Audi RS6 Performance 2024 review – is this peak fast estate car?

It’s long been the default ‘sensible’ choice for the two-car garage; if a family estate car with enough power and torque to rival a supercar can be deemed sensible, that is. And in its fourth generation (C8 for mode code geeks), the Audi RS6 - now exclusively available in Performance guise in the UK - continues to rise to the top of every multi-car dream garage list. Even in a world of BMW M3 Tourings. 

The RS6 exhibits all the characteristics so many enjoy about fast, modern Audis: a feeling of impenetrability, huge performance, long-distance refinement, and a well-built and practical cabin. And the C8 only adds to every one of these attributes.

However, our first impressions of the current RS6 left us cold, some of the sparkle had dimmed and there was a feeling that performance figures were being chased at the cost of trying to make the driver feel part of the process. But with time, some - we suspect - small tweaks and the RS6 is back to being the default super load-lugger. The antidote to the less practical super-SUV. 

This duality of practical performance doesn’t come cheap, of course, with prices starting at £112,045 for a Performance and climbing to £129,445 for a Performance Carbon Vorsprung. But the RS6 wants for very little in terms of specification, trim and technology, and with its 621bhp 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8, you’ll want for very little out on the road, too. 

Audi RS6 Performance: in detail

• Engine, gearbox and technical highlights > Audi's 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 is front and centre, with a full suite of chassis electronics to maximise it
• Performance and 0-60 time > The RS6 is ballistic in Performance spec, hooking up to deploy 621bhp in pretty much all conditions
• Ride and handling > Performance upgrades have usefully sharpened up the RS6's chassis, masking some – if not all – of its 2090kg kerb weight
• MPG and running costs > The V8 gulps fuel when using its full performance, but a gentle right foot can tease out respectable economy
• Interior and tech > Crisply designed and beautifully built, the RS6's cabin is a delight – save for a few too many touch controls
• Design > The RS6 has bulked up significantly in its latest generation – does any estate car have as much road presence?

Prices, specs and rivals

Three versions of the RS6 Performance are offered in the UK: the £112,045 Performance, the £120,995 Performance Carbon Black and the £129,445 Performance Carbon Vorsprung model, the latter of which includes RS-sports suspension Plus and Dynamic Ride Control as standard. 

In terms of rivals, until this year’s BMW M5 Touring arrives and the new Mercedes-AMG E63 they are few and far between, so you might find yourself dipping into the more expensive performance SUV market. There’s plenty of choice if you do, from BMW’s X5M and X6M, the Mercedes-AMG GLE63 and Range Rover’s latest Sport. 

Standard equipment includes 22-inch wheels, along with an RS Sports exhaust system and LED Matrix headlights. The Performance Carbon Black model adds five-spoke ‘Y-style’ matte black alloys, matte black exterior trim, Dinamica headlining and blue carbon twill interior trim inserts. The range topping Carbon Vorsprung adds a panoramic glass sunroof, RS-sports suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control, a raised 174mph top speed limiter and the Tour and City Assist pack. Both carbon models are offered with the RS interior design package plus.