First up close look at a new RS6...

[GardinerG]

I did enquire what it drove like and was told - heavy, muted, very thirsty, much slower in real world driving..

This is exactly what I thought when I drove it.

Another word to describe it... numb.

numb - really? Just by way of reference, what would you call a direct car?

When I did a test drive I was seriously impressed - not a direct, communicative or responsive as my 997 Turbo - but I was looking for a car to take the wife, 3 kids and 2 dogs out and about which wasn't like navigating a barge.

As for the sales patter I would put that down to a salesman trying to hit his targets and selling a car 6 months in the future being no good to him - been there with the 'well I would go for a delivery later in the year sir when theres expected to be a face lift or take a used car now....'

And as for the M5 - again give one a go before buying - I spent yesterday driving various BMW's and whilst they handled well and had great engines they feel like build was outsourced to Citroen...

Numb compared to my C5 RS6 which I drive every day, and she's no 997 either. That's just my opinion of course and it's down to what you want in a car.

[kent_phil]

Fair comment - haven't driven the previous generation but thinking maybe I should...save a shed load of depreciation as well.

I do remember seeing one of the first previous generations at Le Mans and the driver opened it up in the access tunnel to the inner paddock - amazing sound.