Audi recently announced a new Performance edition of its RS6, which means the firm's flagship estate now boasts more power, torque and carries less weight than the standard RS6 it replaces.

But with its traditional rivals like BMW opting for a new hybrid set-up for its next generation M5 Competition, and the next Mercedes-AMG E63 S to potentially mimic the hybrid underpinnings of its smaller C63 S sibling, it feels this conventional, pure petrol-powered V8 Audi has sprouted up to exist among a changing landscape of estates and saloons - stubbornly refusing to read the room and change with the times. 

Of course, this isn't the case - it is going to be succeeded eventually by what will likely be a hybrid-powered replacement like its rivals from BMW M and AMG, but I think it's fun to think of it that way. 

But given that one of the world's earliest ICE-powered fast estates began with the iconic Audi RS2, the emergence of what will likely be one last hurrah for a pure-petrol RS6, which now spans four generations, makes news of this new Performance version that little more poignant too. 

C8 Audi RS6 Performance

Still, Audi appears to have gone through great lengths to ensure its last V8 estate goes out on a high, having made a series of upgrades for this more potent Performance version. They include a larger turbocharger for the RS6’s 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 engine, granting an extra 30bhp and 50 Nm of torque. 

As a result, the RS6 now makes up to 621bhp and 850 Nm, enough to complete the 0-62mph sprint in 3.4 seconds - 0.2 seconds faster than the standard model. Its limited top speed of 155 mph has also been lifted to 174 mph, thanks to the RS Dynamic package which now comes as standard. However, should the RS Dynamic Plus pack be selected, its top speed can be raised even further to 189 mph.

Opting for the Dynamic Plus pack will also equip the car with 440mm front and 370mm rear carbon ceramic brakes. For improved steering response and handling, the Performance model features a torque-vectoring rear differential, as well as a new calibration set-up for rear-axle steering.  

Audi RS2

This final ICE powered Audi estate goes out in style too, with a set of newly designed 22-inch wheels which come as standard on Carbon Black and Vorsprung specs.

Made from a lightweight forged construction, Audi says they weigh 5 kg less per unit than the existing 22-inch cut wheels - making them up to 20kg lighter in total. 

In addition to the new wheels are SportContact 7 tyres, the next generation of high performance rubber from Continental, which Audi claims deliver improved grip in both wet and dry conditions, and a reduced stopping distance from 62mph by two metres.

Sixteen new colour options are also now on offer, including two matt finishes, while the interior can feature dark red stitching throughout.

Available to order ahead of deliveries commencing from April 2023, the Audi RS6 Performance starts from £112,650, and is accompanied by the RS7 Performance saloon, which starts from £116,305. But how does it stack up against its rivals, which some having now moved on from traditional ICE power? 

In comparison, the most closely matched plug-in hybrid Porsche Panamera 4S E Hybrid in Sport Turismo guise, is priced from £107,800, making it £4,850 cheaper than a base RS6 Performance. However, while you get a higher top speed of 182 mph compared to the RS6’s 174, it takes an extra 0.3 seconds to complete the 0-62mph sprint at 3.7 seconds to the Audi’s 3.4. 

For a closely matched all-electric Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, you would have to spend £107,000, which makes it £5,650 less than the RS6 Performance. However, it has a lower top speed (155 mph) and is 0.3 seconds slower to 0-62mph (3.7 seconds).

To beat the RS6 Performance’s 0-62mph time by up to 0.6 seconds, you would have to spend an extra £30,000 for the range-topping £143,400 Porsche Taycan Turbo S Sport Turismo, which can complete the sprint in 2.8 seconds.

Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo

Another worthy alternative is the Tesla Model S Plaid, which is priced from £118,980. Now admittedly, this isn’t exactly an estate, and is probably a more appropriate rival to the RS7 saloon, but for an extra £6,330, or £2,675 from the price of the RS7, you get a claimed  0-62mph time of just 2.0 seconds - 1.4 seconds quicker than the RS6 Performance, as well as a higher top speed of 200mph. Given the hypercar-matching acceleration paired with the practicality of a saloon, it could be said ultimately that the Tesla delivers the most bang for your buck as a high-performance EV alternative to Audi’s swansong V8 hauler.

If the new RS6 Performance model is too much, there's always the entry level RS6 model to consider. Despite being down on power and torque, it still remains a very capable and attractive proposition - making a very respectable 591bhp and 800 Nm of torque.

Since the Performance model is replacing it, a second-hand one will become the more realistic option as the car is phased out of production during 2023. With around 25,000 miles on the clock, a used C8 RS6 from 2020 can be had from around £86,000, making it almost £27,000 cheaper than a new Performance model, and for that you are still getting Audi’s raucous V8. 

Another option is the previous-gen C7 RS6, which also had a Performance model. Up to the higher end of the mileage count (84,000), Performance spec C7s can be picked from around £40,000. For that, it comes with a 4.0 V8 which makes 597 bhp and 700 Nm of torque. Its top speed is considerably less than its successor at 155mph (raised to 174 mph with the optional RS Dynamic package) though its 0-62 time is only 0.3 seconds slower at 3.7 seconds - still a very impressive stat for an estate that weighs 2025kg. 

C7 Audi RS6 performance

Then there are alternatives from Audi’s traditional rivals that are approaching the end of their generations. The current BMW M5 Competition for example, which only comes in saloon guise, can be had from £100,850, though is planned to be succeeded by a new hybrid-powered replacement in 2024. Cheaper than the RS6 Performance by £12,000, it comes with a 4.4-litre V8 gas guzzler that narrowly beats out the Audi’s 0-62mph time by 0.1 seconds (3.3). 

Then there’s the Alpina B5 Touring, which is based on a BMW 5 Series. Like the RS6, the B5 Touring is an all-wheel drive fast estate which includes a V8 power plant, and is too looking likely to be the niche firm’s last ICE-powered fast estate ahead of its electric future. It matches the RS6 Performance’s power output of 621bhp, while the 0-62mph sprint takes just 0.2 seconds slower. What makes this car really stand out from its rivals, however, is its top speed of 205 mph. In many areas, it's the most closely matched car to the RS6 Performance here, yet at £99,900, is £12,750 cheaper.

Mercedes-AMG meanwhile has been the earliest of the German brands to bid farewell to the V8-powered estate, when it launched the Final Edition E63 AMG S back in May this year.  Limited to just 999 units, the chances of buying one from the secondhand market would be very rare. Still, it features the same performance as a normal E63 S, and they can be picked up quite easily. A current generation 21 plate can be had from around £78,000 having done 24,000 miles. This makes it £34,000 less than a new RS6 Performance, but with a higher top speed of 180mph, and a fractionally slower 0-62mph time of 3.5 seconds.

Alpina B5 Touring

There are a plethora of alternatives to what is likely going to be Audi’s final ICE-powered fast estate, and all deliver exceptional performance regardless of their powertrains. But since one of the world's first fast estates came from Audi in the form of the RS2, it makes opting for the firm’s last petrol-powered RS6 that little more special. There's something about its rivals which just feel…generic. And that's why, if money was no object, I would choose it above its comparable EV, hybrid and ICE powered competitors. However, for the car which delivers the most bang for your buck, it would have to be the Alpina B5 Touring. As a V8 all-wheel drive practical estate, it has a lot in common with the RS6 Performance, delivering the same power output, but for £12,750 cheaper. 

Though in this climate-conscious era, I appreciate opting for a V8 estate in favour of the perfectly okay, greener alternatives discussed here may seem like a questionable one, and as a self-confessed petrolhead who would feel mournful over the absence of a V8 soundtrack, there just isn't enough of a strong argument admittedly to satisfy an environmentalist who quite frankly, wouldn’t be able to care less about its demise. 

But looking at current market trends, it doesn't look like I’d be contributing to much of a resistance to the new electrified era. According to TechNavio, one of the leading market research companies, the global high-performance car market is expected to grow by 1,586 units from 2021 to 2026, and it says the increasing adoption of EVs is one of the key trends that is contributing to its growth. So, in the grand scheme of things, choosing a V8 estate, which will likely have a limited production run as Audi plans to replace it with a hybrid or EV successor, is hardly going to be a make it or break it factor in our global efforts to combat global warming. 

And I say this as an environmentalist, an owner of sustainable saddles and a bag for life. I guess if you’re a petrolhead like me who does care about our world, the question of owning a V8 in favour of a hybrid or EV equivalent, is deciding where you want the balance to lie between enjoying cars and saving the planet.  

PRICING 

BHP

Top Speed

0-62mph

MPG/Range

C02 Emissions (in use)