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Erik
January 31st, 2003, 22:50
Edmunds drives the RS6 - Hmm...I wonder where the 'six cylinders' came from?

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Road Tests: First Drive

First Drive: 2003 Audi RS6
Six Cylinders, Four Doors and Two Intercoolers
By D. John Booth
Date Posted 01-30-2003

(this is a VERY nice picture...)
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/roadtests/firstdrive/2003/03.audi.rs6/03.audi.rs6.f34.500.jpg


Jay Leno has a motorcycle with a helicopter gas turbine engine somehow stuffed into its spindly aluminum frame. According to Leno, launch isn't much to talk about, but once spooled up the turbine seems to process never-ending boost, relentlessly accelerating at an increasing rate the faster it goes.

That same ability to defy the laws of physics pretty much sums up Audi's new RS6. The heart of this incredible Audi (the addition of the R before the S means that it is part of the company's ultimate performance version) is a new engine under the hood. Essentially, Audi took one of its already spunky 4.2-liter, dual-overhead camshaft, five-valves-per-cylinder V8s and lobbed a couple of turbochargers onto it (as well as twin intercoolers) to produce 450 horsepower.

Acceleration should always be so instantaneous and endless. Audi claims that the blown 4.2 engine reaches its torque peak of 415 pound-feet below 2,000 rpm and maintains it all the way to 5,600 rpm. That means that, at any engine speed and in any gear, the RS6 lunges ahead with ferocity usually reserved for the opening five seconds of an ultimate fighting cage match.

Make no mistake. While other Audis, including the all-new high-performance S4, are sophisticated (and rapid) sports cars, the RS6 is a beast. Oh sure, it'll poodle around town with hardly a burble from its twin exhausts and cruise the motorway with a slightly stiffer than normal ride, but for all intents and purposes it's as smooth as mainstream Audis.

But mat the throttle and all hell breaks loose. A low-frequency shudder passes through the chassis as all that torque makes its way through the all-wheel-drive system, the engine note turns as baritone as Barry White in full croon and the RS6 leaps ahead as if slammed in the rear bumper by a hurtling meteor. The RS6 has passing acceleration exceeded only by the mighty Porsche Turbo. Incredibly, its initial acceleration, measured by Audi as a very quick 4.6 seconds to 60 miles per hour, pales in comparison to its ability to relegate slower moving traffic to yesterday's news. Credit the 0.8 bar of turbo boost or the high-for-a-turbocharged-engine compression ratio of 9.8-to-1. This is one bear of an engine deserving of respect from even the most experienced driver.

And crazily enough, that really is the tip of the iceberg. Audi's contention that the V8 maintains its 415 pound-feet maximum torque across such a wide rev range means that the company has had to severely limit boost. Indeed, the engine controller regulates both boost and ignition timing to make sure that the engine doesn't put out too much torque. Otherwise, one suspects the transmission would frag itself.

In fact, the RS6's one performance weakness comes from a sense of Audi's normally robust five-speed autobox feeling challenged to accurately put all that twist to the pavement. Get on the gas quickly after having backed off and the subsequent downshift is anything but smooth. Those thinking of hot-rodding an RS6 with an aftermarket "chip" will have to be mindful of the tranny's limitations.

Audi does ensure the chassis is up to the task. The RS6's front ventilated discs are gripped by massive Brembo eight-piston brake calipers. Likewise, the suspension is controlled by Audi's Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) system, a semiactive mechanical-hydraulic suspension system. Under hard cornering, DRC stiffens the compression damping of the outside shocks while simultaneously reducing the stiffness of the inside dampers.

On the road, it all holds together admirably. The motor lunges ahead, the suspension keeps cornering flat, the 255/40R18 performance radials have plenty of grip and the brakes make short work of excess speed. We tested the RS6 on the same track as the S4, however, and it proved an abject lesson that light weight can make up for all the technological advancements in the world. Although it couldn't match the RS6's straight-line speed, the S4 could whip the RS6's 4,024-pound butt in the twisty bits despite its theoretically inferior suspension and brakes. As well, the automatic transmission is easily confused and often in the wrong gear despite its Tiptronic manual-shifting mode. The RS6 was never meant for such abuse, but when kept in its intended environment or high-speed cruising on wide, flat roadways, it's quite amazing.

As for more pedestrian duties, the RS keeps with most of Audi's A6 abilities. Unlike the S4, the rear accommodations aren't overly cramped. However, I would have preferred the smaller Audi's Recaro front seats. They provide much better side bolstering and were far more attractive with their colored Alcantara inserts. The RS6's seats are more muted, with monochromatic gray leather, for instance, highlighted by white piping. It's meant to appeal to the older, more conservative crowd who can afford the RS6, but anybody buying this car, regardless of age, is defining him or herself as young at heart.

Speaking of price tags, the RS6's is expected to ring in around $85,000. That's serious coinage, more than BMW's class-defining M5, in fact. Besides the conservative cabin decor, my one condemnation of the RS6 is that the company seems to have once again put the cart before the horse in the pricing sweepstakes. Audi desperately wants to be mentioned in the same breath as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but before it can start charging the same price for its products it must first establish a reputation equal to the task.

The RS6 may indeed be the equal of BMW's M5, but I think it will be some time before public perception catches up. Charging more than the class' benchmark right out of the gate certainly takes some serious cajones.



Edmunds.com drives the RS6 (http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/firstdrive/86972/article.html?tid=edmunds.h..reviews..3.*)



http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/roadtests/firstdrive/2003/03.audi.rs6/03.audi.rs6.r34.500.jpghttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/roadtests/firstdrive/2003/03.audi.rs6/03.audi.rs6.eng2.500.jpg

Benman
February 1st, 2003, 01:18
thanks for the post!:D

a nice article on the u.s. spec RS6:cheers:
(they do have a good point about the price though)

:addict:

Nordschleife
February 7th, 2003, 09:36
Originally posted by Benman
thanks for the post!:D

a nice article on the u.s. spec RS6:cheers:
(they do have a good point about the price though)

:addict:


It just goes to show, some people know the price of everything and the value of nothing!
$85,000 for the RS6 is dirt cheap, its more car than the M5, its faster, its got more room, its modern.....
Here in Europe, a nicely equipped RS6 in Germany is likely to run out at EUR 120,000 (about $US130,000) and then you still need to spend EUR 10,000 on brakes and a chip.......



R+C

Erik
February 7th, 2003, 10:07
Originally posted by Nordschleife
Here in Europe, a nicely equipped RS6 in Germany is likely to run out at EUR 120,000 (about $US130,000)

I just configured a fully loaded RS6 Avant and it's 103.000 Euros here in Sweden, I bet that's the same price or very similar as in Germany becasue of the laws that should regulate that.

Thilo
February 7th, 2003, 11:25
Hi Nordschleife,

You wrote that a nicely equiped RS6 will cost aprox. 120'000 Euros. I think that's a little bit too much. I just grabed my contract and checked. I will pay aprox. 92'000 and have also the navi system. Of course, i don't have special brakes but i think the 120'000 Euros is too much.

Don't misunderstand me, i don't say you're wrong but i think you are not talking about a nicely equipped RS6, you are talking about a superb :D equipped RS6. Let me know what you are packing in this poor little car :p

Cheers and greetings from Switzerland
Thilo:cool2:

PS : Ohh, is just saw that in the 120' the brakes are not included ...

Erik
February 7th, 2003, 11:31
Maybe Nordschleife included the bill from MTM in the 120k Euro price? :deal: :hihi:

Orjan
February 7th, 2003, 13:32
There are currently 49 RS6 sedans and Avants available from http://www.audi.com/de/de/neuwagen/neuwagen.jsp (Neuwagenbörse) with prices from € 91.000 to € 100.000.

Benman
February 7th, 2003, 16:43
i didn't mean to imply that $85,000.00 was outrageous
(after all i'm aware the car costs more in germany) but simply
that when you factor in that the u.s. does not get the recaros
or 19" wheels it seems high when compared to the price in
great britain. (heck they even get navi plus with TV!)

:addict:

Nordschleife
February 7th, 2003, 17:16
Guys
I'm looking at the Invoices. My EUR 120,000 does not include anything except quattro GmbH supplied equipment. The price is pushed up by exhausts, rotors, Winter wheels, Exclusive Leather, spare mats etc. This is what you need anyway.
The MTM and Mov'it stuff is on top of the quattro price.
R+C

Nordschleife
February 7th, 2003, 17:20
Guys
American customers should remember that a year ago, USD 1 = EUR 1.20; Now USD 1 = EUR 0.80ish. Also the US gets a 4 year warranty, free service etc., etc. Honestly the cars are cheap in the US. Take care making comparisons with the UK, cars are comparatively expensive there. If they look cheaper than the States, a traditionally cheap market, then the specifications are not comparable.

R+C

Nordschleife
February 8th, 2003, 12:12
Guys
I have just configured a UK RS6 Avant at GBP 68,550. At present exchange rates, this converts to USD 111,853.
Can the US listers please STOP GRIPEING about the price of the RS6 in the US, you have a bargain!
hope this makes you feel better about USD 85000, or whatever!

R+C

avdh
February 9th, 2003, 15:26
I went to Audi.de's configurator and with a few extras; sport exhaust, Alcantara ceiling and rear parcel shelve, Symphony Radio, GSM, wood tip knob, but standard 18" wheels, no SatNav I only came to Eur. 92005......

As for the brakes the standard six pot caliper brakes seem to be more than enough.... (?)