On paper, the latest-generation Audi RS6 isn’t really that much more impressive than the model it replaces. However, that doesn’t really matter because, in the real world, it remains one of the most brutal performance estates on earth and has neck-snapping performance.
During a recent review of the car, AutoTopNL put it to the test with a series of acceleration and top speed runs along the German Autobahn. Off the line, the publication was able to launch to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a mere 3.47-seconds, a figure once reserved for class-leading supercars.
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It’s not just acceleration from a standstill that makes the Audi RS6 special, though. In-gear acceleration for the performance-focused estate is equally as impressive. At one point in the video, the driver changes down to third gear and pins the throttle from 80 km/h (49.7 mph). The estate pulls aggressively through fourth and fifth gears and roughly 10 seconds after setting off, crosses the 200 km/h (124 mph) mark and it continues to accelerate through to a GPS-verified top speed of 298 km/h (185 mph) without breaking a sweat.
Powering the latest RS6 is a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 pumping out 591 HP and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. All of this grunt is sent through an all-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rivals of Audi’s hyper estate include the likes of the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Wagon and Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. Both have more grunt than the Audi, but the design of the RS6 is impossible to ignore.