Quick Drive: Audi RS6

Photo by Ted Baghurst (http://tedbaghurst.com/)

You're mental.
That's what was passing through my head as the boss called me up and told me he needed me to come and pick up the Audi RS6 from him and drive it across Auckland to Muriwai for a photoshoot.

Normally I wouldn't batt and eyelid at the boss asking me to come and pick up a car for a photoshoot, but at over 412kw and well over $100k in price, the RS6 Quattro represents more than just another car.

It's the most expensive and most powerful car I have been given the responsibility to drive in my short time at the NZ Herald/Driven Magazine.

With a lowered speed tolerance on and usually a rather heavy foot, I was glad that the boss had not only programmed the brilliant navigation system for me but that the RS6 had cruise control.

Before discovering this brilliant system however I did try my luck, which thankfully held, while entering the motorway at a controlled onramp. Next to me was a Holden Commodore Taxi with a rather sedate and possibly very tired driver at the helm.
Naturally being in such a monster of a car as the RS6 I didn't want to be stuck behind the taxi so gunned it as the light flicked from red to green.

I'm not going to lie. I don't recommend 'gunning' a twin-turbocharged V8 Audi with enough power to pull the moon out of orbit. The RS6 shot forward with enough pace and noise to wake the startled taxi driver up and absolutely terrify me holding on for dear life to the wheel.

Now knowing the trouble I could potentially get myself into and with cruise control set I headed for the west coast.

Along the way I was stoked to find that the cruise control Audi uses has distance sensors to prevent the car going up the ass of the car ahead.

The RS6 is a lot of car for the quite large amount of money you have to let go of to take ownership, with plenty of interior space for the whole family, their luggage and dog with all that power to ensure you're never stuck behind a caravan.

In terms of control, once you've learnt to control your right foot the Audi is comfortable and incredibly fun. The gearbox is responsive and lets off a fantastic exhaust note upon changing gears.

The thing I loved the most about the RS6 was the Sat-Nav. The system has the best graphics, ease of use and functionality of any system I've had to attempt to work my way around, even with the boss having pre-programmed my initial destination for me it was easy to reprogram without having to read a novel of instructions.

I'd certainly say yes to getting behind the wheel of any Quattro Audi again after my all too brief seat time in the RS6 Avant.