The Audi RS 4 Avant is kind of combination of two very different car types. From the starting point it is a family wagon, while on the other hand it has the performance of a sportscar. Combining these two features is not always easy, but RS 4 Avant is able to provide the best from the both worlds incredibly well without making any big compromises.
One feature that makes it easier two adjust the car the way you want it, is the Audi drive select. It offers three drive modes; comfort, auto and dynamic. If the car is equipped with an Audi navigation system, a driver-configurable custom mode is also available. Switching between different modes you can determine the characteristics of the steering, transmission and the throttle valve. Additional options include the sport differential, dynamic steering and the sport suspension plus with dynamic damping.
In comfort mode, the RS 4 provides refined ride. The V8 engine gives you impressive growl when started, but at steady speeds at low revs the car is umbelievably quiet. Thanks to the automatic transmission and the four-wheel drive, this 450 horsepower car is easy to drive even in a slippery winter weather. The transmission changes to the next gear quickly and keeps the revs low to provide smooth and comfortable ride and smaller fuel consumption. The combined fuel consumption is 10,7 l/100km, but in mixed driving the consumption is easily at least a few litres more. In comfort mode the RS 4 offers also performance, but you have press the gas pedal deeper to the floor to get it.
When you want to enjoy more from the car’s sporty potential, you can choose the dynamic drive mode. In dynamic mode, the exhaust provides more rugged sound, the transmission keeps the revs much higher and even provides double-declutching when downshifting. In the dynamic mode, the RS 4 is a completely different kind of machine. This is how the 450 horsepower car should feel like. The S tronic transmission keeps the revs above 3000rpm so that the performance is there immediately available when you press the throttle.
Audi RS 4 Avant is powered by the same naturally aspirated V8 engine that can be found from the RS 5. In addition to the 450 hp, the 4163cc engine produces 430 Newton metres (317.15 lb-ft) of torque. As this is a naturally aspirated engine, the engine needs some revs to deliver its best performance. The top torque is delivered between 4000 and 6000rpm, and for the maximum power you have to rev it all the way to the 8250rpm. The S tronic transmission works really well in the auto mode, but you can also handle the gear changes by yourself if you want to. The RS 4 Avant has the performance of a sports car. It can sprint from zero to 100km/h in 4,7 seconds and the top speed is limited to 250 km/h. The top speed can be increased to 280 km/h upon request.
The RS 4 Avant comes as standard with the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. The heart of this system is the compact and lightweight crown-gear center differential, which can vary the distribution of power between the front and rear axles. In default the system provides a rear-biased configuration with the 40:60 ratio, but when needed up to 70 percent of the power can be sent to the front or as much as 85 percent to the rear. The self-locking crown-gear center differential works together with the torque vectoring system. If the load on the inside wheel is reduced too much, the torque vectoring system brakes it slightly before unintended slip can occur. As an option, Audi offers the sport differential, which uses two superposition stages to actively distribute the power between the rear wheels.
Specification
Engine
- Petrol
- 8-cylinder
- 4163cc
Power
- 331 kW (450 hp) / 8250rpm
Torque
- 430 Nm / 4000-6000rpm
Transmission
- 7-speed automatic
- AWD
0-100km/h / 0-62mph
- 4.7 seconds
Top speed
- 250 km/h
Fuel consumption
- 10.7 l/100km
CO2 emissions
- 249 g/km
