Audi is preparing a firebreathing electric Audi RS 6 e-tron estate following the recent unveil of its all-new A6 e-tron.
Confirmed to Auto Express by an Audi representative, the RS 6 e-tron Avant will arrive in 2025 as the range-topper in the A6 e-tron line-up. We’ve caught the RS 6 e-tron testing a few times before in saloon guise, but this is the first time we’ve seen it in the Avant estate bodystyle.
The design of the RS 6 e-tron Avant will follow the lead of the outgoing RS 6 petrol-powered car in the sense that it’ll wear a much more aggressive bodykit than the standard A6 e-tron. The RS 6 also features a different front bumper to the S6, and a bespoke headlight signature in the upper cluster.
There are also new, RS-exclusive alloys, plus an opening behind the front wheel that looks to be inspired by the new RS 6 GT. To the rear we can make out a new bumper design with what looks to be a faux diffuser. The rear roof spoiler features an indent in the middle, different to the one on the standard A6 e-tron Avant.
The aggressive looks will be backed up by a suitable bump in power. The S6 e-tron comes with an all-wheel-drive set up from its dual-motor powertrain, providing 542bhp and a 3.9-second 0-62mph time. We’ve seen the Porsche Macan Turbo Electric (which uses the same PPE platform as the A6 e-tron) come up with 630bhp for a 3.3-second 0-62mph time, so we’d expect similar for the RS 6 e-tron to provide a rival to the 595bhp BMW i5 M60 Touring.
Judging from other models that utilise the PPE architecture – such as the Porsche Macan Electric and Audi Q6 e-tron – the RS 6 e-tron Avant’s focus on performance will likely see around a 10 per cent decrease in range to around 350 miles.
While a triple-screen layout is an option in the cabin of the A6 e-tron, we’d hope the RS 6 e-tron will get this extra technology as standard considering its status as the flagship version. Audi RS models typically get bespoke infotainment, too, with extra settings to make use of their increased performance, and we expect the RS 6 e-tron to be no different in this respect.
The A6 e-tron currently tops out at £100,075 in S6 Avant e-tron form, and the RS 6 e-tron will comfortably eclipse this, although don’t expect it to sit too close to the £127,000 RS e-tron GT.
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