2014 Audi RS4 Avant (B8)

Highlights

• Gorgeous V8 Quattro wagon

• 445bhp, 0-60 in 4.5 seconds

• Original, unspoilt and recently serviced

• Incredible-sounding exhaust note

• Quick, stylish and thrilling to drive

 Overview

Little did we know it at the time, but when Audi introduced the B8 version of the RS4 in 2012, it was to be the last of a breed. A breed the like of which we will probably never see again. 

You see, the B8 was special in a way we didn’t realise at the time. Even PistonHeads was guilty – when we first drove the car, we bemoaned the fact there was no manual gearbox model and that, in terms of performance, it didn’t move the game much further along than the B7 before it. 

What we should have focused on, though, was the fact that it was a naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8, and that by being offered as a wagon only, it had bragging rights over other mid-sized muscle cars for being a bit different to the norm. After all, in today’s sterilised automotive environment, a family estate with a filthy 445bhp longitudinal V8 in its nose would hardly be welcomed with hearts and flowers.

But if you’re looking at this listing, there’s a good chance that you appreciate the RS4 for its pure existence, not to mention its thumping performance, pure mechanical grip and ability to make grin-inducing V8 noises. Those things are important to you, and so they should be, for here is a car that’s steeped in brilliance. You’ll not find anything like it on sale today, or more than likely ever again, for that matter. 

Searing performance might be part of its make-up, but that’s only a small part of the story, for the RS4 has more to it than that. It’s practical and usable, no less so than any other A4 Avant, providing you take care of those pretty alloys, and it’s amazingly docile around town. 

The vendor has had the car for two years, having bought it from an officer on a luxury yacht, apparently. In that time, they’ve been to the South of France in the RS4 and have covered around 20,000 miles, every one of which they say they’ve enjoyed. We believe them, too – and we defy you not to!

History and documentation

• First registered in the UK 14 May 2014 

• UK V5C in the name of the vendor

• MOT until 26 June 2026 – one advisory for a tyre

• Two keys

• Digital history records main dealer services at 31,560 miles (2020) and 49,855 (2023)

• Additional service invoice for 2024 at 60,099 miles

• London ULEZ compliant

 Interior

• Black and grey leather and Alcantara upholstery

• Electrically adjustable RS sports front seats 

• All upholstery in excellent order with minimal signs of wear

• Carpets in flawless condition

• Large boot with luggage net, roller blind and tie-down areas

• Climate control

• Cruise control

• RS door kickplates

• Carbon dash and console trim

• Leather-trimmed RS gear selector

• Bang&Olufsen premium audio package

• Alcantara door cards and headlining

• Original Audi first aid kit and tool kit

Exterior

• Original Daytona Grey Pearl paintwork in very good overall order

• Features beautifully flared arches vs the standard B8 bodyshell

• Presents very well with no notable damage or paint defects

• No obvious signs of any external corrosion or prior accident damage

• 20-inch factory alloys in good order with some minor marks and deterioration

• Yokohama tyres all-round

• Underside appears in good order

• Xenon headlights

• Full-width RS4 grille

Mechanical

• 4.2-litre V8

• Naturally aspirated

• 450PS/445bhp

• 0-60mph in 4.5 secs

• Seven-speed DSG sequential auto transmission

• Paddle shifters

• Quattro four-wheel-drive

• Performance exhaust with factory resonator

• Brake discs and pads renewed in 2023

• High performance brakes with RS callipers

• Recent new battery 

Summary

There are some cars that are glorious just by their very existence and the RS4 is one – in some senses it doesn’t make sense on paper, but in the metal it’s a fabulous thing. Ludicrously fast, massively over-engineered and with tenacious handling, it’s a car that will both reward and flatter its driver. At the same time, it has a dose of practicality not seen elsewhere and is stealthy enough to go under the radar for those who don’t know what it is (or it would, were it not for that window-rattling exhaust). 

We love it – and so, we suspect, will you.

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.