Audi RS6 Avant: Spotted

0-62 in 4.7 seconds and 450hp sounds like the recipe for a supercar. This one just happens to have space for a wardrobe.

When thinking of fast estates you can't help but picture the blistered arches, fat alloy wheels and honeycomb grill of an Audi RS product. Audi is one of the few manufacturers that has stuck to providing performance car junkies with their high-power hit, just in a more practical package. Think about it, the RS3 is a five-door hatch. The current RS4 is an estate, and so to is this, the RS6 Avant.

It must have been a question of prestige as to why Audi really went for this market. It's not an area which will lead to massive fleet sales: it's simply because both the E39 BMW 5 Series and W210 Mercedes E-Class had supercar-baiting offerings in the M5 and E55 AMG. "So how do we out do our rivals?" Audi must have asked themselves. "Let's give it not one, but two turbochargers and vanquish that naturally aspirated Merc. Oh, and we'll make sure it has more power than the M5 with its 'sophisticated engine management system'. And let's give it four-wheel drive to make it more usable in real world conditions than both of them."

When the RS6 came out, there were reams and reams of editorial produced that babbled on about the car's straight line speed. With the inevitable comparison being made regarding how this estate could out drag an old Ferrari (the Testarossa coming in for a bit of a kicking). Which it could still do even whilst carrying a builders ladder, for example.

It's easy to see why the whole fast Audi thing caught on. 450hp was considerably more than BMW or Mercedes offered, yet quattro made it accessible. However, while you may be going a hell of a lot faster, though the tyres do lose grip, the RS6 isn't the last word in driver involvement. The heavy steering makes it feel a bit leaden against the M5. The ride is a bit crashy, and Audi hadn't done anything to the spring or damper rates when turning the RS6 saloon into an estate, despite the additional weight penalty.

Mind you, this one might be a little better than standard, since the owner seems to have thrown the kitchen sink at their car. Not only has it had the cambelt, waterpump and thermostat changed; its had a gearbox replacement, work done to the cooling system, and the suspension has had a refresh. The car also has four matching Michelin Pilot Sport tyres fitted to it - an important safety consideration when driving any four-wheel drive car.

So, returning to the original point of the Audi RS6 being the go to fast estate. Even though it isn't a car for an autocross, it is the right sort of car for any across country (or even continent) trip. When you need to get somewhere fast and you need to take, say, your dogs as well, then the RS6 Avant could be the car for you. Just bear in mind that the cornering forces the car can achieve, combined with its rock-solid ride, are the perfect cocktail for spreading previously digested pedigree chum all over the boot floor.

SPECIFICATION - AUDI RS6 AVANT

Engine: 4,172cc, V8 twin-turbo
Transmission: five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 450@5,700-6,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 413@1,950-5,600rpm
MPG: 19.3
CO2: 350g/km
First registered: 2004
Recorded mileage: 88,000miles
Price new: £58,800
Yours for: £10,500