Celebrating its arrival to the Philippine market, here are four fascinating facts about Audi Sport’s definitive fast wagon.

While providing ample space for five people and their cargo—the new Audi RS 4 Avant’s luggage compartment has a 495-liter capacity, increasing to 1,495 liters with the rear seats folded down—it is without doubt a high-performance model. With the Audi drive select dynamic handling system, the behavior of the Audi RS 4 Avant’s engine, transmission, power steering, suspension, steering, quattro sport differential, engine sound and even air-conditioning can all be altered according to the setting chosen. Five profiles are available—comfort, auto, dynamic and the customizable RS1 and RS2 modes—to suit every driving condition and driver’s preference.

The latest Audi RS 4 Avant’s front end is completely new, having a wider and flatter Singleframe grille with a three-dimensional honeycomb structure in gloss black—typical for the RS model series. Also new are the more aggressively contoured LED headlights with dynamic turn signals; the large air inlets in the bumper with vertical flaps; and the narrow slit above the Singleframe that calls to mind the vents of the original Audi Sport Quattro.

Complementing these are the quattro blisters—again an homage to the Quattro and the earlier Audi RS 4 Avant generation—located over the wheel arches which make the car 30 millimeters’ wider in front and back. The Black Optic Package adds a bold, sporty look, as do the RS sport exhaust system with black tailpipes.

On the instrument panel of the new Audi RS 4 Avant—tilted toward the driver—is the 10.1-inch MMI touch display, the control center of the new operating system. Its touch-sensitive screen displays high-resolution graphics and provides acoustic feedback. The special RS displays on the Audi virtual cockpit shows information on tire pressure, torque and power outputs, engine oil temperature, lap timings, acceleration measurements, and g-forces generated. A shift light prompts the driver to upshift when the engine’s rev limit is reached.

Powering the new Audi RS 4 Avant is a 2.9-liter, twin-turbo TFSI V6 gasoline engine that outputs 450 horsepower and 600 Nm, allowing the car a sprint time of 4.1 seconds from rest to 100 km/h. The TFSI V6 engine weighs 31 kilograms less than the V8 engine in the previous-generation model, benefitting gross weight and axle load distribution—two prerequisites for impressive performance. The two turbochargers of the 2.9 TFSI are each assigned to a cylinder bank and are mounted within the 90-degree interior “V” of the banks. The new combustion process of the engine reduces fuel consumption by 17 percent when compared against the previous model.

The sport-oriented eight-speed automatic transmission delivers the engine’s output to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. In regular driving, the system’s mechanical center differential directs 60 percent of power to the rear axle. If it detects wheel slip on one axle, it sends up to 70 percent of the power to the front, or up to 85 percent to the rear axle. This is all done with highly precise interaction with the control systems of the ESC and wheel-selective torque control. Putting the power to the pavement are high-performance tires that wrap over 20-inch, glossy black anthracite, five-spoke alloy wheels. Six-piston RS brake calipers grabbing RS perforated composite discs guarantee powerful stopping power.

For more information, about the Audi RS4 Avant, contact Audi Philippines at +63917 813 9064.