Launching the freshly updated and face-lifted version of the world’s quickest series production wagon, the 2015 RS6 Avant, at Australia’s fastest permanent race circuit, Phillip Island, is manna from petrolhead heaven.
The RS6 Avant’s core specification and general stats shared with concurrently refreshed RS7 Sportback, though, have changed little since 2013.
The twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 remains at 412kW between 5700-6600rpm and its peak torque again clocks on at just 1750rpm and hangs in there until 5500rpm. Fuel consumption of this cylinder-on-demand, or COD, version (which shuts down cylinders two, three, five and eight under some light-throttle conditions) is a 0.2L per 100 kilometre improvement (now 9.6L/100kmh) over the outgoing model.
From its mechanical details to the tuning and applications of its drive modes – comfort, auto, dynamic and user-assignable individual – little has changed in RS 6 Avantland.
So convincing are its sporting credentials that, from behind the wheel, you simply forget there’s room for five adults and 565 litres of luggage space lurking back there in your rearview mirror. It’s a bona-fide, red-misted performer to its core then, added utility notwithstanding.
