In today's highly globalized automotive industry there are fewer and fewer instances of a brands limiting highly desirable cars to certain markets, but Audi's line of high performance "Avant" wagons has always been one of those forbidden fruits for us in the United States—until today at least.
Along with dropping images and details about the new 2020 RS6 Avant, Audi also confirmed what many had been speculating for the past several months—that one of its high performance Avants is coming to America.
First up there's the look of the RS6 Avant, which is wide and aggressive and shares basically nothing with its A6 sibling aside from its basic roofline and doors. Yet even with its widened fenders and air scooping bumpers, the RS6 Avant still manages to look elegant and understated with its traditional wagon profile.
Things get even more impressive under the hood where you will find a twin turbocharged 4.0 liter V8 with a mild hybrid system that makes about 590 horsepower—and of course a Quattro AWD system to put all that power down. Depending on specific options, its top speed is said to be 190 miles per hour, and it will hit 62 miles per hour from a stop in just 3.6 seconds.
Aside from its twin turbo horsepower and advanced AWD system, the RS6 Avant will feature plenty of other high performance components including adjustable suspension, ceramic brakes and a giant set of 21" wheels to go over them.
And yet despite its supercar levels of performance, the RS6 Avant will also feature Audi's typically high end cockpit and interior finishings, only this time there will be room for the whole family and just about anything else they may want to bring with them.
Audi hasn't confirmed any pricing for the US market as of yet, but the RS6 Avant will certainly be a niche machine that doesn't come cheap. Plan on it to bump up right towards the $100,000 mark when it goes on sale sometime in the next year.
In a world where SUVs and crossovers have become the primary volume and profit leaders in the American market, it's an unexpected yet highly welcome development that Audi is finally bringing one of its high performance wagons to the US market. We may just have a new dream family car on our hands.
Speaking of cool wagons, check out our recent list of the five best modern longroofs you can get.