Sacha’s Weblog

As a follow-up to my previous post, iInformation about the new RS6 starts leaking, with the audi.com web site showing some basic information and a German web site leaking some pictures of the Avant model. We might still have to wait until the 11th to get complete information such as whether a saloon version will be released (and when? Geneva 2008?), whether it features the new Torque Vectoring Quattro, etc.

In any case, what seems to be official at this point is:

• 5.0L FSI bi-turbo
• Dynamic Ride Control
• 13.9L/100km, 331g/km CO2
• 4.6s for 0-100km/h (0-62), 14.9s for 0-200km/h

So let’s wait and see…

In the last 12 months, I’ve been closely tracking any bit of news I could find about the yet-to-be-released Audi RS6. My congratulations to Audi for doing such a great job at preserving the mystery: almost no info leaked. For example, originally thought to be released at the Geneva 2007 car show…it didn’t. However, chances to see it released in a few days, at the Frankfurt IAA, are close to certain.

So how much do we think we know about the yet-to-be-released RS6? Well, not much:

• Engine: this one seems a pretty safe bet. The engine will be a modified version of the S6 (as well as V10 Lamborghini Gallardo): a 5.0L V10 bi-turbo (not a 5.2L like the S6).
• Power: Audi went as far as officially registering two IDs for the RS6 (AUDI AG 4F 7967 AAJ 21 N31 N30 579 426 5002 for the saloon version and AUDI AG 4F 7967 AAK 21 N31 N30 579 426 5002 for the Avant), which translates into 579 PS/571 HP/426 kW). However, it wouldn’t be the first time a vendor registers fake IDs to play with the competition. Two new rumors have recently surfaced: i) to reduce CO2 emission and remain politically correct, the final number would be slightly lower (560Hp) and ii) real number would be above 600 HP. The first rumor seems more believable.
• Suspension: it seems it is going to be a next generation of the DRC. DRC III is deemed to be fully adjustable in height and stiffness and quicker than the RS4’s version.
• Transmission: Quattro, obviously. The big question is whether the RS6 will be the first model to host Torque Vectoring. Split between the front and back wheels is said to have changed to 40/60.
• Chassis: it seems to be a reworked version of the S6’s chassis.
• Lights: lights and indicators are supposed to all be LED-based. Mirror wings will feature LED-indicators.

Last but not least, while everybody was expecting to see the saloon version released prior to the Avant, it might change: some say that only the Avant is dubbed to be shown at the Frankfurt IAA: the saloon would only be released in Geneva in 2008, if ever. Also, it isn’t clear yet whether the RS6 will be available in the USA.Well, we won’t have much to wait to see how much of these rumors were true. While the IAA opens on the 13th of September, the Audi press conference is on the 11th of September. I’ll then report here which info was good.

Onward,

Sacha

P.S.: you can see some pictures and movies here and there.

P.S. 2: my main source of information is the great RS6.com forum.

Had a discussion with Marc on whether it is possible these days to have a performant & nice looking car that’s also eco-friendly or if we necessarily have to drive an ugly car to compensate the irresponsible attitude of some.

So Marc brought to my attention the newest Lexus hybrid models. But for whatever reason, I didn’t feel anything special when I looked at it (yes, sometimes I do). But I couldn’t really explain it… Then I found this article from Jeremy Clarkson and I think there is no need to add anything else.

Move on.

I love cars. I mean, I love nice cars, not just tin boxes.

One thing that has always amused me (and sometimes horrified) is the hobby of “Car Tuning”. Don’t get me wrong, I am not talking about companies that tune cars as a real engineering matter (ABT, Sportec, Oettinger and others), no, I am speaking about the drag queens of tuning.

Anyway, I knew car tuning could be ridiculous, but I also thought being ridiculous didn’t kill. Well, It seems I was wrong.