New Audi RS 6 Coming to America

Audi AG says it will offer its RS 6 Avant sport wagon for the first time in North America, beginning next year.

Sales of the redesigned, high-performance model will begin later this year in Europe, where wagons remain popular. The rollout will spread in mid-2020 to North America, where wagons have lost considerable ground in recent years to taller-standing crossover vehicles.

Built on parent Volkswagen Group’s second-generation MLB platform, Audi’s 2020 wagon is about 175 lbs lighter than the previous RS6 Avant that was discontinued last year. The new model also gets improved aerodynamics and more prominent taillights.

Power will come from a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine that generates 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque in European applications. U.S. specifications will be announced later.

The engine will be mated with an 8-speed automatic transmission and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Audi’s Quatro all-wheel-drive system has a 60:40 rear axle bias with torque vectoring that can transfer power between the rear wheels.

Other goodies include four-wheel steering, an adaptive air suspension and six driving modes. The RS 6 also gets customized body panels that make it nearly two inches wider than the standard A6 Avant.