The next Audi RS6 and RS7 (2013/14)

[Qisha]

Dear US Friends,

thank you for your opinions!

Please admit another question:

1. Sedan

2. Wagon

3. 4-door Coupe

Your favourite RS?

As far as the new Audi RS 6 Wagon concerns, we are talking about a radical styled, masculine sub 4 sec 0-100 km/h cruise missile with the best mileage in its class.

Qisha

[Joker]

I can't for the life of me understand why Americans can't abide an actual estate yet dig SUVs with a passion which are basically jacked up Estates.

[RXBG]

I can't for the life of me understand why Americans can't abide an actual estate yet dig SUVs with a passion which are basically jacked up Estates.

americans tend to have more children than europeans. known fact. this is where the concept of the minivan was born. further, since americans are more comfort and space biased i think it simply makes it easier to pick up little ones and put them into an suv than it is to reach down toward that middle car seat and install a 40 lb kid with one's back bent. looked at logically it makes more sense mechanically to have a taller vehicle. you have nucleii in the us where e63's and cts-v wagons are common but those are more fashionable places where it is a lifestyle choice to have one.

conversely, would europeans really shy away from buying a sedan-only RS6?

ps- there must be a reason why MB decided to homologate the new gen GL63 for here in the states. and there is a good reason the next gen range rover sport is going to include 7 seats. i'd never buy a minivan because i'd die of boredom driving it, but give me a slightly smaller suv styled vehicle with equivalent dynamics and i'll buy it. however, give me an RS6 avant and there is no way it would be comfortable to live with when i have to load a up a middle car seat, not to mention the fact that if i want a third row only an suv would do.

[Joker]

If you seriously require even occasionally the third row then performance is the last thing on your mind but I do get the ease added high gives buckling up the young ones, though I've done this in a car most of my adult life so it's a compromise I was willing to live with. As for a minivan, ok if it's the wife's but no way if I were to drive it every day.

Frankly if the option was get an RS6 in the US was taking an Avant then I know what I'd be doing.

P.S.
Don't know what the split was between saloon and avant in the C6, maybe Qisha can answer this.

[4everRS]

I can't for the life of me understand why Americans can't abide an actual estate yet dig SUVs with a passion which are basically jacked up Estates.

My favorite RS is the C5 RS6 plus in Europe. A wagon in the new C7 would be fantastic. I personally wouldn't care if the sedan was even offered. I would want the Avant. However, that is not a good business decision. There is likely a larger population that would buy the sedan over the avant.

Another thing Quisha, you mentioned that the new RS6 is gaining some extra muscle. Audi better damn well have a transmission to handle it! The C5 version was terrible and a lot of people still remember it and won't buy an RS6 because of it. It needs to handle much more than what that 4.0tt throws at it. Especially weighing close to 4k lbs.

Oh. Also. I've had good luck with DRC. Most have not. You may have a hard time convincing buyers if it's still equipped with DRC.

[Joker]

My favorite RS is the C5 RS6 plus in Europe. A wagon in the new C7 would be fantastic. I personally wouldn't care if the sedan was even offered. I would want the Avant. However, that is not a good business decision. There is likely a larger population that would buy the sedan over the avant.

There must be a reason why the Avant shape was chosen and it must have been the most popular choice in past examples. You don't go for the least popular model when you're in the business of making as much money as possible it ain't going to happen.

Another thing Quisha, you mentioned that the new RS6 is gaining some extra muscle. Audi better damn well have a transmission to handle it! The C5 version was terrible and a lot of people still remember it and won't buy an RS6 because of it. It needs to handle much more than what that 4.0tt throws at it. Especially weighing close to 4k lbs.

Has Audi learned lessons with the C5, like how is the gearbox in the C6 RS6 coping?

Oh. Also. I've had good luck with DRC. Most have not. You may have a hard time convincing buyers if it's still equipped with DRC.

I don't understand why they didn't make the switch to magnetic ride with the RS5 and RS4 unless they feel DRC gives a better feel.

[ben916]

There must be a reason why the Avant shape was chosen and it must have been the most popular choice in past examples. You don't go for the least popular model when you're in the business of making as much money as possible it ain't going to happen.

Has Audi learned lessons with the C5, like how is the gearbox in the C6 RS6 coping?

I don't understand why they didn't make the switch to magnetic ride with the RS5 and RS4 unless they feel DRC gives a better feel.

A better option would be to have every single one of the RS6 that come to US, Canada, MX be custom ordered:
1. This gives the customer the ability to select the transmission, body style, suspension THEY want.
2. EU wants a sedan but can't have it, North America wants an Avant but can't have it.
3. There has to be a way that MERC does this as it would a financial nightmare to have EU cars tested to EU standards and then turn around have to "dumb it down" for the DOT/NTSBA/Canada.

I am far from telling AoA or the fatherland how to do their business, nor could I commit to a NEW RS6 AVANT in Manual 6 speed with Magnetic ride, but the CUSTOMER is always right!
If Audi doesn't give the customer what they want, they leave and go to MERC, BMW or P-CAR.

Didn't all those 2003/2004 C5 RS6 860/1460 US/CA cars sell?

Better start the ad campaign now...

[Spidercat]

Qisha, to answer your questions:
Yes, I would buy a C7 RS6 Avant (Avant would be my preference). I actually would have prefered C5 RS6 Avant if offered here.
Favorite RS model would also be RS6-plus.

[Amulet-S6]

Preferences:
1) RS7 - I like the lines of the 7 series. It's gorgeous but needs more flair of the fenders.
2) RS6 Sedan - Must have "robust" styling over A/S6
3) RS6 Avant - I like the look of the Avants the best. But having owned a S6 Avant prior to my rs6 I want a trunk to keep golf clubs, shotguns, etc out of sight.

[S6V10Avant]

1. RS 7
2. RS 6 Avant

When can we get them ??

[alrightroad]

Quisha, favorite here also C5 RS6 Plus. If the B7 RS4 had come to the US in avant flavor I would likely have one since it was offered in 6MT. A new RS6 avant in the US would be in my garage as well depending on offering price. I realize it would never come in 6MT version and I would be fine with DSG.

[mnsnwbrdr]

Dear US Friends,

thank you for your opinions!

Please admit another question:

1. Sedan

2. Wagon

3. 4-door Coupe

Your favourite RS?

As far as the new Audi RS 6 Wagon concerns, we are talking about a radical styled, masculine sub 4 sec 0-100 km/h cruise missile with the best mileage in its class.

Qisha

Send word that the RS6 Avant is coming, and I'll put down a deposit that day.

[Troubled]

Dear US Friends,

thank you for your opinions!

Please admit another question:

1. Sedan

2. Wagon

3. 4-door Coupe

Your favourite RS?

As far as the new Audi RS 6 Wagon concerns, we are talking about a radical styled, masculine sub 4 sec 0-100 km/h cruise missile with the best mileage in its class.

Qisha

I would buy an RS6 Avant immediately and have already told my dealer the same. In fact, I would have already bought the E63 AMG Wagon, warts and all, if it had AWD. Alas, icy roads + long drives skiing with family in tow aren't in the cards without AWD. I detest my SUV, but it's functional.

My favorite RS was my Sprint Blue B7 RS4. Loved everything about it -- except the fact that it couldn't cope with three growing boys and our need to escape skiing on the weekends.

[chewym]

There must be a reason why the Avant shape was chosen and it must have been the most popular choice in past examples. You don't go for the least popular model when you're in the business of making as much money as possible it ain't going to happen.

Probably has to be with the fact that most RS models are sold in Europe. Worldwide the Avant makes up less than 1/3 of A4/A6 sales. Ithink in Germany/Europe it's at 50/50 if not favorable for the Avant. But if you wanted to produce RS for the world and sell as many as possible (not production limited to 5,000 units) you would need both.

In other news the US fuel economy is out for all of the 4.0T engines. Looking good for the next 4.0T RSX in the states, shouldn't be any gas guzzler tax.

S6/S7: 17/27
A8: 17/28
A8L: 16/26
S8: 15/26

[alrightroad]

That fuel economy looks decent esp for highway. I bet you could hit average 30 mpg if you took easy.

[nistah]

I have not read every post in this thread however I paid a friendly visit to AOA North America headquarters today in Herndon, VA and caught up with a gentleman named Denny in the parking lot, he was jumping into a black TT-RS...Denny was very friendly and we spoke about both of the RS's for few mintues and then he suggested I go inside to the lobby which has a show room....on the way in I asked him about plans to bring the RS6 to the US he said something about Avant only (could have this mistaken) and that they (AOA Marketing) are still making a business case for the importation of the C7 beast. That's all for now folks, however I live less than 5 mintues from AOA in North America headquarters so may go back soon , my phone ran out of batteries just as I hit the showroom which has a red R8, a Red RS5 which he let me start up ( sounded amazing!!) also an A7 and A8 and the shell of an Audi Le Mans!!

[bobski]

that it will be seen as an amazing combination of design, speed and utility. I was also told by the design team in Neckersulm that it is being made only in an Avant, will not be sent to the US and that Germans generally don't want SUVs because they are dangerous at Autobahn speeds compared to a high performance station wagon. Audi has a V-12 diesel Q7 I saw that they make for the middle east market and they had to limit the top speed because they could not make it stable at very high speeds. Our SUV market is the German Avant market. IN SUM, the new car is amazing in the flat silver version that I saw. The power plant looks impressive and the fit and finish of the interior is unbelievable. But, as I stated in an earlier post in this thread, if it is $180K or so, how many are they going to sell? It is going to sell for around 200K Euro in Germany.

[Joker]

You need to think about that figure of €200k and how completely unrealistic it is. The complete drivetrain isn't being replaced with some new found exotic material all it's getting is tweaked, more to the engine, better brakes, new software for the gearbox and possibly rear diff. Audi don't need another halo car it's already got the R8 for that, what they need is to continue offering rivals to M and AMG at similar prices, just better.

Im willing to bet anything it wont be much more than 5-10% more than the car it replaced.