Audi RS6 quattro Avant

10:30am Friday 9th May 2008

A NEW holder of the title of most powerful production estate car in the world is upon us.

Carrying one of the greatest arsenals of technology ever assembled in a car, plus a whole load of luggage space and seating for up to four passengers, the Audi RS6 quattro Avant is unquestionably a remarkable automotive achievement.

But you might be left asking the question, why?

Why has Audi built an estate car that can match the 0-62mph performance figure of its R8 sports car?

And the simple answer is because it can.

I should enlarge on that. Not only has Audi got the ambition and capability to create such a monstrous load-lugger, but it has clearly found a niche market out there for a practical powerhouse.

If you really need to get your load from A to B in a hurry, check this out: this is an estate car capable of 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds, even faster than the BMW M5 Touring.

At one end you get 1,660 litres of space. At the other is a biturbo, ten-cylinder, 5.0-litre V10 FSI petrol engine that produces 580hp.

With six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission, it can also soar to 124mph in 14.9 seconds and only relents when the electronic governor cuts in at 155mph.

The price you pay for this sort of performance is average fuel economy of 20.3mpg, and it emits 333g/km of CO2.

Audi is using a combination of quattro and its dynamic ride control system to keep the 20-inch alloy wheels firmly planted and ensure smooth and precise handling, and the driver can choose between comfort, sport and dynamic settings.

I can vouch extraordinary handling as one of the first journalists in the UK to take one for a spin. Nothing, but nothing, can quite prepare you for the rush of power that sweeps through the engine and into your fast-beating heart. Yet even though the bursts of speed match that in the R8, you just know that all that clever stuff in the engine and body won't let you down.

Because of its extra bulk, it cannot match its predecessor, the RS4, for driver appeal. But make no mistake, this is one of Audi's finest achievements and destined to become another iconic addition to its catalogue of high-performance vehicles.

You might question whether Audi should even be building such a car when the biggest challenges facing the motor industry are reductions in petrol consumption and CO2 emissions, but there are still thousands of drivers out there with big enough bank balances who want a car that combines everyday practicality with light-the-blue touch-paper acceleration.

In the RS 6 Avant, a line of slow-moving lorries can be despatched in three clickclicks of an indicator switch, and therein lies a large part of its appeal to the driver making long journeys on a regular basis.

Call it a hooligan, call it plain bonkers, but the capability of this car is fantastic.

Of course, you will want some creature comforts, too, if you are shelling out £77,730, and here Audi obliges with its familiar high-quality cabin.

Luxury touches, which come as standard, include front and rear heated leather seats with contrast stitching and RS embossing, carbon fibre trims, a BOSE surround sound system, DVD navigation and all the usual Audi techno touches.

Outside, there are powerful wheel arches, oval exhaust pipes, a rear diffuser and expanded front air intakes, but overall the look is quite conservative, with matt aluminium finishes for the mirror housings, roof rails, grille surround and window trims.

Deliveries of the Avant - successor to the RS 6 quattro of 2002 and the estate flagship for Audi now that the quite brilliant RS4 is out of production - began in the last few days, and with only 600 a year destined for the UK you can expect a wait.

The first-year allocation of 380 examples has already been accounted for by customers who have registered an interest with Audi dealers.

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