[Cartoday]
Audi has announced some stylistic tweaks to the A6…Okay, the real news is that the earth-shaking RS6 saloon will be wearing that new sheet metal.
It seems that carmakers just can’t seem to contain themselves before Paris. Ford let slip some photos of its upcoming Ka, then VW spilled the beans on the Golf VI, now Audi has decided it cannot wait until Paris to reveal pictures and details regarding its RS6 saloon.Just like the RS6 Avant, which Editor Mike Fourie piloted around Paul Ricard earlier this year, the saloon is features a 5,0-litre twin-turbo V10 with Audi’s FSI direct fuel injection that develops 426 kW and 650 N.m of torque. This unit is coupled with a new six-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox, which has been updated for quicker gear shifts and shorter ratios.
Combine this powerplant capable of generating seismic disruptions with the tenacious grip and poise offered by the company’s quattro four-wheel drive and sports suspension with dynamic ride control, and you’re looking at 0-100 km/h in 4,5 seconds and an electronically controlled top speed of 280km/h.Audi offers carbon-ceramic brakes for the RS6 with 19in wheels as standard, however if you upgrade to the 20in wheel package you get larger diameter brakes sized at 420mm at the front and 356mm at the rear.
The RS6 ushers in Audi’s revised styling for its A6 range, which features a rear-end with narrower LED brake light clusters á-la A4. Other features that distinguish the RS6 from its standard siblings are a bold, single-frame grill, RS6-specific LED daytime running lights, flared fenders with air intakes, deep side skirts, a rear diffuser, a spoiler integrated into the boot lid and two large oval exhaust pipes.
Safety features include Audi’s lane assist, adaptive cruise control, and Audi side assist. Electronic stability also comes as standard, but can be set to a ‘Sport’ mode or, for those displaying a particular degree of intestinal fortitude, deactivated completely.The RS6 will be launched in Europe shortly after its Paris Motor Show debut. The local launch will take place in late January, or early February 2009.