Vehicle: 2010 Audi RS6 Avant
Price as tested: CDN$200000 (Estimated)

Performance: If you thought previous RS6′s V8 Biturbo is awesome, wait until you try the current iteration of its definitive sportswagon.

The latest RS6′s powerhouse is Audi Quattro GMBH tuned 5.0 liter DOHC 40-valve V10 with its advanced FSI direct fuel injection, variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust cams. Then add its proven Biturbo with dual-mounted intercoolers. The result is an astounishing 571 horses and 479 lb/ft of torque. Even if the RS6 is weighting in at 4464 lb of German leather-lined of luxury, it moves the heavy German metal with authority. The throttle response is instant without feeling overly responsive. On the other hand, its Biturbo don’t have any annoying sorts of turbo lag one associates with many of those so-called sports cars. Both of these turbos spool up efficiently and effectively whenever driver nails the responsive throttle. All of these have delivered in Audi’s usual silken composure manners, which is both elegance and refined. Heavily retuned 6-speed Tiptronic is the only gearbox mated to this Biturbo V10. Why Audi has to put Tiptronic instead of any of its well-received S-Tronic DSG in RS6? That’ because of all of those DSG don’t have the capacity of carrying 571 ponies. Instead, this 6-speed Tiptronic is heavily revised with faster up and downshifts. Along with the paddle shifters on the sports steering wheel which is able to drop any gears on “D”. Its able to make any enthuisastic driver drops a few gears before entering a hairpin. The rest of the gearbox has perfect ratios, which mean 1st and 2nd are low enough for enthuisastic launch while 5th and 6th are excellent cruising gears.

Handling: When it comes to chassis rigidty and stiffness, no one would ever doubt Audi’s ability to engineered a proper one. The same goes for this RS6. We were impressed with the S6′s chassis ability enough, RS6 just takes a great car into an amazing car. Its Dynamic Ride Control dials out 99.9% of body rolls when pushed this sportswagon into a corner, which translates into a completely flat cornering abilities without any body rolls. Combined with Audi’s rear-bias 40/60 Torsen Quattro system, latest generation of ESP 8.0; its really hard to make RS6 rears its ugly head except driver is doing any of those reckless driving behaviour. The icing on the cake is RS6′s Sports Suspension Plus, driver can choose between “Comfort”, “Dynamic” and “Sport”. In full “Sport” mode, its suspension and steering quickly stiffen up for track-driving experience without losing any of the ride comfort. On the other hand, “Comfort” mode makes RS6 rides as comfortably as any regular A6 does. For most daily driving,leave it on “Dynamic” mode and it automatically adjusts suspension damping through road conditions and driving behaviour. RS6′s steering is both precise and responsive, with utmost precision. Both understeer and oversteer are well-tempted. It is really a delightful dynamic package.

Brakes: With Ceramic brakes all around and standard ABS, RS6′s braking performance has to be one of the most impressive I have ever experienced. The stopping distance is short and linear, while the pedal feels solid and reassuring. Ceramic brakes never seem to have any fades after repeat stops. ABS doesn’t step in unnecessarily is an added bonus.

Interior: RS6′s bucket seats are the first you notice while slip behind the wheels. Those bucket seats hug both driver and passenger in the right places, right from the shoulder to the thigh. Its supportive without feeling confining. The rest of the interior is typical A6, which means class-leading leather and plastic materials on the dasboard to door panels.

When it comes to luggage space, nothing beats a wagon. The same goes for the RS6 Avant. The entire cargo area is designed like a box, which is squared cut-off on the side sills for maximum cargo capacity. Along with the low liftover and split fold-down rear seats; you can load the whole Ikea into this Avant on the way to the racetrack.

Conclusion: Audi redefined the whole sportswagon trend when they introduced the 90-based RS2 Avant back in the early 90s; the latest RS6 Avant continues this tradition by combining performance, dynamic abilities and practicality all in one beautifully designed package.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2010 Audi RS6 Avant
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 5/5