VIDEO: Nurburgring in 8:29...in a wagon
Lapping the Nurburgring's infamous Nordschleife circuit in less than nine minutes is downright impressive, no matter what way you look at it. But in a wagon? Unbelievable. Okay, so this isn't some soccer mom's family-hauler; it's a 450-hp Audi RS6 Avant, capable of hitting sixty in 4.2 seconds flat. But still.
For the first couple of minutes of this video, you'll find yourself impressed that the Audi estate is keeping up with a Porsche 911. Until the Audi passes it.
Not only does this video serve as an impressive display of the Audi's abilities (not to mention the driver's), but it also gives you a good fixed-camera view of the best angles and approaches to each of the 14-mile Nordschleife's 174 corners.
(Just bear in mind for the end that, while this driver did set the 8:29 lap time with two people in the car, the video is not of that specific lap.)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
DKB_SATX 3:04PM (11/09/2006)
"... but in a wagon?" Obvious giveaway that the writer is an American. A HUGE portion of cars in Europe are wagons or hatches, and for many years Audi's RS cars were ONLY available in wagon form. It's the American penchant for less-efficiently-packaged cars (sedans and coupes) that contributes to the fallacy that wagons are necessarily slow or handle poorly. More than one Mustang GT has been surprised at what a blue Subaru wagon will do....
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garion 3:31PM (11/09/2006)
Does anyone know if you can order the euro-spec cars on Audi's new European delivery program? I'd love an RS4 avant.
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That One Person 3:29PM (11/09/2006)
Gotta agree with #1...
The only reason Americans think wagons are slow and heavy is that because American companies only build slow and heavy wagons. Euro wagons and even Japanese wagons are a totally different story.
"For the first couple of minutes of this video, you'll find yourself impressed that the Audi estate is keeping up with a Porsche 911. Until the Audi passes it."
And if you notice, its obviously an older 911. Yea, it could be modded out like crazy but its not surprising that the Audi can keep up with it. And if you also notice after the Audi passes the 911, the Audi seems to be handling a lot of those corners at higher speeds than when it was behind the 911. Now if it were maybe a 997 911, things would be a little more evenly matched. Audi RS cars are something not to underestimate...
And that damn tire had to blow...what a mood killer lol.
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yeahright 3:31PM (11/09/2006)
#1, well said.
fyi, here's how other production cars have done on that track. Turns out the Audi's lap time isn't THAT impressive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordschleife_fastest_lap_times
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Jro 3:45PM (11/09/2006)
the shot of the brake pads makes me wonder one of two things: either this track really eats up brakes or this guy was an idiot for going out onto the track with already bad brakes.
I don't know much really about the 'ring, but is it public? and if it is, why wouldn't they have some sort of tech inspection to ensure both the driver's safety and that of the track
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mettmann 3:47PM (11/09/2006)
Quit your "American" bashing ladies - of course many of us are fully aware of what a "estate" vehicle can do. Granted, My wife's 5 series touring that loves to romp around the local roads - maybe not at 240 kph, but we still have a go. My take is the author may not be aware of the lack of videos around the ring in a wagon.
As a side note - a few months back while traveling back from Marburg, on the A45(?) - I was blasted by ( at about 235 ) in my rental CLS (thanks to the guys at Sixt ) by a 530 touring - considering the driver was a woman, my wife wouldn't stop laughing..
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Haentz 4:01PM (11/09/2006)
This car is WAY to heavy for the ring. And the autoamtic gear box sucks too. But he's driving a nice clean line and hunting down Porsches is always fun on the Ring :)
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mettmann 4:04PM (11/09/2006)
#5 - yes , open to the public - BUT...
http://nurburgring.org.uk/adac.html
in case you break down..
http://nurburgring.org.uk/prices.html
costs to run the Ring
Also- in car videos by public drivers are typically banned - as seen here - I suppose you can sneak in and get away with it. The day I was there, the BMW driver I was with reported quite a few offenders to track officials -
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yvo 4:11PM (11/09/2006)
i became a big fan of the avant when i first sat in my friend's S4 Avant. even the Audi S-lines (not the cheesy "package" you can get here in the states but the REAL S-lines) have quite some umph!
#3 - i dont know if it's through that program but i know you can get the RS-line in the states. i've seen a few RS6s creeping around my hometown.
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Saracen 5:20PM (11/09/2006)
It never ceases to boggle my mind, why people are so anti-wagon in this country..
..yet they love their SUV's, which are tall, heavy, ugly wagons. That handle worse, accelerate worse, brake worse, and suck down more fuel than small towns.
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Fooman 11:54PM (11/09/2006)
That is actually one of the more impressive ring videos I've ever seen. Great placement good lines, and that engine sounds pretty evil. Combine that with knowing it is a wagon sorry estate... makes it even better. As an American I love performance wagons.
As for #4. That track in 8:29 is impressive, very very few drivers can claim they have broken 9 minutes even in a car that are capable of low 8's. Did you see those 911's that got passed like they where parked? The ring is one of the most demanding tracks ever designed with huge elevation changes over 100 turns. Of those 100 many are blind or ascending or descending.
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blabla 6:10PM (11/09/2006)
8:29 in audi rs6? better try 10:08 in ford transit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE6Afb1qSC4
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jong 7:55PM (11/09/2006)
Note that he passed the Porsche on the RIGHT. Which is illegal. Moron.
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UK-KID 8:26PM (11/09/2006)
Jro
"I don't know much really about the 'ring, but is it public? and if it is, why wouldn't they have some sort of tech inspection to ensure both the driver's safety and that of the track"
Maybe because the decision for a driver to go on a Track and Drive His/Her Vehicle hard should be just that, His/Her Decision.
I guess the fact that they cannot sue the Track Owners/Operators if they drove an unsafe vehicle and hurt themselves makes a lot of people act responsibly and check out their vehicles prior to them entering the Track
( The actual fact that you think the Race Track should provide somebody who should check out your vehicle for you and decide if it is safe for you to go racing around a Track with shows Exactly how much Personal Responsibility has Decayed in North America)
Your Life, Your Car !
You Want To Go Racing!
You Make a Mistake You Die!
End Of Story
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Jim 10:32PM (11/09/2006)
I've read that the wagon version is better balanced than the sedan, the extra rear weight balances the heavy V8.
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wibble 10:11PM (11/09/2006)
>jro,
>I don't know much really about the 'ring, but is it >public? and if it is, why wouldn't they have some >sort of tech inspection to ensure both the driver's >safety and that of the track
The whole circuit is public, however it is not techically a track on public days rather it's a speed unrestricted toll road.
So normal road and car legality rules apply including pass on the left, road legal exhaust, type approved *road* tyres.
Random spot checks are done, fail one and you'll be sent away or in the worst cases banned from the Nordschleife.
As it is public road drivers can face criminal charges if they drive a non road legal car on the track. Additionaly causing an accident by driving irresponsibly on the track or even not stopping after an accident is likely to see you haulled away by the police, particularly for the later.
Nurburgring/Nordschleife operates a you brake it you buy is policy for armco. Should you crash and damage the armco then you *will* be made to buy it. You also can be charged for closing the track.
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Cheezedog 11:32PM (11/09/2006)
Thats preatty impressive.. For a wagon. (Yea, Its a pun...)
I just don't like the fact it blew a tire, and dissinagrated its Rotor. I guess it could of happened to any car on that track, and the guys are lucky to have it end so well. But still... Im not sure blow out caused the rotor to dissinagrate its rotor somehow... or if the rotor dissinagrated due to overuse... And if the rotor did cause that... Im not sure I want that Wagon then... (And I do like my Wagons.)
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Icheb 11:45PM (11/09/2006)
What is up with this bs that passing on the right is illegal here (yes, I am from Germany)? It's not allowed on the AUTOBAHN, everywhere else it's perfectly fine.
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ruggels 12:30AM (11/10/2006)
I wouldn't bask autoblog for the "in a wagon" comment. I've been longing for an RS car since the RS2 first came out (only in wagon) then the RS4, and regardless of the prowess said cars have, the absurdity of running the ring in the largest wagon audi makes is still pretty cool.
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-- 12:49AM (11/10/2006)
Best track ever made.
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