruise Control, AEB, rear-cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, all-round parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, and lane keep assist. There’s also a panoramic sunroof fitted as standard, though this can be removed upon request.
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