Autoblog

Click above to view a hi-res gallery of the B&B Audi RS6

A 580hp station wagon (or sedan, for that matter) seems like sheer lunacy in its own right, but it appears that the twin-turbo V10 in the Audi RS6 is capable of a great deal more. Following the release of the 702hp MTM-tuned RS6 M, fellow German tuning house B&B Automobiltechnik has an even more potent tuning package, boosting power up to a whopping 715.

So what did the power-hungry gearheads at B&B do to get a 120 horsepower boost out of the Gallardo-derived FSI? They didn't replace the turbos or fit a new supercharger, nor did they bore out the cylinder block for bigger displacement. They simply fitted a new intake, catalyst, exhaust and cooling system, and tinkered with the ECU. B&B are also offering an adjustable suspension and new springs that drop the ride height by 25mm. The result? A claimed 0-60 run in a scant 3.6 seconds. That's well into supercar territory, as many a Porsche and Ferrari driver are bound to discover when baited into an impromptu red-light drag race. Nice work if you can get it.

[Source: B&B via World Car Fans]

Click to view the MTM RS6 M in our hi-res gallery

With a 580-hp twin-turbo V10 derived from the Lamborghini Gallardo's mill, the Audi RS6 is hardly a candidate for improvements. It's a station wagon that outguns supercars, for crying out loud. But we had to figure that it would only be a matter of time until someone tried, and German tuning house MTM has stepped up to bat.

To give you an idea of what MTM's engineers are capable, with just a tweak of the ECU they've managed to boost output to 656 hp, dropping the 0-60 time down from an already outstanding 4.6 seconds to a scant 3.9. Throw in a stainless steel exhaust and a new air filter and presto! You've got 702 horses underhood. MTM is also offering some reserved carbon fiber aero bits, a new set of brakes, revised dampers and 21-inch wheels. We don't know what kind of world this is where you can get your hands on a 700 horsepower wagon, but we like it. Check out the high-resolution images in the gallery below.

[Source: MTM via World Car Fans]

click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi RS6 Avant

There are a lot of different figures to get caught up in when discussing Audi's UK-spec RS6 Avant, and most of them concern the wagon's performance. Let's start with power. The RS6 produces 572 hp and 479 lb.-ft. of torque from a twin-turbo'd V10. That means 60 comes up in 4.6 seconds, the quarter mile is dispatched in 14.9 seconds (at 124 mph) and Audi has to limit the top speed to 155 mph for fear of... well, you name it.

The price on the other hand is just as shocking. £77,625 is the cost of entry for the RS6, but only 380 Avants will be produce this year and they've all been snatched up by enthusiasts with a few kids and a dog to schlep around. Granted, the RS6 Avant comes equipped with Quattro, ESP, 20-inch rollers and Alcantara lining the inside, but that price doesn't include the optional carbon ceramic brakes. Just for some perspective, you can pick up the M5 Touring in the UK for about £10,000 less – even the R8 is about a grand cheaper.

[Source: Top Gear]

click above for more gorgeous high-res pics of the Audi RS6 Avant

Though the 2008 Audi RS6 Avant was officially unveiled last September and displayed for the first time in Frankfurt shortly thereafter, the automaker from Ingolstadt doesn't want us to forget about its fire-breathing wagon. Audi has released a batch of new high-res RS6 Avant images that are perfect for this generation's version of that iconic Countach poster on the wall: the desktop wallpaper. And in case you forgot what the RS6 Avant is all about, here is its resume in easily digestible chunks.

• 580-horsepower/480 lb-ft twin-turbo V10 TFSI
• 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds, 0-124 mph in 14.9 seconds
• Top speed of 155 mph (electronically governed)
• quattro permanent four-wheel-drive
• Unique bodywork, interior trim
• Up to 58.6 cubic ft of cargo space
• Optional ceramic composite brakes
• 6-speed tiptronic

Those who grew up dreaming about one day owning that Countach on the wall can now embarrass Lamborghini's legendary exotic in a German station wagon. If that's not the best cure for a mid-life crisis, we don't know what is. Check out all the new pics, plus the original official photos and our live shots of the Audi RS6 AVant from the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show in the gallery below.

[Source: Audi]