Audi aims high with lower priced RS 6

The price is down and sales expectations are up for the third generation Audi RS 6 Avant.

The twin turbo 412kW V8 all-wheel drive wagon, which was launched to Australian media via a drive to Uluru from Alice Springs last weekend, will go on-sale in October with a pricetag of $225,000.

That’s $35,114 cheaper than its predecessor (which departed the market at in October 2010) and also undercuts all its logical opposition – the BMW M5, Jaguar XFR-S and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S sedans (remembering the AMG Estate was dropped from the local E-class range when the recent update was introduced).

The RS 6 is however a little more than $130,000 more expensive than the HSV GTS, although Audi would certainly argue that’s not logical competition (but who cares about logic beyond 400 kilowatts!).

Audi expects the price cut to drive the new RS 6’s sales tally toward 200 over the course of its life. That’s well above the 53 the first generation managed and the 58 of the second.

The company also says the drop in engine capacity and cylinders from the second generation’s 5.0-litre twin-turbo V10 has helped with pricing, as has some successful negotiations with the factory. It also is reflective of a drive to lift the sales levels of Audi’s sports models generally, which encompasses S Line, S, RS and the R8 mid-engined coupe and Spyder.

“In the first six months of this year sales of the Audi performance models have grown more than 100 per cent,” said Audi Australia managing director Andrew Doyle.

“So we are certainly heading in the right direction to get to our goal of a much higher penetration of these rich S and RS models.”

The new RS 6 downsizes from its predecessor’s Lamborghini-sourced V10 engine and drops 14kW along the way. However, at 700Nm, it is 50Nm up, while the new car also lops 0.7 secs off the 0-100km/h time, re-setting it at 3.9 secs. Fuel consumption is a whopping 30 per cent down – settling at a combined figure of 9.8L/100km.

Other key mechanicals include eight-speed tiptronic auto, mechanically-controlled permanent all-wheel drive with connection to the road via adjustable suspension and 21-inch rubber.

The standard equipment list is extensive and includes LED headlights, digital TV and radio reception, head-up display, parking system with 360 degree camera, a panoramic glass sunroof, a powered tailgate, an electric park brake, four-zone climate control, 14-speaker BOSE surround sound, RS front sports seats upholstered in Valcona leather and honeycomb stitching. A luggage rail system adds some amenity to the load area.

There are a bunch of expensive options on top. You can bump the top speed from 250km/h to 280km/h via the $4900 Dynamic Package, or spend $25,840 for the Dynamic Package plus that lifts that to 305km/h – as well as adding Ceramic brakes, Dynamic Ride Control and Dynamic Steering (the latter two also included in the cheaper Dynamic Package).

Audi Australia aims to sell 1200 S models and 230 RS-badged cars and 30-40 R8s in the 2013 calendar year. In 2012 it sold 261 S models, 109 RS models and 41 R8s.

Along with RS 6, the quattro GmbH-developed RS model line will be boosted with the arrival of the RS 5 Cabrio (August), the RS 7 Sportback (January 2014), which effectively replaces the RS 6 sedan and Audi’s first RS SUV, the RS Q3 in March 2014.

They will join the RS 5, TT-RS and RS 4 Avant, which are on sale now.

In 2013 quattro GmbH has declared an ambition to sell 15,000 RS models worldwide, an increase of 30 per cent.

“RS drives the brand and builds the brand prestige, which is a great thing and makes it a more aspirational brand. The volume has increased quite a bit, but it’s not all about volume in that area, it’s about having the technology available,” Doyle told motoring.com.au.

Read the review of the Audi RS 6 Avant

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