Page 60 - MotorTrend (March 2020)

FIRST DRIVES I Audi RS Q8 I RS 6
combined cycle, Audi estimates 19 mpg
for this track-ready beast. Impressive.
RS Q8: Fastest to Montessori
All RS Q8s get an adaptive air suspension
with firmer damping than the base steel
suspension offers, plus up to 3.5 inches of
ride-height variability for the day you take
this beast off-pavement.
An electromechanical anti-roll bar (part
of the Dynamic package) provides active
roll stabilization, which you’ll feel as soon
RS 6: Audi’s Superwagon
Under the yummy sheetmetal sits a
4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 that makes 591
horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. Audi
claims 0–62 mph in 3.6 seconds, and
I’m educated-guessing that number is
conservative.
The stout engine is mated to ZF’s
ubiquitous eight-speed automatic
transmission, routing power to all four
wheels—because Quattro. The torque
split is 40/60 front to rear. As much as
70 percent of the torque can hit the front
wheels, and up to 85 percent can be sent
to the rears. The rear axle has a sport
differential that vectors torque left and
60 MOTORTREND.COM MARCH 2020
There are eight driving mode programs,
including two programmable, intense
“RS” settings activated from a steering
wheel button (the fiercer setting negates
ESC nannies), and separate Allroad and
off-road settings that carry different
throttle characteristics; the off-road
mapping adds downhill speed assist and
optimizes stability, traction, and braking
for poor surfaces.
An optional Quattro sport differential
splits the torque between the rear wheels
and has dialed in “a hint of oversteer,”
technical project manager Michael
Barma says. Most folks won’t reach its full
potential, but a stint riding shotgun with
Stippler displays its capability, especially
putting down power on corner exit.
as you take your first corner at speed:
There’s no lurch of weight transfer, no
body lean. You’re just carving the radius,
the chassis hugging the tarmac flat (good
thing for bolstered seats).
If not for the RS Q8’s hefty 5,300
pounds of weight as a reminder, you
would find yourself forgetting you’re
driving a crossover. It also offers stan-
dard four-wheel steering, with the rear
wheels offering an astounding 5 degrees
of steering angle.
2021 Audi RS 6 Avant
right as needed; the front wheels have
BASE PRICE $120,000 (est)
brake-based torque vectoring.
VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD,
The RS 6 is 3.1 inches wider and sits 0.8 5-pass, 4-door wagon
inch lower than a normal A6 and can be
ENGINE 4.0L/591-hp/590-lb-
had with two different suspensions. The
ft twin-turbo DOHC
standard is air springs at all four corners 32-valve V-8
(which lowers the vehicle an additional
TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic
0.4 inch at speed); the option is Audi’s
CURB WEIGHT 4,600 lb (mfr)
Dynamic Ride Control, which sports
WHEELBASE 115.4 in
hydraulic, diagonally linked dampers.
That means the driver-side front damper LENGTH X WIDTH 196.7 x 76.8 x 58.5 in
X HEIGHT
is tied into the passenger-side rear
0-62 MPH 3.6 sec (mfr est)
damper, and vice versa.
The optional carbon-ceramic brakes EPA CITY/HWY/ Not yet rated
COMB FUEL ECON
are off Lamborghini’s Urus, and the front
ON SALE IN U.S. Late summer 2020
rotors are the largest in the passen-
ger-car world (17.3 inches). Opting for
the giant carbon stoppers allows the RS
6’s top speed to rise from 155 to 190 mph.
Talk about gotta have it! There is now
an RS button on the steering wheel that
offers two fully programmable modes—
RS1 and RS2. Yeah, totes like BMW M
cars’ M1 and M2 buttons. If you must
steal, steal from the best.
Traditionally, big Audis that aren’t
the R8 have suffered from one single
issue: understeer. Great news: This big,
fast Audi does not understeer. I believe
it’s due to the sport differential because