Audi’s monster RS6 Avant is still being kept behind locked doors but in the lead up to its eventual release the carmaker has released a flood of new information and images to whet our appetites. Fitted with a twin-turbo V10 engine that churns out 580hp and 650Nm of torque, the new model has more than enough grunt to keep up with all but the fastest of supercars. The RS6 also comes with their permanent quattro four-wheel drive and sports suspension with dynamic ride control - something you’ll definitely need if you have any hope of getting all that power to the ground.

The ten-cylinder V-configuration engine in the RS6 is based on the V10 powerplants of the Audi S6 and Audi S8 and gets dry sump lubrication to retain power delivery even with constant sideways acceleration of 1.2g. Thanks to the twin-turbos, power delivery is also very even. Peak torque of 650Nm is available across the entire range from 1,500 to 6,250rpm while maximum output is available between 6,250 and 6,700 rpm.

Despite its extraordinary power figures, the car is relatively heavy at 2025kg and this blunts performance to some degree. Still, it’s hard to complain about a wagon that will hit 100km/h in just 4.6s and double that speed in 14.9s. The car comes fitted with a 6-speed tiptronic gearbox and has a rear-biased centre differential that sends 40% of power to the front wheels and 60% to the back.

Audi offers carbon-ceramic brakes for the RS6 with 19in wheels as standard, however if you upgrade to the 20in wheel package you get larger diameter brakes sized at 420mm at the front and 356mm at the rear.

The interior of the new RS6 Avant is lined with all our favourites, carbon-fiber, aluminum, leather and Alcantara, and is put together with the usual Audi precision and attention for detail. Customers can choose between two steering wheels - the multifunctional sport steering wheel with three-spoke design and the RS multifunctional sport steering wheel. The RS version, which can optionally be covered in suede, features the motorsport style flat-bottomed design and RS6 emblems on the lower spoke. The RS6 also gets its own unique instrument cluster, featuring a turbocharger boost pressure indicator, oil temperature gauge and a lap timer, all of which can be accessed via the driver information system.

The European launch of the Audi RS6 Avant is set for April this year with prices for the car starting at €106,900. There’s no word yet on when it will arrive in other markets or how much it will be.

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