Is the RS6 really that quick?

[MoRS6+]

The Rs6 is not the fastest car in the world , True..But with a stage 1 remap , 500 bhp , 560lb torque and 200 mph top end what can you buy for £13k-£20k that'll do all that...

Exactly!! The RS6 is good value and alot of car for the money with probably the most number of abilities in one package.

I bought a tumble dryer off ebay the other day and went to collect it in the RS6. Went in the back no probs. (I REFUSE to pay 200-odd quid for a damn tumble dryer, got a nearly new one for 75 quid! Result!)

One other thing about the RS6 is that it is nigh-on impossible to lose the traffic-light grand-prix, no matter what you are next to. It's just instant power and you're away, no dramas. There's no clutch to perfectly balance, no traction worries to account for, just perfect getaways every time. In the wet, it's exactly the same - instant pull-away with no wheelspin or loss of traction. That's what I love about the RS6 - it's standing-start ability at roundabouts/traffic lights etc. and especially junctions, where you don't need a particularly big gap to pull out into the flow of traffic - it's just squeeze and blend, easy as that - very handy for busy roads, busy roundabouts etc.. No other car can do as many things for the money imo.

With regard to outright speed and performance - no car can be everything all of the time - but imo the RS6 comes as close to this nirvana as I think you can get.

[NumberoftheBeast]

Having just got rid of my remapped RS6, I can safely say that they are very quick. I raced a few decent cars (the usual eg Scoobs, Evos, 911 Carrera 4 S etc) and it was roadkill.

I think the problem lies in that they sometimes just don't feel quick. They are very refined, but that's the point in the car - it feels safe and comfy but it flies when you need it to.

In terms of running costs, they are costly. yes, you might see a cheap one on Pistonheads going for just over ten grand but it could cost you nearly that in a year to run, fuel, tax etc.

[spanner1210]

I think mo sums it up for me!! ^^^^^ thats why i like it! no hassle! no messing about, its all taken care of!

So kelvin....are you going to buy one????????

[R1NGA]

ok im rambling now... as i said i am aware of the practicality etc of the rs6 im just talking speed terms like an e55 amg estate can carry a sofa has 476bhp yet is much quicker than a 500bhp rs6 estate in a straight line, How can this be? It doesnt make any sense to me. I dont want an e55 i prefer the rs6 im just looking for explanations

I would hazzard a guess that the rs6 is not 500hp but more likley standard 450 or maybe 480-90. the AMG weighs less and is not losing 100hp through the transmission......
Not many "claimed" 500hp cars actually make that.

And don't forget the other issue that the RS6 has to contend with (as do other turbos too of course) - the unpredictability of all the sensors, measurments and ECU interpretation of heatsoak etc. Boost, fueling and timing will be backed off unless all sensors report that all systems are optimum or thereabouts. If oils too hot, or water temp too high, or inlet temps too high, then you won't get 500bhp and therefore no M5-beating performance.

We've all felt that extra special shove you get on a cool damp morning, as evrything is coll in the engine bay and the air is dense. Compare that to what you feel having finally got to that distant stretch of dual-carriageway, having been stuck in traffic for 30 mins in the height of a 30degC summer, only to boot it and car feels flat and slow(ish).

At times like that, an S8 or M5 or any N/A big power motor will be far less affected by heatsoak.

Perhaps!

Phil G

[Blue_Thunder]

Drivetrain losses of a 4WD car will play a bit part in the power put down on the road.

Don't think 1/4 mile times are the best way of comparing how fast cars are. 1/4 miles favour lightweight cars. As has been mentioned, truly powerful cars like the RS6 come in to their own at higher speeds when your evos and your TVR's run out of puff.

[Cornishmoocher]

Hang on a mo. We are all missing something here.

We have spent 3 pages of posts trying to justify and explain why we believe that the RS6 is a great all rounder, possibly not the fastest car in the world, but probably the fastest that will scoot a wardrobe up the M6, to a chap who really doesnt know, and has come here for advice and asked some pertinent questions.

I bet you any money he is having the same discussions on M5eatsRS6's.com or whatever and they are telling him exactly what we are but in reverse.

Find someone with an M5 (any flavour) and have a go, then if you can find someone who will let you have a go in the 6- make your own mind up. We are all here because we did the same thing- made our own desicions. Nothing we say will be able to prove one way or the other to you, and you have asked some very good questions!

Asking on a forum for Audis and RS6's what we think of BMW's and Mercs is a bit like asking Hitler what he thought about Russia.........

Mooch (My Rs6 does a eleventy six squillion miles to the gallon and 872 MPH and 0-60 in a nano second but I have to have the traction control off or else it takes 2 nano seconds)

[Stuart6587]

Agree with Blue_Thunder that 1/4 mile times are not representative.

Have a look at these times from a recent sprint to give some examples:

BMW M3 - 14.56s - 104mph
Caterham - 14.50s - 89mph
BMW M3 - 14.42s - 109 mph
Caterham - 13.67s - 99mph
Subaru - 13.20 - 112mph
Caterham - 13.10s - 107mph
Caterham - 12.30s - 117 mph

The first BMW has a 104mph speed across the finish line compared to 89mph for the first Caterham but the BMW posted a slower time at 14 .56 seconds than the Caterham at 14.50 seconds. This is because it is a combination of weight and grip off the start line but also acceleration. The Caterham has a quicker launch time than the BMW but the BMW has quicker acceleration, so where one gains the other loses and vice versa.

[stumpyrs4]

As Mooch has said, get a ride in one tuned or otherwise and make your own mind up, if the costs above haven't already put you off.

There's alot of nice guys on here (and some not so nice ), that will gladly take you for a spin in theirs...

[alpinestars]

The RS4 is a sharper drive in my opinion, but does not have the tuning options available on an RS6. I think the RS6 is a good car, up to a point. It's no sports car as it's too heavy and "lazy" feeling for that, but as a gt and people carrier it's perfect.

Whether it would beat a Lambo, Ferrari, TVR or Noble. That depends on driver talent. It does not take a lot of talent to get the best out of the 6 because of its 4wd and ESP systems. However, are the others quicker? Absolutely. You would have to run well over 500bhp to compete with those cars. This is from my own ownership experience of these cars so no guessing and no "youtube" hype.

As far as a TVR running out of puff, I think the average driver would run out of balls before a TVR ran out of puff

[GardinerG]

I've beaten a TVR Griffith up the straight at Bedford, just mind you, but the corners were a different matter entirely. I was quite pleased given that he was 800Kg lighter. We were doing well over 140 on braking for the mid point.

[DNA540i]

So we all know the RS6 is bloody fast but will they show up a very lightly tuned Evo VI? Once my current car sells I'm in the running for either a Skyline R34 GT-R or an RS6 saloon. whatever way I go I'll need the car to be faster than my friends Evo. We've always been in compatition and don't want to upgrade and be slower.

[WARPATH]

I've beaten the old M5 and the new M5 albeit at 1500m above sea level and my 6 is a little sick from 2000RPM to 3800RPM.

Previous was a E46M3 SMG and wasn't totally stock but the 6 is much faster and IMO the M3 was a rubbish car, thankfully my friend rolled it 3 times and that opened the possibility of getting the 6

[Shoppinit]

thankfully my friend rolled it 3 times and that opened the possibility of getting the 6

Friends like these, eh?

[tartan_rob]

I have a stage2/3 RS6 running water/methanol injection. I got into the std '6 whilst having a stage1 B7 RS4. The performance advantage and straight line ability of the '6 was immediately evident. To that end and I genuinely mean this, the RS4 was parked in the garage and had a cover thrown over it. She was not started for 3months at one stage. I ended up selling it and keeping the 7year old '6. The RS6 is so sublime, so addictive, so enjoyable, so endearing and so subtle no one looks twice. It is great. With a gearbox remap and sensible driving I see 30mpg easily and it will carry a football team even in saloon guise. In Spain this year I averaged just over 110mph in a 200mile run and used about half a tank of fuel, 2 adults, 2kids a boot full of luggage + 22bottles of wine and 37degC outside temps. I got out for a cold drink, filled up and did the same again - twice. I have never been outrun by anything apart from SOME bikes. Off the lights = hillarious, I have yet to meet anything that will get close including bikes whilst doing the traffic light squirts...

It has the grip in the corners but isn't as much fun as say the RS4 was but then the RS4 had so much grip it was a constant challenge to see how much quicker she would go through the twisties. This easily ends up in death. Tuning options on the '4 are very limited unless you have deep pockets and long arms for an MTM supercharger. The RS4 is an awesome piece of kit and a real delight to drive with better steering, brakes and handling than the RS6, but much smaller in the real world.

As moocher has said, go and test drive all the cars in std form and see which one feels best. Don't compare a std to a tuned car though. If you want to do that, you must compare tuned version of all the cars...

I am testing an E60 M5 saloon tomorrow as I was offered a test drive. I'll let you know how it compares to the RS6....

[Cornishmoocher]

I bet you will be as disapointed as I was....