Seemingly not… Audi’s piping hot RS6 – caught here undergoing its final rounds of Nürburgring dynamic tests – takes the 429bhp 5.2-litre V10 from the S6 and bolts on not one but two ultra-responsive turbos for a headline-grabbing 530bhp. That’s a 43bhp more than BMW’s M5 and 16bhp more than the Mercedes E63. Who said the horsepower was dead...

Although Audi remains tight-lipped about the RS6’s details, expect both saloon and Avant estate to bow in at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September, with the saloon wearing a £65,000 price tag, putting it on a par with the M5 saloon and slightly cheaper than Mercedes’ E63. And as with the lesser S6, expect the popular RS6 Avant hold-all to be the more popular seller, despite its £1270 premium and 50kg weight penalty over the RS6 saloon.

True, we thought the S6 was a bit low-key and subdued, but don't forget that while Audi’s S models are engineered and developed inhouse, RS models are the work of quattro, Audi’s independent tuning house. And as we experienced with the RS4, the go-faster gurus at quattro know all about driver engagement and scalpel-sharp dynamics.

Which is why this oddly – and rather effectively – camouflaged RS6 mule was being hammered mercilessly around the 'Ring.

Under that bonnet, the direct-injection bi-turbo V10 features heavily revised intake and exhaust systems to deal with the lower compression ratio and higher charge pressures. While the power output climbs a modest 100bhp over the S6, those two turbos will be used to bolster the V10’s torque curve. Expect at least 500lb ft of twist action for searing acceleration in any of its six gears, resulting in a 4.5 second sprint to 60mph and an effortless 155mph limited top speed. Derestricted, the RS6 would easily hit 200mph.

Which means those two fat exhaust pipes will be the only part of the RS6 most other drivers will ever get to see.

Both RS6 models will feature an advanced aerodynamic package. Look carefully at the rear of this mule and you can easily make out a ground-effects rear diffuser, employed to suck the car closer to the road as speed rises. Factor in the same intuitive quattro four-wheel drive system seen in the RS4 that favours the rear axle, tweaked steering and vast carbon ceramic brake discs at each corner, and the RS6 should be at home on any road, irrespective of weather conditions.

While the previous RS6 used a relatively simple closed-loop adaptive damping system, the new model is expected to use a heavily uprated version of the new TT’s adaptive magnetic damping system. Using a magneto-rheological fluid, which alters when a voltage is passed though it, the dampers will offer the kind of instant reaction to keep the big Audi’s body movements in check. Roll on September for a titanic Audi RS6 Avant, BMW M5 Touring and Mercedes E63 Estate battle.

New prototypes for the Audi RS6 have been spotted in Germany, this time with much less disguise. Eleven new photos show the car free from the annoying black-and-white checkered camouflage. The extent of the changes over the Audi S6 are now clearly visible.

The LED light strips on the S6’s front bumper have been removed on this RS6. New front air-intakes are larger, and they wrap around the front bumper allowing for some integrated brake cooling ducts up front. The front intakes are highlighted by low flares which continue along the side, between the wheels, making for a more aggressive stance.
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The rear bumper has been reworked significantly. Large single exhaust pipes replace the S6’s dual-tip design, and an aggressive rear diffuser dominates the rear bumper.

Visual differences aside, the real story is in the RS6’s performance potential. Sources predict the addition of a turbocharger to the S6’s 5.2-liter V10 engine, which should generate something between 550 and 600 horsepower. Given this RS6’s nearly production finish, a debut this Fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show seems likely.

New prototypes for the Audi RS6 have been spotted in Germany, this time basically undisguised. Now that the car is free from the annoying black-and-white checkered camouflage, the extent of the changes over the Audi S6 are now clearly visible. The LED light strips on the S6’s front bumper have been removed on this RS6. New front air-intakes are larger, and they wrap around the front bumper allowing for some integrated brake cooling ducts up front. The front intakes are highlighted by low flares which continue along the side, between the wheels, making for a more aggressive stance.

The rear bumper has been reworked significantly. Large single exhaust pipes replace the S6’s dual-tip design, and an aggressive rear diffuser dominates the rear bumper.

Visual differences aside, the real story is in the RS6’s performance potential. Sources predict the addition of a turbocharger to the S6’s 5.2-liter V10 engine, which should generate something between 550 and 600 horsepower. Given this RS6’s nearly production finish, a debut this Fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show seems likely.

Outstanding top performance and maximum dynamism combined with excellent suitability for everyday use are the impressive features of the new Audi RS 6 Avant, which will be unveiled to the public for the first time at the IAA 2007 in Frankfurt. A newly developed V10 engine with FSI direct injection and twin turbochargers, permanent quattro four-wheel drive and sports suspension with Dynamic Ride Control DRC set the standard for high-performance vehicles in the luxury class. 580 bhp and a maximum torque of 480 lb-ft add up to an unforgettable performance experience. At the same time, the new Audi RS 6 Avant offers a high standard of travel comfort – on long journeys, too.

The new Audi RS 6 will only be available as an Avant to start with, with the unrivalled combination of 580 bhp and a maximum 1,660 liters of luggage space.

The Audi RS 6 is a New Leader in the Performance Category

The Audi RS 6 redefines the term “high performance” in the business class. With its 580 bhp, it is the most powerful model in the current Audi range and – with the exception of pure racing cars like the Le Mans-winning Audi R10 TDI – the most potent Audi of all time. But not only that: it is also clearly superior to all competitors in the top performance category.

The ten-cylinder V-configuration engine in the RS 6 is based on the V10 powerplants of the Audi S6 and Audi S8, but has been redeveloped in practically every respect to attain the significantly higher level of performance. The twin turbochargers ensure an impressively constant stream of power over the entire engine speed range: the mighty peak torque of 480 lb-ft is available across the entire range from 1,500 to 6,250 rpm; maximum output is available between 6,250 and 6,700 rpm.

This powerplant enables the Audi RS 6 Avant to achieve the road performance of a high-performance sports car. It requires just 4.4 seconds for the sprint from a standing start to 60 mph, and reaches the 124 mph mark in a mere 14.9 seconds. Only when the needle touches 155 mph is the propulsive power electronically governed.

The six-speed tiptronic is the perfect complement to the self-confident, powerful character of the RS 6. Its hydraulics and control system have been optimized to achieve exceptionally short shift times; the ratios have been adapted accordingly.

In its basic setting, the center differential distributes 40 percent of the power to the front and 60 percent to the rear wheels – this slightly rear-biased setup produces particularly dynamic handling characteristics.

An Individual Driving Feel

With Dynamic Ride Control the shock absorbers are connected diagonally with each other via two oil lines and two control valves. Body movement – e.g. rolling when cornering at high speed on an uneven road surface – produces flows of oil, which generate additional damping force. As a result, the RS 6 boasts even more directional control through bends and reacts with substantially more precision to the steering inputs of the driver.

Dynamic Ride Control on the new RS 6 can be supplemented if desired with optional three-stage damping. This allows the driver to select the handling characteristics according to his/her personal preferences or chosen route. In the comfort setting, the sports suspension plus provides remarkable ride comfort, in the dynamic program it adjusts superbly to an enthusiastic driving style and in the sport mode it delivers maximum driving precision.

Self-Assured Appearance

Its independent design lends the Audi RS 6 a striking and self-assured look – without any hint of aggression. In fact, the clear front-end design with the remodelled bumper and accentuated apertures evidently follows function: the high-performance powerplant requires a considerable amount of air to breathe as well as for cooling. The fact that it belongs to the RS family is emphasized by the matt aluminum-look single-frame grille featuring a highly polished black guard in a diamond design.

Elegant and Exclusive Interior

The interior of the new RS 6 offers an impressive synthesis of sporty elegance and exclusiveness. The extremely high standard of craftsmanship typical for Audi is complemented by an equally sporty and elegant combination of top-class materials. Carbon fiber, aluminum, leather and Alcantara create an ambience that is unique even in the world of high-performance cars.

The main control element is and remains the steering wheel: on the RS 6 the customer can choose between the multifunction sports steering wheel with a 3-spoke design and the particularly distinctive flat-bottomed RS sports steering wheel, likewise with multifunction controls and shift paddles for the transmission. The cockpit in the typical RS design additionally features a boost pressure gauge. Displays for boost pressure, oil temperature and lap timer can be called up via the driver information system.