Why No Saloon RS6

[hshah]

As the thread title says, why don't Audi do a saloon RS6 (new ones, not the old ones)?

[A6S]

To get you to buy the rs7.

[Guest 2]

correct, same way there is no b8 rs4 cab, they get you to buy the rs5 cab instead.

[Chesterfield313]

correct, same way there is no b8 rs4 cab, they get you to buy the rs5 cab instead.

That isn't quite the same, there isn't an A4 cab in the first place to make into an RS4 cab. Shame there is only the RS7 to choose if you don't like driving vans. It hasn't got the all round appeal of an A6, it is a marmite car, so will limit sales.

[Splash]

As the thread title says, why don't Audi do a saloon RS6 (new ones, not the old ones)?
Because only an Avant can have authentic RS DNA. ;)

[hshah]

Whilst the RS7 is a nice car, only having 2 seats in the back is a bit of a deal breaker :(

[L3nnox]

Because only an Avant can have authentic RS DNA. ;)

Agree, RS6 is and should only be an uber wagon, saloons remind me of Orions and Jettas = uncool, sorry. [emoji850]

[A6ian]

Agree, RS6 is and should only be an uber wagon, saloons remind me of Orions and Jettas = uncool, sorry. [emoji850]

Don't seem to remember the Escort or Golf estates being uber cool either. too much like a plumber or painter and decorators van for my liking.

[wildbore]

Don't seem to remember the Escort or Golf estates being uber cool either. too much like a plumber or painter and decorators van for my liking.

But the Avant isn't an estate. Believe me, when you're trying to move a sofa, that sloping tailgate means it is a million miles from being an estate. In reality, it's a big hatchback.

[Whippy53]

Seems barmy, estate is heavier therefore slower. Like asking Moe Farrah to run with a suitcase in his hand. Barmy.

[A6ian]

But the Avant isn't an estate. Believe me, when you're trying to move a sofa, that sloping tailgate means it is a million miles from being an estate. In reality, it's a big hatchback.

Not many estates (or avants) would fit a sofa in. you could probably fit in a coffin though :D only kidding, I don't mind the estvant, but prefer the "limousine"

[wildbore]

Agree the estate is heavier but they compensated by fitting a slightly bigger engine.

[isleaiw]

As the thread title says, why don't Audi do a saloon RS6 (new ones, not the old ones)?

Could it be because BMW only do the M5 as a saloon - avoids head on competition and means each has its own niche...

[L3nnox]

Could it be because BMW only do the M5 as a saloon - avoids head on competition and means each has its own niche...

Bmw used to do an estate M5 but such limited number it wasn't worth it, dealer principle told me this when I was looking to buy an E61 M5 years ago and bought a 535d instead. And this seems to be the same for Audi and the RS6 saloon. I guess horses for courses and RS6s Re preferred by though with more active lifestyles. (Horses, waking, sailing, biking, surfing, scuba... Just few to name the sports that have sent me to hospital!! Lol)

[Splash]

To quote my original RS2 brochure, which is the ethos behind RSs I think:

"The RS2 has been created in response to drivers of maturity and experience who want to express their individuality and to avoid the run-of-the-mill. It's a car for people who understand that satisfaction comes from refinement not ostentation."

Enough said.

Interestingly it uses the term "estate car" although the rake of rear screens over time hardly reflects their origin these days.

[ukgroucho]

And at the end of the day (IMO) Audi avants look way better than the saloons, they just do...

And to continue the discourse.. I've not managed to get to grips with why the saloon aficionados hate the Avant. I suspect some childhood hatred of a Ford cortina estate or whatever.
I've "done" hatchbacks and saloons and I migrated to Avants with my first Audi (an 80) and I would not go back. They drive just like the saloons in my experience.
And NO it is not noisy (actually my wifes A1 hatchback is much more noisy in terms of hearing the rear suspension etc,), no more difficult to park, looks great and when push comes to shove.. you can shove, you can get a lot of stuff in.

So yeah you're not dragging a bunch of stuff around in it all the time but when you need to.... definitely beats adding a roof box.

[johnsimcox]

Seems barmy, estate is heavier therefore slower. Like asking Moe Farrah to run with a suitcase in his hand. Barmy.
Back in the days that Volvo were in the BTCC with the 850R, they ran the estate version not because it fitted Volvo's image but because it was actually faster in a straight line due to lower drag. Based on the S6 the avant is only 65kg heavier which is a smallish adult or a tank of fuel difference so the impact is probably fairly negligible in terms of real day performance (Audi figures show 0.2 sec for the S6 0-62 time)

[A6ian]

Back in the days that Volvo were in the BTCC with the 850R, they ran the estate version not because it fitted Volvo's image but because it was actually faster in a straight line due to lower drag. Based on the S6 the avant is only 65kg heavier which is a smallish adult or a tank of fuel difference so the impact is probably fairly negligible in terms of real day performance (Audi figures show 0.2 sec for the S6 0-62 time)

Haha, brick racing! how many wins? "Faster in a straight line" means problems in corners. The only real impact the Volvo estate had in BTTC was the novelty and publicity. And probably to attract sales from quick response plumbers, and police forces, in order to carry road cones.

[Splash]

OK. Here's one for you, although totally irrelevant to the topic:

C5 RS6 Avant was actually shorter than the saloon version.

[L3nnox]

totally irrelevant


Eh yip!! Lol

I guess they went up and out with the avant so could trip the length a bit maybe?? Lose a bit of weight.

But again to respond to the question, imagine the next RS6 based on this!!!

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/22/76ae69b8860f9aae33d9bfebc83f4c59.jpg
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/22/ae13af1d6280baec62355297b5fd595a.jpg

[Splash]

Missing one fundamental Avant aesthetic in my opinion:

Roof rails.

Can't quite explain it, but any roof longer than a saloon or coupe needs them. Even A3 Sportback. The trouble is that rooflines are getting curvier and so less functional.

Shades of Jensen Interceptor in that 2nd photo, but the 1st one doesn't do it for me even though it's the same car. Overhangs look too long.

[EssexGonzo]

Missing one fundamental Avant aesthetic in my opinion:

Roof rails.

Can't quite explain it, but any roof longer than a saloon or coupe needs them. Even A3 Sportback. The trouble is that rooflines are getting curvier and so less functional.


You're absolutely right but that looks more of a 4 door coupe than an Avant, to my eyes.

[Splash]

You're absolutely right but that looks more of a 4 door coupe than an Avant, to my eyes.

+1

It'll be interesting to see what a Panamera Estate looks like...

[L3nnox]

Roof rails ...... Even A3 Sportback.

Sorry to buck the trend but I totally disagree.... Roof rails can add to the asthetics but often without them the cars look cleaner.... My wife had an A3 Sportback a few years ago and I hated seeing them with roofrails, looked like a stunted A4 avant... More and more cars have the aero style rails that are about 10mm in height and on a Black edition (as I ordered on Monday!! ;) ) they are black on black so you can hardly see them on purpose..... And (here I WILL be slaughtered) IMHO the best looking estate, or at least the most daring/unique is this....

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/23/28d7b2bd776c2362611e5676f514b572.jpg

No rails!!

[Splash]

Sorry to buck the trend but I totally disagree.... Roof rails can add to the asthetics but often without them the cars look cleaner.... My wife had an A3 Sportback a few years ago and I hated seeing them with roofrails, looked like a stunted A4 avant... More and more cars have the aero style rails that are about 10mm in height and on a Black edition (as I ordered on Monday!! ;) ) they are black on black so you can hardly see them on purpose..... And (here I WILL be slaughtered) IMHO the best looking estate, or at least the most daring/unique is this....

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/23/28d7b2bd776c2362611e5676f514b572.jpg

No rails!!
Nooooooo! on so many levels, but primarily as it reminds me of a slug.

And the rear glass line bears no resemblance to the roof line or surrounding bodywork. But apart from the overdesigned grille and wing mirrors it's OK upto the B pillar. ;)

Still think roof rails are needed on anything long to avoid the pov spec look of an old Honda Accord estate. Whilst I'm getting things off my chest I still have an issue with manufacturers assuming you want chrome to prove you've got a prestige car. The fleet car park trim ladder comparisons are no longer valid these days but Audi doesn't seem to realise. Black roof rails every time for me if I could, but only if I could get matching black window surrounds and grille too. I'd rather pick a lower trim level to accomplish that then build up, but you don't get the option on allroad in the UK.

Only exception to the "needs roof rails" rule was the Rover Streetwise, but hell, I even had shorter ones on my Felicia Fun pickup.

[Splash]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/phawmail/2011-10-20_09-39-30_65.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/phawmail/media/2011-10-20_09-39-30_65.jpg.html)

Cool, but this hit the spot like nothing since (although the low waistline/high windows date it somewhat)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/phawmail/RS6plus.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/phawmail/media/RS6plus.jpg.html)

[Scott K]

That is wrong in so many ways! Roof rails, mis matched colours and the spoiler on the tailgate. Wheels are lost in the arches. Friend had one of these in Oz and it was cool.
29442

[Splash]

Yeah, definitely Marmite. They made them with that weird contrast, and some even with contrasting green. As it didn't have the original yellow 13" alloys I used some I already had. It was great as a practical tool though, taking mountain bikes, kids dirtbikes, watersports kit, logs etc. and the bulkhead concertena'd out to make it a 4 seater albeit with the rear seats "outside". Rare, so sold it for more than it cost after a couple of years and some hard labour.

[Scott K]

Would be good to see a picture with the 4 seats, sounds interesting. Great that you got back more than it cost.

[Splash]

We digress, but here you go:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/phawmail/2011-08-15_13-54-15_569.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/phawmail/media/2011-08-15_13-54-15_569.jpg.html)

Novelty at first, but the kids started to get embarrassed.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/phawmail/2011-08-18_19-48-23_671.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/phawmail/media/2011-08-18_19-48-23_671.jpg.html)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/phawmail/2012-10-25_14-05-53_773-1.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/phawmail/media/2012-10-25_14-05-53_773-1.jpg.html)

and the tree that fitted in it, bit-by-bit:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/phawmail/38e6048b-aed8-44c1-bc01-678ba2f3431f.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/phawmail/media/38e6048b-aed8-44c1-bc01-678ba2f3431f.jpg.html)

[Scott K]

That's a brilliant idea. Probably not best suited to our weather though!

[Splash]

No, but bought from a guy in Alloa on my way to a wakeboard competiton at Loch Lomond. It was my sacrificial winter car (silver wheels with winter tyres) and I don't think it ever went out of Scotland till the guy who bought it drove it to Wales. I'd given him a lift up, and he made me laugh when he tried to haggle on price after sharing a car journey with him for over 5 hours. Hell of a long walk home...

Ignoring the bull bar, the front valance is perversely reminiscent of my RS2; unfortunately the speed wasn't - you need a Maloo for that. ;)