Audi RS 6 Avant

The RS 6 Avant has a modern and neatly laid-out cabin. Hard plastics are still widely used on the dashboard. But the textured matte finishing and carbon fiber accents give it a premium feel. Alcantara leather upholstery with RS embossing and stitched honeycomb patterns add to the cabin's sporty yet sophisticated atmosphere.

You get the same continuous air vents as Audi RS 4 Avant. There's a three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel with paddle switches for easy accessibility of selected features. But instead of just two digital displays, the dashboard has three. 

First is a 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit which displays the instrument cluster, power output, torque, acceleration, g-force, and tire pressure. The cockpit can also bring up the navigational display on the 10.1-inch infotainment system. Below the infotainment is a smaller 8.6-inch display with touchscreen controls for climate and various car features. 

The seats are soft and supportive. Heating and cooling options provide extra comfort. There's more than enough room at the back with its 565-litre cargo space. With the rear seats folded, you can increase it to 1,680-litre.

The front doors and the tailgate are similar to its sedan stablemate, the Audi A6 Avant. So is the roof. Except that on the station wagon, it falls flat at the middle to form a sharp rearward angle. 

Most of its design cues are taken from the Audi RS 7 Sportsback. Upfront is the same power dome hood, LED Matrix headlights, deep side air inlets, box-flared bumper, and single frame honeycomb grille in gloss black. 

It has a sleek side profile with roof rails, blistered wheel arches, and massive 21-inch wheels with sporty rims. A spoiler with a mounted stop lamp hangs from the edge of the roof. Also at the back is a gloss black diffuser, an RS-specific bumper, and dual exhaust pipes. 

Compared to the Audi RS 4 Avant, it's larger and has a more aggressive style fit for a super wagon.

Built-in air suspension suppresses most bumps, allowing the station wagon to cruise comfortably. Sadly, NVH insulation isn’t as refined, with the level of noise depending on the road surface.

The Quattro AWD system plus intelligent torque control allows it to handle corners and twisting roads. Shifting with the 8-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission is smooth and swift, though it comes with a price. The lack of feedback can leave you wondering when and how to react.

The Audi RS 6 Avant runs on a 4.0L twin-turbo TFSI V8 engine. The gas mill is assisted by a mild hybrid system. Together, they churn out 600 horsepower and 800 Nm of torque. The super wagon reaches top speeds of 280 kmph, or 305 kmph with the optional kit. It can blaze from 0 to 100 kmph in 3.6 secs. 

Cylinder cutouts on the gas engine save about 681 mL of gas for every 100 km. However, it doesn't help much with the overall fuel consumption which is estimated at 8.7 kmpl.

The default braking system is reliable enough to bring this full-sized wagon to a stop. The optional RS Dynamic Package replaces it with stronger ceramic brakes, but only because it’s needed for the increased speed limit that comes with the upgrade.

While the RS 6 Avant is equipped with basic safety and driver assistance like airbags, seatbelts, and adaptive cruise control, you’ll have to pay more to get the entire suite of active safety features.

The Audi RS 6 Avant is a true super wagon. It delivers power and practicality equally without any compromise. Unlike its smaller brother, it has an aggressive and classy design to match its performance.