Get inside and you’re surrounded by sporty shades of alcantara, leather and carbon-fibre. The RS 6 Avant was all Misano Red on the outside, but inside, the only red visible was on the extremities of the metres and the RS badging on the steering wheel.
The wide console and folding MMI display are a nice touch, keeping things balanced between old-school and cutting-edge in the best way possible. Adjust the multi-way seats and the room lets you stretch out if need be. The rear is also a very comfortable spot for two, but the drive-tunnel rising in the centre like a fortress makes it difficult for anyone other than a child or a dog in the middle seat. That apart, the boot space is a major selling point.
Your sofa, two chairs, bean bags and even the living room carpet could very well fit in there with the rear seats folded down, opening up all 1,680 litres for use. The lever on the cargo compartment makes it very easy to fold down the rear seats without actually reaching in or having to get the other lever near the head-rest by opening the rear doors.
The good news doesn’t end there, because the RS 6 also packs air suspension. That not only means you have a sublime ride quality despite the 30-profile rubber, but you also get a good ground clearance — got your attention now, haven’t I? With a minimum ground clearance of 145 millimetres, the RS 6 can handle most roads without a problem. Have that torturous and mind-numbingly high speed hump? Fret not, raise the suspension to 185 mm and you don’t have to worry about that near three-metre wheelbase allowing touchdown.
That’s the practicality aspect covered. Those speed humps were soon a thing of the past because we were out of the city and on the winding mountain roads. The 4.0-litre V8 may start with a bark, but it’s all almost inaudible rumble in the normal driving mode. Thump that gear-lever down once more and the ‘S’ gear display appears in the info-console. The rumble suddenly becomes more perceptible. Post 2,500 RPM, the flood-gates open, unleashing a deluge of bass. Then you put your foot down and it overpowers all your senses.
The needles rides to 6,000 RPM, the bellows come on song and the RS 6 blasts away, hitting 100 km/h in just 4.3 seconds. The quattro directs most of that 700 Nm to the rear, making the front go so light it’s as if you’ve taken off. The experience is eye-widening for sure, but what’s more so is that the two-tonne weight keeps it planted no matter how stupid you get behind the wheel. With the pleasure-rich, but rather lunatic expression growing on my face – tongue out, the works – I throw it into the long right-hander, speeds climbing past 140 km/h and the tyres still gripping as if they were made of chewing-gum. Before I forget, the rain gods were generous with their bounty, holding nothing back, all this while. The only time you lift off is when the inevitable soot-belching lorry absolutely ruins the scenery, the vibe, the environment, and your very existence at that point of time.
