2012 / 2013 Audi RS4 Avant
The 2012 / 2013 Audi RS4 Avant has been caught on video testing at the Nurburgring. But what engine will it get?
If you want something that’s very quick but still every day practical; a car non petrolheads will just think is another estate, but those in the know realise is something special, you could do a lot worse than the new Audi RS4 Avant.
Audi are out playing at the Nurburgring with the new RS4 Avant, which we expect to arrive in Spring 2012 at the Geneva Motor show.
It’s clear from the video that the RS4 Avant gets wider front and rear tracks, the de rigueur set of blistered wheel arches, big brakes, big alloys and the trademark oval tail pipes. Which leaves us in no doubt that this is the next RS4 Avant, and not just a tarted up lesser A4 Avant.
But the big question for the 2013 RS4 Avant is what exactly are Audi going to put under the bonnet?
You might reasonably expect Audi to drop the 444bhp V8 with 325lb/ft of torque from the RS5 in to the new RS4 Avant, but Audi engines seem to be in a big state of flux at the moment, so there are other possibilities.
It’s possible Audi may choose to stick their 3.0 litre turbo under the bonnet, but perhaps more likely – if it’s not an RS5 transplant – is the new twin-turbo V8 Audi has developed with Bentley.
We already know that the new Audi/Bentley V8 is good for anything from 420bhp – as we’ve seen in the new S6 and S6 Avant – all the way up to 520bhp – in the new Audi S8 – and probably a chunk more when it starts to show up in the Bentley Continental before too long.
There’s no suggestion that the new RS4 Avant will get anything north of 500bhp, but the new V8 seems a sensible fit whatever level of power Audi choose to endow on the RS4 Avant. But it seems likely it will be somewhere around 450bhp.
But whatever Audi do shove under the bonnet of the new RS4 Avant, it will be one very appealing load-lugger.
Jonnie says
Wow! My only question is…RS4 or S4?? It’s definitely running a V8 as both models do but there’s no wide body and surely they’d test with the full wide axle? We can see the massive twin pipes that we’d only usually see on the RS…here’s hoping this is it…only with a more agressive body kit..
larry says
Well, the S4 has actually got a V6 …..
Cars UK says
But we’re almost certain the new RS4 Avant will turn up at Geneva in March 2012 with the RS5’s 4.2-litre V8.