It sounds like the new R S6 Avant is retaining internal combustion to some degree.
By Chris Chin
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It appears the next-gen long-roof Audi R S6 Avant will be keeping with good ‘ol-fashioned internal combustion power, somewhat. Spanish YouTuber NCars caught a test mule running around and recorded some video of the prototype driving past.
We know the Ingolstadt-based automaker has been working on a successor to its beloved high-performance halo wagon. Originally, Audi had a bold plan to convert the R S6 Avant into a tire-shredding EV as part of the automaker’s electrification strategy.
But due to poor demand and charging infrastructure challenges — among many other factors — Audi backtracked on its EV offensive to continue developing ICE tech. But rather than canceling EVs altogether, the automaker doubled down on its efforts to build more gas-, diesel-electric and plug-in hybrids.
In the two-minute video, you can see the cameraperson standing on the shoulder of a curvy two-lane mountain road and recording in first-person. The R S6 Avant prototype then comes into view and does a few passes.
The location changes several times throughout the video. In addition to the Avant, the video also caught a supposed R S6 sedan prototype driving alongside the wagon.
Other spy photographers snapped and confirmed the existence of the RS 6 Avant prototype in the past at other locations. But the more revealing detail is the noise it makes.
At around the 1:04 mark, the RS 6 Avant makes another drive-by pass for the camera. The driver can then be heard getting on the throttle, allowing the internal combustion to sing its song.
Crank up the volume, and you can very easily tell from the exhaust that it’s not a thundering V8. Rather, the noise more closely resembles a sonorous V6 instead.
This would be a major shift from the current R S6 Avant, which utilizes a potent 4.0-liter biturbo V8. It’s good for around 621 horsepower, 627 pound-feet of torque, resulting in a face-warping 0-60 sprint of just 3.2 seconds.
Despite reverting back to classic ICE power, Audi engineers supposedly made the decision to convert the next-gen R S6 Avant into a plug-in hybrid. This move not only continues to align with Audi’s electrification aspirations. It also keeps hardcore fans interested.
But due to the added complexity and weight of the rumored plug-in hybrid components, engineers likely had to shrink the ICE engine component. The R S6 already weighs more than a planet at 4,982 pounds. Plug-in hybrid gear will likely make it significantly heavier.
Additionally, the industry trend towards hybridization also made the RS6 Avant’s next-gen rival, the BMW M5 Touring, into a plug-in model. The Bimmer wasn’t immune to any criticism as it also gained a lot of weight, tipping the scales at 5,530 pounds, which is as much as a new Chevy Tahoe.
Despite a supposed drop in cylinder count, the next R S6 Avant will likely punch out considerably more power than the current model. Originally, rumors suggested the electrified version was going to produce over 700 horsepower.
More recent rumors, however, point at 730 horsepower for the new plug-in hybrid model seen in the video.
Speculation aside, we’ll just have to see what the Four Rings does to one up the M5 Touring. The BMW still utilizes a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 for its plug-in hybrid powertrain. Total output is rated at 717 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque.
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