JOHANNESBURG - More powerful and faster than any RS 6 and RS 7 to date: the new Audi RS 6 Avant performance and the RS 7 Sportback performance are bursting with equipment that sharpen the models’ appearance and make for a more emotive driving experience.

The potent 4.0-litre V8 biturbo TFSI engine now has an engine power of 463 kW and a maximum torque of 850 Nm. Customer deliveries of these two new models will commence in South Africa during the month of July, with the public being able to experience these models at the Audi driving experience from September 2023 onwards.

At Audi, ‘performance’ means more power. For example, larger turbochargers and an increase in boost pressure from 2.4 to 2.6 bar in the 4.0-litre V8 biturbo TFSI engine that both the RS 6 Avant performance and RS 7 Sportback performance boast, allow an increase of 22kW in engine power and 50 Nm more torque compared to the base versions. This means a total increase in power from 441 kW to 463 kW and in maximum torque from 800 to 850 Nm. The performance models sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the previous RS 6 / RS 7 versions.

Yet less is sometimes more: reduced insulation between the engine compartment, the interior, and the rear of the vehicle ensures the RS 6 Avant performance and the RS 7 Sportback performance will thrill customers with an exciting, next-level sound experience – the reduction also makes the car eight kilograms lighter. The RS 6 Avant performance has a total unladen weight of 2,090 kg whilst the RS 7 Sportback performance weighs 2,065 kg.

For heightened driving dynamics: the new self-locking centre differential

Power from the 4.0 TFSI engine flows through a standard eight-speed tiptronic with faster shifting times to the permanent all-wheel drive quattro. The strictly mechanical centre differential distributes engine power to the rear axle at ratio of 40:60 and if slippage occurs, more drive torque is automatically applied to the axle with better traction – up to 70 percent can flow to the front axle and up to 85 percent to the rear axle. The self-locking centre differential is lighter and more compact, improving driving dynamics plus offering noticeably more precise cornering which makes for less understeering at the handling limits. As an added improvement, the self-steering response is more exact with passengers benefitting from a more agile driving experience overall.

Exclusive and high-performance: 22-inch wheels with high-performance tyres

The new RS 6 Avant performance and RS 7 Sportback performance roll off the line on standard 22-inch matte titanium grey, diamond turned wheels – which are also available in burnished glossy metallic black, matte black, or matte neodymium gold. Inspired by motorsport, the airy 5-Y spoke design aids brake cooling and the lighter rims are manufactured in a high-tech forging-milling process. The new lightweight wheel is around five kilograms lighter than the 22-inch aluminum wheel on the current RS 6 Avant or RS 7 Sportback – this 20-kilogram weight reduction in unsprung masses improves the throttle response.

New high-performance Continental “Sport Contact 7” 285/30 tyres, which are part of the new lightweight wheel, play a key role in reducing weight. The tyres offer consistently better grip on both dry and wet roads and reduce understeering when cornering at speed, making for overall more precise handling across the entire speed range. Additionally, the brake path is up to two metres shorter with the new wheels when braking from 100 to 0 km/h.

The Audi drive select dynamic handling system lets the driver control the vehicle’s character. Six profiles are available: efficiency, comfort, auto, dynamic, as well as two customizable RS-specific RS1 and RS2 modes.

But experience of the driving modes in the performance models is much more unique. For example, the coasting mode now only activates automatically in the efficiency profile, which means in speed ranges up to 160 km/h, it switches off the combustion engine and coasts with no fuel consumption or drag torque from the engine. Additionally, fine-tuning to the engine control unit software makes for tighter load changes in S mode when the “dynamic” drive select mode or driving mode S is active, further increasing the emotionality. The updated software in the transmission control unit makes for faster shifting times and a noticeably increased spread between the various driving modes.

Fresh exterior colours and styling packages

The new RS 6 Avant performance and RS 7 Sportback performance are available in a total of 16 exterior colours – for the first time, metallic and matte Ascari Blue and matte Dew Silver are included. The performance models stand out with standard RS exterior components in matte grey, including the exterior mirrors, the front spoiler, the front side flaps, the side sill inserts, the roof rails, and the trim on the side windows and rear diffuser. A matte carbon/black styling package is also an option, in which the roof rails and trim on the side windows are black. The Audi rings and model name is available in the customer’s choice of chrome or black.

Out of the blue: new interior accents and features

In the interior, the familiar RS design packages in grey and red have been expanded to include the colour blue. The steering wheel rim in Alcantra black features contrasting stitching in Mercato blue, whilst the floor mats, the side of the centre console, and the selector lever cuff also come with blue contrasting stitching.