Take one facelifted Audi A6, insert a twin-turbo 5,0-litre V10 from a supercar, and subtly tweak those Ingolstadt lines… could this be the perfect recipe for an “über-saloon”?

In terms of its exterior styling, the Audi RS6 has the uncanny ability to seemingly morph from executive cruiser to sinister-looking bruiser with each blink of an eye. Those who hope that the RS6 will appear as if it’s weighing up the pros and cons of killing you may be disappointed by the subtlety with which Audi distinguishes its most powerful saloon. Slightly flared wheel arches, honeycomb grille, sizeable tailpipes, and subtle badging are the only giveaways as to this car’s potential and the 20-inch alloys are tasteful. The chrome lips on colour-coded door handles are a nice touch, and the rear end, which looked slabby on paper, is taut in the metal and that little spoiler lip makes it look the business. Then there are the LED daytime running lights – few things grab as much attention from bystanders as the angry slits of the Audi RS6’s “eyes”.

The interior ambience is dark, but cosseting. Touches such as chrome trimmed carbon-fibre trim panels, LED lighting in the grab handle recesses, milled aluminium shift paddles, and leather/Alcantara seats give the cabin a sense of occasion. The quality of materials and fit is superb and the although the cabin is well insulated against road and wind noise, it still allows you to savour the engine note.

And what an engine it is! A 5,0-litre twin-turbo V10 developing 426 kW and 650 N.m of torque. Much like the styling, this car’s engine has two distinct characters, depending on whether you slot the gearstick into “D” or “S”. Left in drive, the engine emits a purposeful burble from those chrome tailpipes. In this mode, the transmission scythes through the ratios in a smooth, controlled manner and never feels as though it’s hunting for the right gear. The paddle shift is a little hesitant in this setting, but a prod on the accelerator will see the engine draw breath and then smoothly pile on the power.

Click the gearstick into “S” and the RS6 shows its darker side. The car almost feels as though it’s straining at the leash in traffic. The accelerator becomes far more responsive to input and a more careful touch with the accelerator is necessary in town. Acceleration is potent with little in the way of delay between prodding the pedal and being pinned in your seat. That purposeful burble at idle grows to a metallic bellow as the revs climb. This is especially apparent on downshifts which are accompanied by a satisfying metallic snort.

The suspension can be adjusted via the car’s MMI system to suit the driving conditions. In comfort setting, the dampers manage to iron out most road irregularities but can be caught out by frequent, small road imperfections. Even so, the car does not feel wallowy or lacking in composure in this setting, which makes the dynamic setting a little redundant. Sport sees the suspension harden considerably, enabling the RS6 to carry great speed into sweeping bends while remaining completely neutral.

The steering does not give a great deal of feedback, although in a car with this sort of power and torque on offer that might not be such a bad thing. There is a surprising amount of weight to the steering at speed, but at low speeds the car feels light and easy to manoeuvre. The brake pedal is more progressive than one would expect in a car of this ilk, but the brakes respond well to input and stopping power is immense.

So, what do I think of it? Simply put, the Audi RS6 manages to admirably strike that fine balance between a spacious, luxurious cruiser, and a red-blooded performance car. Bad points? Well, not much… there was a glitch with the headlamp dip settings that saw the RS6 dazzle a number of hapless road users at night. The most annoying aspect of that problem was that the driver cannot adjust the dip settings as they are governed by an anti-dazzle system in the headlamps. As a result, one needs to consult a trained technician to sort it out (Audi was very quick and courteous in that regard, it must be said). My only other gripe (very minor) was the lack of USB connectivity for an MP3 player.

Audi has taken the “über-saloon” genre to the next level with the RS6. It takes the seemingly illogical combination of an executive cruiser and a supercar engine and makes it work beautifully. The RS6 can be benign when you need it to be, and then seamlessly transform into a fire-breathing performance car – it’s just so complete. Mercedes and BMW will need something special to counter this Ingolstadt phenomenon.

 

Original article from Car