RS6 Saloon or Avant?

[Drinks]

Practicalities aside, I think the avant is better looking but it's all in the eye of the beholder. Plus there is something very satisfying about driving an estate (with all those soft-middle-aged connotations) that is blisteringly quick, it's a contrary thing. Both saloon and avant are rare birds.
Drinks

[peterb]

The practicallity of the Avant swings it for me, apart from which I've never been fond of the lines of the C5 boot.

Since buying a Scimitar GTE in 1980, all of my cars (except the MR2, of course) have had a rear hatch.

[GaryC]

Avant for me too, primarily for practical reasons, though I also think it looks better. Most people buying these cars do so because they have a practical need of the space - otherwise they'd probably be in a 911 or something instead. There is also little in the way of competition when it comes to uber-fast estate cars. So I think the avant will also command better residuals longterm.

[Rich_C]

Clive,

Personally I like both saloon and avant shapes. I chose the saloon as being under 30 it looked younger. However, with baby #1 on it's way I can certainly see the benefit of the extra luggage space. I'd advise you to drive both and if you still have no strong preference then make it a financial decision.

If you choose a saloon then you are likely to pay less for it by comparison to an avant which may speed up your purchase plan although potentially it'll be worth less when you come to swap. Vice versa applies to the avant option.

Personally if you're not bothered either way then wait for one that turns up that ticks all the boxes you want (e.g. colour, condition, mileage, options, mods, etc) and if it happens to be an avant or a saloon then so be it. Either way it's the V8 under the bonnet that counts and both come with it attached.

Rich.

[mbedford]

With 3 kids in tow it had to be the avant for me, originally it was going to be a b5 rs4 but with two child seats in the back my eldest son couldn't sqeeze in between them. I said he wasn't trying hard enough and a bit of starvation might be the answer, but I tried the rs6 and actually preferred it. A bit less manic with a more relaxed power delivery. If I didn't have any kids I'd still choose the avant, in ebony black, with privacy glass.

[SteveH]

Good post clive! some interesting views here... 3/4 have gone Avant, which sounds about right for the proportion of avants and saloons originally purchased from new.

I wonder how RS4 B7 sales have gone relative to Saloon/Avant?

[CliveH]

Thanks for your input so far, guys

@Rich : I think you've hit the nail on the head there - if I'm still so torn by the time it comes to buy, then it will be the first one which comes along to tick all the boxes (RS6, RS6, RS6 ), whether it be saloon or avant. (I love your last line, PMSL!)

So far, I've only driven an avant, and I cant imagine the saloon will drive any differently, as it's only 40kg heavier (and actually 6mm shorter for the anoraks) - does the sticky out bit at the back change the aerodynamics at all...? I guess you're also referring to "drive" in the sense of overall feel. When we drove the avant, one of my sons who was sitting in the back commented that there was a feeling of "roominess" with all the space behind him.

@Steve : yes, interesting results & views - perhaps we should ask the RS4 B7 boys the same question...?

[bbigman2000]

Clive, Ive driven a few avants, I felt like I was driving a mini bus, there is masses of space, but zero credibilty as a performance car LOL

You will find the avant and saloon handle differently.

I recall when I was looking to buy, I could only find avants, and I was so tempted, thank heavens I managed to hold back and get what i really wanted. (a hyper saloon)

[CliveH]

Thanks for that Bigman - can you please explain the differences in handling...

[bbigman2000]

lol you would !!

To be perfectly honest neither handle that great !!

But what they lack on the corners, and they are not THAT bad, they make up for in other aspects.

You can quickly feel that both the saloon and avant are heavy cars, they arent really designed for tight twisties, but they can be bullied in, even with the limitations of the gear box, once you master the paddles though, this does make a massive difference, even if you are sometimes left wondering how your going to flick the paddle when your steering wheel position is off.

The Estate,tracks more is less planted than the saloon.

The saloon, feels rock steady and not light in the back end.

The aerodynamics of the avant obviously are different, hence the high sided feel of it.

I hated the feel of sitting there in the avant and you have this massive emptiness behind you, feels like your at the helm
of some road train and your unsure where the back wheels are.

I wouldnt change my saloon for the world, and if I decide to sell this leviathan, god only knows what route im going to follow ?

New RS6 would be my only option if it came in saloon guise.

[Jeeves]

I've got a slightly perverse take on it in that I find the 3-box saloon shape archaic, and would always choose (in order) "lifestyle" i.e. not boxy estate or coupe/hatchback.

The 3 RSs I've owned have all been exclusively Avant derivatives - RS2, RS4 (old) and RS6plus. Until I heard about the plus I had dismissed the standard RS6 and it'll be the same with the new one unless they produce an Avant exclusive, preferably in a limited run. To me that's the original concept of the RS, and which set the RS2 apart from say the M3 back in '94. So no new RS4 for me either.

That said, for some bizarre reason I can't explain (maybe they call it old age when you get to 40), I'm finding the new A6 saloon more attractive than the avant which has wrong proportions at the back - long overhang and too sloapy.

So, all the RS cars may be good, but to me they've got to look good and be exclusive too.

Thankfully as designs change and my interest in a replacement for my 6plus wanes, new entrants are appearing on the horizon. If only the M5 estate had 4WD like the X derivatives on the continent....

[bogie]

I like both shapes, but I had an S4 saloon before as my daily workhorse and every time I went ot B&Q etc I wished Id got an avant....which prompted the upgrade.

Ive had it 6 months now and can honestly say i cannot think of another daily driver that combines practicality with speed, fun, and luxury...the only thinkg I intend on swapping it for is a newer one, once Ive racked up 20-25K a year for a couple of years in this one

[CliveH]

Actually that does remind me of the time we went to B&Q and we struggled to get something in the boot of the S4 (ended up going back for the Mini!!!) and the Mrs said "we could really do with an estate car at times like this", which was my cue for "right, RS4 it is then!" (that was before I got the RS6 bug...

[grizz]

Well it's got to be the Avat , not keen on the saloon .

[Nige_RS4]

I actually prefer the saloon in the A6 range, as I think the avant looks a little bloated at the rear. [flamesuit on]