Just chatting with a friend on their way to New York show.
Everyone is worried about the next RS6 because the talk on the street is that the S6 is a bit of a damp squib. It could so easily develop 480-500 bhp, so no one understands why it doesn't. (The obvious answer is trhat it would have been too close to the new RS6.) Also the ride has generally been criticised for being crude and less well sorted than RS4's. So the S6 is seen as a marketing man's car not a sports car afficionado's car. Consequently, dealers everywhere are saying either up the power on the S6 or bring the next RS6 out sooner.
The problem for Audi is that its new model realese calendar is full. Deliveries to dealers look something like this: Q7 arriving in time for summer, followed by RS4 Avant and Cabrio late summer, TT in September, Le Mans for Christmas, A5 for March, and then there's the B8 A4. I wonder where the RS6 will fit in? It looks like being a 2008 model year car.
In the meantime, RS6 prototypes continue to be seen being tested both in Germany and elsewhere. Audi should tease us with a sanctioned release of a spy shot that will enable photoshop gurus to give us some automotive pornography or at least a good idea of the real thing.
In terms of spec, I am hearing confirmation of a V-10 twin turbo developing 530-550 bhp, i.e. well above the M5*. Given Audi's recent experience with both Lamborghini Gallardo and S8/S6, tuning the engine is proving to be easy. The challenge is to deliver performance and economy. That said, expect no compromise in terms of go. I find it hard to believe, but they are shooting for a 0-100 kph of around 4.0 - 4.1 seconds!!!!!! with an ungoverned top speed is just south of 200 mph.
Like RS4, expect it to shed weight via extensive use of aluminium. Its party piece, apart from the engine, will be the suspension set-up and ride control.
I am hearing that both manual and automatic options will be offered, but not DSG, bcause it doesn't go with current A6 transmission system.
Comments and descriptions heard among insiders include:
"If Lamborhini produced a wagon/ estate version of the Murcialago, it would be an RS6 Avant."
"The basic A6 is a much better start point for the RS6 than the B7 A4 was for the RS4. So, if you thought RS4 was good, you ain't seen nothin' yet!!!" (I'd like to know how you say that in German)?
The bad news is likely to be the price.
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*You may remember that BMW had quite a lot of problems with early M5 engine reliability? They reduced the power on early production cars without telling anyone while a fix was found. The latest M5's coming off the line have the fix and cars that have been dyno tested are developing in excess of 520 bhp. BMW is saying nothing, because it wants people to think it is doing this with a 507 bhp car. I think the power increase was necessary to distance M5 from RS4.
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or: Deshalb wenn Sie gedacht haben, dass der RS 4 gut war, haben Sie noch nichts nicht gesehen 
