New Audi RS6 - It's LESS powerful than it's predecessor. Excuse me Audi, but are you alright?

New 2013 Audi RS6. Take note of the 'quattro' embedded in the grill. Nice. 

What is it with fast Audi’s and looking utterly magnificent? Think about it, the R8, RS5, and RS4 all look pretty damn attractive. I think it might have something to do with the big oval exhaust treatment that is given to the standard cars in order to turn them into screaming track monsters. Now obviously Audi does do a little more than put fancy exhausts on the standard cars to create the RS models, the last RS6 for example had a Lamborghini V10, which is good. They also strapped two turbo’s to it, which is, er, also very good. This factoid was something that RS6 owners – being Audi people – did like to gloat about. 

What a lovely bottom you have there Audi. Exhausts! Dayum! 

Anyways, fancy exhausts aside, the new RS6 that you see here, is a bit of a disappointment if you are one of those people who like to gloat about their twin turbo Lamborghini engined Audi, primarily because the V10 has been ditched for a twin turbo V8 – something to do with global warming and penguins, probably. But this would be ok if the V8 produced more power than the old V10, like how BMW made their twin turbo V8 M5 more powerful than the old V10 one. Except it doesn’t produce more power. The new 4.0 litre V8, also seen in the Bentley Continental GT, and the Audi S8, produces 552hp in the RS6, which no matter how you look at it, is less than the 572hp produced by the old car.

Naturally however, the new RS6 is quite a bit faster than its predecessor, which is good. The 0-100kph sprint takes just 3.9 seconds, 0.7 of a second less than the old RS6. That is unbelievably fast for a behemoth estate car like this, it’ll trouble most sports cars, and even some supercars – think V10 Lamborghini Gallardo. The key to this face altering acceleration comes down to the RS6’s new eight-speed tiptronic gearbox and all-wheel-drive system. The new car also weighs significantly less than its predecessor thanks to the much lighter V8 engine and extensive use of aluminium in the body panels, this amounts to a 100kg weight saving over the last RS6. That’s about six cubic feet of cheese – that’s a lot of weight, and cheese. Top speed is limited to either 155mph, 174mph or 189mph, depending on how much money you spend on the ‘dynamic pack’.   

As with all fast Audi’s you do get all wheel drive, and the RS6 uses the same system as the RS5 – which is a bit shite if we’re honest – so you get a self locking centre differential, and an electronic sport differential at the back. And if the engine is located in the same position that it is in the S6 –infront of the front wheels – then this big wagon will probably understeer like a maniacal, window licking mad man. This isn’t good.

Lots of black. Lots of carbon fiber. Lots of nice quilted leather.

Luckily you’ll be able to stop before you hit a tree though, because the RS6 has enormous brakes. It comes standard with 390mm discs up front, or if you are a bit silly, you can pay lots of money to have even bigger 420mm carbon ceramic discs. You get a bangn’ stereo, lots of RS badges (these are important), lots of cheesy carbon fibre, lots of sensors, and lots of acronyms to stop you from driving you’re expensive Audi into a hedge. There’s also a trick exhaust – which is oval shaped, thank goodness – that comes with switchable flaps to deliver a “full throated sound” in Audi speak or a whisper quiet hum. But who wants a noiseless V8? You also get a raft of fuel saving devices such as cylinder deactivation and start-stop tech to deliver around 28mpg. Not bad. 

Expect it to go on sale late 2013 at around the same price as the brilliant BMW M5. The Audi RS6 sure does have some tough competition. But just look at those LED’s, silvery bits, and oval exhausts.. Maybe, just maybe.. 

Yep, there it is again.. Somebodies good with a pencil.. 

Follow me on Twitter HERE for the latest car news and updates on what I'm doing!