Audi Sport R&D Boss Reportedly Confirms RS6 Avant For U.S.

[AVANTI R5]

Audi's Hot New RS6 Sport Wagon Could Be Coming to the U.S.
The Audi RS6 Avant wagon is likely U.S. bound, and Audi's former Quattro division has more in the works.


Some of the upcoming new products from Audi Sport are U.S. bound, the division's R&D chief tells C/D.

The best news is that the RS6 Avant, a true station wagon, is very likely making a return to the U.S. market.

The RS Q8 is on the horizon, making more than 600 horsepower from the ubiquitous Audi twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8.

Audi Sport, formerly known as the Quattro division, is getting ready for a burst of new product—and the U.S. is getting some of it. We dug into our sources and spoke with Audi Sport R&D chief Oliver Hoffmann, who confirmed some of our speculation. "We are preparing for the biggest product offensive we ever had," he confirms, which will include a new RS Q8 plus the next-gen RS6 Avant and RS7 Sportback.

The best news for U.S. enthusiasts is that the RS6 Avant, a true station wagon, is poised for a return to the U.S. market. Short of an outright confirmation, Hoffmann says: "The U.S. market is increasingly interested in real station wagons like the RS6 Avant. Therefore, it is entirely possible that we will bring it back to North America."

In the past, Audi has sold the original RS6 Avant of the C5 generation, which was powered by a 450-hp turbocharged 4.2-liter V-8. After the C5, station wagons were pulled from the U.S., and its successors, the C6 RS6 Avant with its 580-hp biturbo 5.0-liter V-10 and the C7 RS6 Avant with its 560- and 605-hp biturbo 4.0-liter V-8, were not offered here. But at least Audi offered the RS7 Sportback, which is closely related to the C7 RS6 Avant.

Station wagons have entirely fallen out of favor in the past two decades or so, with their family image falling short of the apparent pizzazz of SUVs. The awesome Cadillac CTS-V wagon sold in woefully low numbers, BMW dropped the M5 Touring long ago, and Mercedes-AMG has mainly kept the E63 wagon in its lineup to appease a few gearheads.

But times are changing, and with the A6 Avant's coupelike silhouette, arguably even more attractive than the A7’s, it will be a perfect machine to test the waters again. Bring it on!

RS Q3 and Q8 on Horizon
From the success of the RS Q3, we can safely assume that Audi Sport is working on a successor of that model, and it will likely make a solid 400 horsepower or more in order to keep up with the Mercedes-AMG GLA45. Even before that, we will see an RS Q8, powered by a 600-plus-hp version of Audi's ubiquitous 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8. The RS Q8 will compete with the upcoming Mercedes-AMG GLE63 coupe and the BMW X6 M, but it will also give its corporate sister models a run: The Porsche Cayenne Turbo Coupe and the Lamborghini Urus are essentially powered by the same engine.

Another monstrous SUV is good news for some of us, but it's the wagon news U.S. Audi fans will really care about.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a2...on-u-s-future/

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[SCRAPPYDO]

my wallet is quivering... with happiness

[dwf137]

so far out of my price range, but awesome. I've seen a few of the amg wagons running around town, wouldn't be surprised to see some of these.

[VarmintCong]

There's a nice selection of sport wagons if you've got $70k+ to burn.

Even the Alltrack is $36k if you want decent seats. WTF.

[Skylab]

And Jaguar is already 86’ing the Sportbrake.

Come on VAG, don’t let us down.

[4S-TURBO]

Originally Posted by SCRAPPYDO

my wallet is quivering... with happiness

You buy I’ll buy.

[n2oiroc]

id still rather have an rs5 sportback, but i dont have the income for either so im not left with the tough decision.

[dwf137]

Originally Posted by VarmintCong

There's a nice selection of sport wagons if you've got $70k+ to burn.

Aside from MB's AMG E-class, what other high hp wagon is out there?

[Stretch18]

Auto rags, where "it is entirely possible that we will bring it back to North America" = "it's on its way!"

[4S-TURBO]

Originally Posted by dwf137

Aside from MB's AMG E-class, what other high hp wagon is out there?

Panamera wagon

[Imeld21]

Originally Posted by Skylab

And Jaguar is already 86’ing the Sportbrake.

Come on VAG, don’t let us down.

+1

[VarmintCong]

Originally Posted by dwf137

Aside from MB's AMG E-class, what other high hp wagon is out there?

I just mean there’s wagons from BMW, Volvo, Audi etc. not much below $40k.

[dwf137]

Originally Posted by VarmintCong

I just mean there’s wagons from BMW, Volvo, Audi etc. not much below $40k.

Got it...

imo, the big deal about this (if it happens) is that it's an RS model... Even the Jag doesn't compete in that power realm.

Originally Posted by 4S-TURBO

Panamera wagon

wagon not found.

[4S-TURBO]

Find harder.

[E. Nick]

Believe it when I see it. Doubt I'd even get one at this point anyway - the desire is gone.

[4S-TURBO]

Why not just an S6 Avant? That thing has standing here. Why all maximum power and price the thing?

[n2oiroc]

Originally Posted by 4S-TURBO

Why not just an S6 Avant? That thing has standing here. Why all maximum power and price the thing?

we always bitch that they dont give us the good ones, well this is THE good one.

[4S-TURBO]

No I bitch when I can’t get everything po dunk socialist countries all over the world get. We tout our free market prowess. What free market? All lies. Freedom.

[AVANTI R5]

Originally Posted by dwf137

Aside from MB's AMG E-class, what other high hp wagon is out there?

I just purchased 2 new Buick Regal Tour X for our Business. Mobile X ray techs. They are going now for 24% off at Buick dealers 2018 new models and about 10 K off 2019 models. Now their not V8 but the 2.0 liter turbo pretty snappy with decent mpg. Also, they are tunable. If people bought more wagons GM would step up offer maybe a v6 twin turbo or v8. I think the four banger has 300hp.

[Genericuser1]

While this is great and I hope people buy it (If it really does come here) I'd take a 350hp Passat wagon instead. No cladding, no extra ride height and not $100k.

Better chance of an electric wagon at this point they will never make a Dodge Magnum v-8 style wagon again.

[godfather2112]

Originally Posted by Genericuser1

While this is great and I hope people buy it (If it really does come here) I'd take a 350hp Passat wagon instead. No cladding, no extra ride height and not $100k.

Better chance of an electric wagon at this point they will never make a Dodge Magnum v-8 style wagon again.

Passat wagon with awd making 300hp would please me.

[4S-TURBO]

Try $130k. This is the problem. An S6 Avant would slot in at mid $80s. Lot of car and performance at that price. Not so much for ~50% more.

[TifosiWA]

Cool news, but I think it would be even better had it been a RS4 instead of the RS6. When I think of the Quattro GmbH RS-line cars, the two cars that comes immediate to mind are the RS2 and the B5-RS4. Both were only available as an Avant, and both were more than potent in their own era.

[dwf137]

Originally Posted by 4S-TURBO

No I bitch when I can’t get everything po dunk socialist countries all over the world get. We tout our free market prowess. What free market? All lies. Freedom.

Because the US has a superiority complex and cannot bear to join up with the EU to streamline safety and emissions standards. We're better, and that's why we have less choice. Don't you get it?

[SCRAPPYDO]

It is not a complex if its true. Haters gonna hate.