AUDI RS 6 AND RS 7 RECEIVE NEW PERFORMANCE MODELS

With great power comes a great price tag. Audi has levelled up the RS 6 and RS 7 Sportback with their new Performance variants, though you’ll have to fork out the cash if you want the extra speed.

The 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo TFSI engine powering both models has been fitted with larger turbochargers which, alongside an increase in boost pressure from 2.4 to 2.6 bar, see engine power increase from 600PS (441kW) to 630PS (463kW). Maximum torque has also increased from 800Nm to 850Nm.

Suppose the only unit you care about is seconds; the new performance models can blitz 0 to 100km/h in just 3.4 seconds, which is 0.2 quicker than the RS 6 and RS 7 base models.

An increase in performance often means you must pay up somewhere else. On this occasion, the currency is sound; Insulation has been significantly stripped from the vehicle to reduce the overall weight. The German automaker caveats the decision with the claim that removing insulation has the added benefit of making the car sound louder for riders. Depending on your appetite for roaring engines, it’s a trade-off that may leave you praising Audi’s design teams.

Owners can fit both new models with 22-inch lightweight wheels available in various finishes, from glossy metallic black to matte neodymium gold. The wheels feature a 5-Y spoke design which is said to help with brake cooling. They sit within Continental Sport Contact 7 tyres, further reducing weight and improving grip on dry and wet roads.

Both models come in a selection of 16 exterior colours, including the exclusive new Ascari Blue and Dew Silver colours in either a matte or metallic finish. Flat grey RS outer elements (exterior mirrors, front spoiler, side flaps, side sill inserts, roof rails, side window trim, and rear diffuser) ensure the performance models are easily identifiable.

Audi’s 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit display continues to command the cabins of both models, though now with some added functionality. In manual transmission mode, blinking shift indicators – akin to those seen in motorsport vehicles – suggest the best time for drivers to shift between gears. Launch Control also uses traffic light icons to signal the optimal acceleration moment from zero.

The RS Dynamic Package comes as standard, meaning the top speed increases from the 250km/h figure in the standard models to 280km/h. Need more? RS Dynamic Package plus raises the top speed to 305km/hour and throws in an RS ceramic brake system to help keep your inner speed demon in check. The system weighs around 34kg less than the steel variant, and the brake callipers can be ordered in grey, red, or blue.

The Audi RS 6 Avant and RS 7 Sportback Performance were made available to order in early December from £112,650 and £116,305, respectively, a noticeable – albeit unsurprising – step up from their predecessors.

Images: https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/photos/album/audi-rs-6-avant-performance-2170 https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/photos/album/audi-rs-7-sportback-performance217