Audi RS4 Avant B9

2018 Audi RS4 Avant

The previous RS4 Avant is one heck of a brilliant Audi because even though for an everyday wagon, it looks and feels absolutely sexy as well as its animalistic V8 engine ever roared. We all missed that RS4 Avant and now, Audi unveiled the all-new model which is based on the Audi A4 B9 Avant model.

So, what's new on the B9-spec RS4 Avant, per se? Pay attention because what's under the hood is disturbing and it is. The old model's V8 engine has been thrown away to the great junkyard in the sky and in place lies the same 2.9 TFSi V6 BiTurbo engine that you get in today's RS5. That means, it produces 450PS of power and 600Nm of torque while mated to an 8-speed Tiptronic transmission. It does 0-100kph in 4.1 seconds, which is slightly quicker than the one it replaces while it can do a governed top speed of 250kph but it can be bumped up to 280kph by request, which pretty much is the same as the old one if I'm honest.

Sure, the new model has been quite an improvement from the old one apart from the added power from the small V6 turbo engine and replacing the 7-speed DCT with an 8-speed AT because some enthusiasts are unhappy with it, but what's unhappy about the new RS4 is the sound of it and thanks to the downsized engine, it's less shouty than the old model it replaces and you get the impression that it sounds like driving an ordinary estate that you normally use on a day-to-day basis, including shopping. Disappointing the sounds are, the new RS4's dynamics are rather mild indeed, even though it was improved from the ground up thanks to the platform it uses, resulting in a lighter and more rigid ride compared to the previous model.

On normal roads, the RS4 is pretty much civilized on the road because that's how Audis are made, perhaps no wonder some people won't want to be with someone driving an Audi for reasons known only to themselves, perhaps they don't call them entertaining or amusing, but when taken on the track, this is where the serious bit kicks in because even with the dynamic settings on, driving the new RS4 is like getting pummeled by a bear drinking Stella Artois. Remember, this car doesn't have that wonderful feature like the one from the Ford Focus RS, which means it's going to behave pretty much like a front-wheel-drive car and if you're too little, too late, you're be seeing stretch marks on your arms after this.

So much for a 79,800 Euro high-performance wagon but despite all that mild and tangy dynamics, it still works like a wagon should. It even has some room for some groceries and some stuff you bought at the thrift store and some seats for your mates, even families who are sticking with the one-child policy. Still, it's inappropriate to be called a family car because of the pricing, but the RS4 Avant is all about being the jack of all trades, all work and all play like when the world's gone mad thanks to the principle of Murphy's Law.

Fancy a super Audi wagon? No thanks. I'll just stick to the E63 Estate for the time being because it won't give me some stretch marks on my arms.

Photo: AUDI AG