Spy Shots: Audi RS6 and Q7 V12 TDI... yumm
We just brought you some spy shots of a psychadelically camo'd RS6 being tested on the famed Nurburgring, but our number one source for Audi info, Fourtitude, scrounged up some additional shots of the upcoming RS6 that contradict the earlier ones. The main difference between the two mules are the fender flares. The Nurburgring mule features flares that mimic the fender extensions used on the original Audi quattros in the '80s. The pictures hosted by Fourtitude feature more traditional flaring that just extend the lip of wheel well, not the entire fender. Personally, we like the more modern flares. Also of note is Fourtitude's speculation on what will be powering the RS6. We mentioned last time that it could be a twin turbo version of the S6's V10, itself derived from the Lamborghini Gallardo's engine. While talk of a twin turbo FSI V8 has also been heard, Fourtitude says the TT V10 is more likely, with power levels even higher than early guesstimates. Think 600-650 horsepower. Holy Snikees!
Also included in Fourtitude's report are spy shots of the Q7 V12 TDI, a production version of the concept diesel ute sporting a version of the Audi R10 Le Mans racer's oil-burning V12 shown at the Detroit Auto Show this year. The front fascia is a dead ringer for the Detroit concept, and those ceramic rotors look larger than a Hyundai Elantra's entire wheel. [Source: Fourtitude]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Evotec 3:57PM (4/03/2007)
too heavy..
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DPC car videos 3:44PM (4/03/2007)
Defiantly one of my favorite cars of all the the RS6 is going to be as good if not much better as the old Gen. As far as 600-650hp is very unlikely. 550 horsepower is more likely. If you look at the older Gen. BMW M5 and RS6, the M5 had 400hp while the RS6 came out with 450hp. If the continue with the same rivalry then the new RS6 should be 50 more horsepower over the current M5 which will place it in he 550hp range.
http://www.dpccars.com
DPCcars
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testa di cazzo 3:59PM (4/03/2007)
the RS6 Avant is one of the most beautiful cars in the world. it just lights up my day everytime i see an RS6 avant just blow by a small coupe who is trying to race him on the autobahn.
this car is definitely on my dream list.
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chewy 4:13PM (4/03/2007)
Actually 580 has been rumored for the RS6. Old M5 had 400 and the RS6 had 450 or 480 int the RS6+. This would put the new RS6 in the 562.5-600 hp range compared to the new 500 hp M5.
Great to see the Q7 V12 TDI project moving on, should be a very fuel efficient beast.
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James 4:17PM (4/03/2007)
Is it bad that when I saw that small cropped photo of the Q7, I thought it was a Jetta?
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Geoff 4:50PM (4/03/2007)
Hopefully it will be in the 600hp range and Audi can stop playing catch up with horsepower to the other german manufacturers.
The M3 is already going to best the rs4/rs5 for 15k less.
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rv 10:52PM (4/03/2007)
Wow - I didn't know Audi's could get any uglier. I guess the Subaru Impreza wagon isn't that hideous when you see some of the other offerings out there... What a friggin' schnoz on that thing - ouch! Third ugliest car made after the Isuzu Aztec and the Honda Excrement.
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zach 5:17PM (4/03/2007)
God Bless the German Horsepower War!
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will 5:34PM (4/03/2007)
Why oh why wont they bring the rs6 avant here????? That is my favorite car in the entire world. Fast, practical, and luxurious. Here I am stuck between the old s6 and the new s4. same engine, s4 is a little smaller and faster. Any suggestions? I like them both. Help me choose!
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jscro 5:57PM (4/03/2007)
They sold it here from 2002-2004 I think? They'll probably bring it back again at some point. There's a few of them here in Texas.
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ruggels 6:23PM (4/03/2007)
" Audi can stop playing catch up with horsepower to the other german manufacturers."
The current gen rs4 (420hp) already handily beats the current gen m3 on the track and in the straight line as show by fifthgear, evo, car, etc... I think they stopped then, hence bmw answering with an m3 with the same hp.
"This would put the new RS6 in the 562.5-600 hp range compared to the new 500 hp M5. "
At first i was a little put off pertaining to the 600 hp figure but then I realized, as you mentioned, the RS6 (last gen) had more hp then them M5, but wasn't exactly handing the M5 it's ass on a plate - the new M5 handily trumps the current gen RS6. Now consider the current gen rs4 and m3, the rs4 bringing 100 more hp and quattro to the table, handing the m3 it's asas on the track and straights. I fully anticipate audi will continue the trend with the rs6. the s6 seems pretty underpowered in terms of the m5 and in terms of positting an all out rival, 550hp would seem too few to really meet or beat the current gen m5's 0-60, etc... thus, long winded i know, whispers of 600+ hp don't seem that improbable taking into account the rs4 vs the last m3 and the rs6 vs the last m5 (with a bais towards the former)
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dtrapp 6:56PM (4/03/2007)
http://www.trappspeed.com
I'm sorry, but I'm just not feeling Audi. Outside of the R8 all of their cars are just too damn bulky and even when you've got decent power you've still got that lousy power assisted steering that takes all of the road feel away. Screw it dude, if you want straight line by an STI and mod it out it and you've still not spent $40k, if you want high end power and handling by a Carrera S which is probably gonna be right around where the RS6 will cost.
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ruggels 7:24PM (4/03/2007)
You found the RS4 to have the same 'lousy power assisted steering' as Audi's other models?
The only reasons I ask are a) i've never heard that from someone who's driven the car, most laud it as being a huge improvement in feeling for the audi brand, b) audi pinched a few M engineers from BMW to work on the RS4 for specifically that reason, I think it reasonable to assume they'll be working on the RS6 as well.
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geoff 12:24AM (4/04/2007)
The rs4 beats the current m3... whooptie doo. The current (e46)m3 has been out for 6 years! Not to mention the base msrp on the e46m3 of 49k vs the rs4's 66k. Why are you even comparing these two cars? Compare it to the NEW m3. With the same horsepower and its porky weight, the rs4 isnt going to be whooping on anything. The true competitor for the m3 should be the s4 anyway, as it once was before the rs4 debuted. Audis are nice, but they are too heavy and too expensive. They had to build limited production R models because their s models just arent up to snuff - lame.
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MikeW 1:37AM (4/04/2007)
600hp from a twin turbo automatic seems to the minimum required for an RS6. BMW can finally get direct injection into the M5 and have 550hp, so Audi better one up them.
A twin turbo V8 seem perfect for the RS5.
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ruggels 1:49AM (4/04/2007)
"Why are you even comparing these two cars?"
Oh, two very valid reasons.
1) the new m3 is new, ie, official photos came out... oh today... it can't be purchased, no one has driven it, we have no concrete information on how it actually handles on the track
2) the entire point of the RS6 discussion as it holds here, is Audi's recent responses to BMW products, such as the RS4, which as you reinforced, [the m3] was out for some time, Audi released a car capable of besting it, using a healthy hp and traction advantage to do so. Now, we're discussing the RS6, a car being built, like the RS4, post the current M5. That's why we're having this conversation. It’s reasonable to expect Audi and BMW to leap frog each other from here on out, they’re a perfect pair for such a rivalry. Hell, Give me a call when BMW comes out with anything like the cars Audi and it’s parent company have helped produce. Remember the Z8? How’s that doing now?
BMW does do a great many things very well, however Audi is continuing to improve, and Porsche’s recent reshuffling of VAG bigwigs is going to provide quite a bit of fun for BMW in the near future.
Fact, Audi did not design the current gen S6 as the no holds barred competitor to the M5, the RS6 has been mentioned since the moment the S6 hit show rooms as the forth coming proper response to the M5. Hell, Audi's duality with Porsche et-al also serves as it's Achilles heal, they wouldn't want the Q7 out performing the X5 and the Cayenne, or the RS6 handing the panamerica it's ass. But it would appear, with the RS4, that Audi performing a tick better then BMW seems to be alright for the powers that be. Sure, let the M3 come out, let it better then RS4, fantastic, I can't wait for audi to pull their oldest trick, a trick Porsche provided with the RS2, and drop a pair of turbos on the car to go ahead and keep it one step ahead.
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nagmashot 2:46AM (4/04/2007)
#14
the curret Audi B7 RS4 is on the market since 2005..means 2 years old now... to compare it to the e46 M3 is fair!
The last generation (1999-2002) Audi RS4 the B5 (2.7l V6 TwinTurbo) was faster as the e46 M3 too...
Till today there is no E92 M3 on the market to compare it to the curret B7 RS4.
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Nellydesign 8:20AM (4/04/2007)
Front intakes on the Q7 need to be bigger...
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mxrz 11:09AM (4/04/2007)
#14 wrote:
""They had to build limited production R models because their s models just arent up to snuff - lame.""
http://www.topgear.com/content/tgonbbc2/laptimes/thestig/
Audi S4 1.30.9
BMW M3 1.31.8
How lame do you look now.
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nagmashot 12:39PM (4/04/2007)
#19 not to forget that the RS4 is no limited production model.
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