Model Overview
A supercar in the clothing of a family estate, the Audi RS6 began life in 2002, available as both a saloon and estate. Built to take on the Mercedes E55 AMG and BMW M5, this bi-turbo V8 sported something its rivals didn’t – Audi’s four-wheel drive party trick, Quattro. Culminating in the C5 RS6 Plus, a 999-unit limited release, the first-generation topped out at 473bhp, a true Autobhan rocket ship of its time.
The Audi RS6 was more widely recognised in its second-generation form – mostly thanks to it sharing the legendary 5.0-litre V10 with the Lamborghini Gallardo. Boasting 571 horsepower, this was Audi’s most powerful model at the time and is particularly desirable nowadays for its potential to tune power output up by as much as 50%.
Seen by many as the epitome of ‘cool,’ RS6s found homes on the likes of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo’s driveways, and in 2013 was relaunched as an all-new, Avant estate-only version with a more modest 4.0-litre, 553bhp V8 engine. True to Audi’s ‘Vorsprung Durch Technikthe’ C7 generation also included a cylinder-on-demand system which cut four out of the eight cylinders when driven sedately through town and cut all eight at the traffic lights. The Audi RS6 remains the ultimate choice for family driving-enthusiasts, and a used Audi RS6’s price combined with its class-leading economy and performance indicate how it has been so successful.
2019 saw the launch of a brand-new Audi RS6, featuring a twin-turbo V8 engine paired with a mild-hybrid electric drivetrain. The latest Audi RS6 nudges 600 horsepower and 0-62mph takes just 3.6 seconds, while intelligent air suspension shared with the Lamborghini Urus keeps the kids and the dogs comfortable in the corners.