“The RS 6 is the pinnacle of our RS offering and we know RS product is loved by New Zealanders. Almost 30% of our overall volume is made up of RS models, and we also sell the most RS product in the world per capita,” says Dean Sheed, General Manager of Audi New Zealand. We know this new performance model, with more power and technology than ever before, will be well received here.”
The new Audi RS 6 Avant performance will offer larger turbochargers and an increase in boost pressure for the 4.0-liter V8 biturbo TFSI engine. These increases allow for an additional 22 kW in engine power (463 kW in total) and 50 Nm more torque compared to the base version (850Nm in total). The performance models sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the RS 6 base version.
Yet less is sometimes more: reduced insulation between the engine compartment, interior, and the rear of the vehicle ensures the RS 6 Avant performance will thrill customers with an exciting next-level sound experience. This reduction in insulation makes the car 8 kgs lighter - 2,090 kg of total unladen weight.
The new RS 6 Avant performance rolls off the line on standard 22-inch lightweight wheels, alongside the standard 22-inch aluminium cast wheels – in burnished glossy metallic black, matte grey, matte black, or matte neodymium gold.
Inspired by motorsport, the airy 5-Y spoke design aids brake cooling and the lighter rims are manufactured in a high-tech forging-milling process. The new lightweight wheel is around five kgs lighter than the 22-inch aluminium wheel on the current RS 6 Avant which improves the throttle response.
New high-performance Continental “Sport Contact 7” tyres, which are part of the new lightweight wheel, play a key role in reducing weight. The tyre offers consistently better grip on both dry and wet roads and reduces understeering when cornering at speed. Additionally, the brake path is up to two meters shorter with the new wheels when braking from 100 to 0 km/h.
In the interior, the familiar RS design packages in grey and red have been expanded to include the colour blue. The steering wheel rim in Alcantra black features contrasting stitching in Mercato blue, whilst the floor mats, the side of the center console, and the selector lever cuff also come with blue contrasting stitching. The seat belts are full-surface ocean blue with decorative inlays in a carbon twill structure with optional blue accents.
The selector lever knob and the side of the center console are made with Dinamica microfiber, which consists of around 45% recycled PET fibres. The sports seats feature high-quality Valcona leather upholstery perforated with honeycomb stitching with contrasting stitching in Mercato blue. Another distinguishing feature is an entrance LED in the front doors that projects the lettering “RS performance” onto the ground.
Customers can order RS design packages in the three available colour variants with optional additional features: decorative inlays, door armrests, and centre armrests in Dinamica microfiber. An added benefit of this equipment variant is the seat centre panel with a grey, red, or blue inlay, whilst the customer’s chosen colour shows through the perforated sports seats.
The new RS 6 Avant performance is currently due to arrive in New Zealand in 2023. Final pricing and specifications will be released closer to the local launch. To register your interest and receive updates on this new model, please go to audi.co.nz.
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The Audi Group, with its brands Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini, is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the premium segment. It is present in more than 100 markets worldwide and produces at 16 locations in twelve countries. 100 percent subsidiaries of AUDI AG include Audi Sport GmbH (Neckarsulm), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy) and Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy).
In 2017, the Audi Group delivered to customers about 1.878 million automobiles of the Audi brand, 3,815 sports cars of the Lamborghini brand and 55,900 motorcycles of the Ducati brand. In the 2017 fiscal year, AUDI AG achieved total revenue of €60.1 billion and an operating profit of €5.1 billion. At present, approximately 90,000 people work for the company all over the world, more than 60,000 of them in Germany. Audi focuses on sustainable products and technologies for the future of mobility.