You may have heard about the Audi RS6, a four-door wagon sporting supercar specs. It's equipped with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 that's good for 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. That's enough for a zero to sixty time in under four seconds. In fact, it's so quick that it'll time in at 3.1 seconds, with a quarter-mile time of 11.5 seconds while weighing over 5000 pounds! So now that you're a bit familiar with the most recent iteration of the car, get ready to meet the upcoming electric RS6! Of course, with the rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and the push to electrification, many makers are transitioning to these types of vehicles, and this German manufacturer is no different. What can be expected to differ however, especially in terms of any RS model, is that the vehicle will perform enviously. In fact, with RS meaning "Renn Sport" or literally translating to racing sport, we know we're looking at an EV that will be designed towards a thrill seeker's fancy.
Expect The Audi RS6 E-Tron To Be Faster Than Its ICE Predecessor
E-Tron "means the enjoyment while driving and unlimited suitability for everyday use thanks to the electric drive," according to Audi. Another definition by the maker is: "all cars that can cover longer distances solely on electric power." Simply put, the forthcoming Audi electric RS6, will be a fully electric version descendent of the current existing internal combustion engine (ICE) platform. There are no official numbers yet on the performance that this car will make, but there are some educated guesses. Knowing that the ICE RS6 is good for around 600 horsepower, we can infer that the electric version will have around 650-700 horsepower. Given the instant torque that EVs possess, along with the 0-60 time of the ICE model, expect the RS6 E-Tron to be quite fast off the line. Given the RS badge, it's definitely going to be a racer.
The Electric RS6 Will Out Class The A6
The A6 is another Audi model, one that this year will have an electric version come into production. So that is our first look at the new PPE, or Premium Platform Electric design. It is more of a four-door sedan rather than a wagon, like the RS6. However, being electric, it is also dubbed E-Tron. The fact that both vehicles are four-door and electric, is probably where the similarities end, aside from maybe some performance specs given the same powertrain. The A6 E-Tron is also expected to have a zero to sixty time in under four seconds. Additionally, the electric A6 will receive a 100kWh battery, with 435 miles of range. So we can expect similar attributes for the RS6. However, given the performance aspect applied to RS vehicles, the range may suffer with the RS6 E-Tron. Though the range may decrease, expect an increase in price due to that performance.
The Electric RS6 Will Have Style And Utility
One key difference between the A6 E-Tron and RS6 E-Tron is that due to the sedan versus wagon design, the latter has more utility. It can carry more of what you want to take with you, whether that's bikes, skis, or something else in the form of recreation. It's all about the blend of performance and functionality with the RS6. Due to the difference in vehicle class, comes another aspect that lends to style and performance that will help differentiate the RS6 E-Tron from the A6 E-Tron, and that is a wider track. So no, the RS6 E-Tron doesn't appear to be coming in wide-body form, but it will have bigger and wider wheels presumably. This is something that could be unique in the EV landscape, at least in terms of Audi and its competitors. Audi design boss Marc Lichte states: "...competitors of Audi, are they in the market right now with performance EVs with the wider track? I would say no." So Audi appears to be going aggressive and groundbreaking with what it plans to bring to the table with the upcoming electric RS6.
The Wait Is Too Much To Bear
With the Audi A6 E-Tron going into production this year, we know that the electric RS6 will follow it, going into production in 2024. In the meantime, you could delve more into what the current RS6 is. However, given that we are focusing on the electric version, it's only worth noting the ICE model to get an idea of what we could expect. According to Car and Driver, it's only the 5th best vehicle in its class in ICE form. What could this further mean for the electric RS6? Well, we can expect it to look and perform similar to the ICE version, albeit with an electric powertrain that will increase performance. Coming with that E-Tron tech, it will be even heavier given the motor weight. Even so, we can also expect it to be way more efficient, since it's all electric and will have a 300-400 plus mile range. Along with that, we will see all the latest tech and luxury, coupled with a sizable price tag to match just like its ICE counterpart. Naturally, we will just have to wait for the official reveal, but given what we know of the upcoming A6 E-Tron and the existing ICE RS6 we may just have an idea.