Audi’s RS-badged models, especially of the Avant ilk (read wagon), have mesmerized petrolheads ever since the RS2 came in 1992, which was in equal measures an Audi and a Porsche. The engine was Porsche, just like the tweaked gearbox, brakes, and wheels.
Fast-forward to 2020 and the RS-badged lineup has extended to include the RS 4, RS 7, and even the RS Q8 SUV.
2020 Audi RS6 Avant by ABT
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- Model: 2020 Audi RS6 Avant by ABT
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The 2020 Audi RS 6 Avant Was Already a Horsepower Monster
The U.S. has been longing for the Audi RS 6 Avant and 2020 is the year it will finally get it. We know from a previous announcement dropped by Audi back in August 2019 that the Stateside-bound RS 6 Avant will pack 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque coming from a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8. It’ll also sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds on to a top track speed of 155.3 mph. But that’s the bone-stock RS 6 we’re talking.
Audi RS6 Avant specifications
|
Engine |
twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 |
|---|---|
|
Horsepower |
591 hp |
|
Torque |
590 pound-feet @ 2,050 - 4,500 rpm |
|
Transmission |
eight-speed automatic |
|
0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) |
3.6 seconds |
|
0 to 200 mph (124 mph) |
12 seconds |
|
Top Speed |
250 km/h (155 mph) |
As it turns out, ABT Performance has been brewing a tuning kit for the RS 6 that bumps the overall power and torque output to 690 horsepower and 649 pound-feet, respectively. That’s more than twice as much as the RS2’s output of 311 horsepower.
The good news: you don’t need a magnifying glass to see the gains over the stock RS6 Avant - 99 horsepower and 59 pound-feet of twist. The bad news: ABT didn’t provide data on how this bump affects the power-wagon’s acceleration time and top speed, but we’re guessing they should have some positive influence on those numbers, so maybe 0-62 mph could drop to 3.4 or 3.3 seconds, with top speed taking a hike to 160 mph. In any case, that’s pure speculation meant to give us some bearing, at least until ABT decides to release concrete performance figures.
There’s also a silver lining to this. Besides the RS 6 Avant, ABT can apply the exact same treatment to the RS 4, RS 7, and RS Q8, so if the RS 6 happens to not tickle your fancy, there are other options waiting for your money.
Mind you, though, the program is likely targeted at the Euro versions of these cars, so the U.S. might not get the upgrade bundle. Even if it does, it’ll only cover the RS Q8 and RS 6 Avant, since the RS 4 and the RS 7 were not sold here at the time of writing.