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The Audi RS4 has been heralded as the perfect RS car over the generations, despite the fact it isn’t the most expensive, nor the flashiest. What it is, however, is a superbly practical, supremely fast car that offers entertainment and enjoyment for those in the know.
The RS4 walks a different path to its main rivals, being offered as a wagon only. Audi knows the appeal of these go-fast wagons well, having made the call back in 2012 to stick with the boxy-bodied estate for the RS4, after a dalliance with sedan and convertible body-types in the generation prior.
The current RS4 moved away from the last’s thumping V8 engine, but now you’ll find a zinger of a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 under the shapely bonnet of the RS4 Avant. It’s priced from $165,015.
Audi’s 2.9-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 has seen plenty of use across performance products from Audi and Porsche, including the Macan S and Audi S6.
In the RS4, it develops 331kW (at 5700-6700rpm) and 600Nm (at 1900-5000rpm).
The Audi RS4 is capable of sprinting from 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds and hits a limited top speed of 250km/h.
Specifying the Competition Plus package sees two tenths fall from the 0-100km/h sprint (to 3.9 seconds) and the speed limiter raised to 290km/h.
The RS4 features LED headlights, an RS design package, Nappa leather upholstery, power-adjust seats, a Bang & Olufsen 19-speaker sound system and metallic paint as standard.
It includes a 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with Audi's software that incorporates connected services and other features.
The Audi RS4 Avant has five seats with power-adjustable leather-appointed items standard and optional bucket seats available. Heating is included regardless of the seats.
The high roofline of the wagon helps back seat room and access for child seats. ISOFIX and top tether ports are supplied for the outboard seat positions.
The Audi RS4's interior is getting a little long in the tooth but it still offers a good level of technology. The layout is very easy to used and it has one of the nicest steering wheels on sale.
Unlike some rivals, Audi only offers a limited cabin colour palette with black leather the only choice. You can option red accents and swap trim pieces out for carbon fibre, if you wish.
The Audi RS4’s boot is a generous 505L with under floor storage and a netted area on the driver’s side. Folding the 40/20/40 split-fold bench increases space to 1495L.
The Audi RS4 wagon is rated to use 9.5L/100km in the ADR combined consumption cycle.
The fuel tank is quite small for this kind of vehicle at 58 litres. That limits the RS4’s theoretical driving range to 611km.