Audi has introduced the RS6 Avant GT as their latest special edition and the “pinnacle of the model series.”
If it looks familiar, it should as the wagon draws inspiration from the 2020 RS6 GTO concept. That particular car was created by twelve apprentices and was inspired by the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO race car from 1989.
That lineage is easy to spot as the special edition has a blacked out grille and bumper to make the car look lower and wider. This effort is aided by a pronounced splitter, which commands attention in red.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg as the model sports a unique carbon fiber hood with exposed accents. The front fenders are also made of carbon and feature vents that “reduce air pressure in the wheel arch and improve brake cooling.”
Sticking with the performance theme, the wagon has been equipped with a motorsport-inspired double wing that was “taken almost 1:1 from the apprentices’ concept car.” The roof rails have also been removed for a “flatter, sportier silhouette,” while a massive diffuser with a vertical reflector helps to emphasize the car’s width.
Elsewhere, designers installed carbon fiber mirrors and glossy carbon fiber accents. They’re joined by colored badges and special 22-inch wheels, which are available in white. Speaking of colors, the model sports eye-catching graphics as well as an Arkona White, Nardo Gray, Chronos Gray Metallic, Madeira Brown Metallic, or Mythos Black Metallic paint job.
Splashes of color continue inside as the black cabin is contrasted by red and copper accents. However, the real highlights are heavily bolstered seats that have “RS6 GT” embroidery as well as honeycomb center sections.
Buyers will also find crimson red seat belts, special floor mats, and an individually numbered accent on the center console. Dinamica microfiber trim comes standard, but customers can also get open-pore carbon with a twill structure.
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On the performance front, the wagon has a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 developing 621 hp (463 kW / 630 PS) and 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) of torque. That’s 30 hp (22 kW / 30 PS) and 37 lb-ft (50 Nm) more than the standard model.
The engine is connected to an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission, which is paired to a quattro all-wheel drive system with the same center differential as the RS6 Avant performance. While that component carries over, the car has been equipped with a unique adjustable coilover suspension as well as a specially tuned quattro sport rear differential. The suspension lowers the ride height by 0.4 inches (10 mm) and promises the “perfect combination of dynamics and comfort.”
Other highlights include stiffer stabilizers, a ceramic braking system, and Continental Sport Contact 7 tires. Audi says the latter offer “consistently better roadholding under both dry and wet conditions” as well as reduced understeer when cornering at speed.
In terms of raw numbers, the RS6 Avant GT rockets from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds and hits 124 mph (200 km/h) in 11.5 seconds. If drivers keep their foot planted, the car will eventually top out at 190 mph (305 km/h).
Production will be limited to 660 units and deliveries are slated to begin in the second quarter. A whole day is spent installing components by hand and this helps to explain why pricing starts at €219,355 in Germany and £176,975 in the United Kingdom.