The explosive Audi RS2, all 311bhp of it, is often reckoned to be the world’s first high-performance estate.
Certainly it was the first car to combine the practicality of a bigger- booted wagon body with the straight- line speed of a supercar. Thanks to its quattro four-wheel-drive system and punchy turbocharged engine, it was actually faster to 30mph than the mighty McLaren F1, as discovered by this magazine’s road testers in the mid-1990s – but the first rapid estate car it was not. BMW’s E34 M5 Touring had arrived two years before it, in 1992, albeit in left-hand- drive markets only.
Another two years before that, Subaru had endowed an estate car with more power than was strictly necessary by offering the Legacy with as much as 197bhp in its home market of Japan.
Whether it was Audi, BMW or Subaru that invented the fast estate is a matter for debate, then. But which manufacturer builds the best high- performance wagons in 2018? That we can answer for certain.
As the leading proponents of the breed it’s a face-off between Audi Sport and Mercedes-AMG. First, we’ll pitch Neckarsulm’s brand new RS4 against Affalterbach’s C63 S, before lining the RS6 up against the E63 S.
Only then will one of these German companies be crowned king of the crushingly fast estate car.
RS4 vs C63 S:
There is something about this RS4’s Misano Red paint, in direct sun at least, that does it a disservice. It seems to flatten the topography of the bodywork, those squared-off box arches getting lost in the car’s flanks. The visual muscle seen in photographs seems to have atrophied to nothing. In fact, looking at it in situ, it’s hard to be certain this is the range-topping RS model, but for that modest badge in the grille. The Mercedes-AMG C63 S that’s sitting alongside the RS4 looks pumped- up and purposeful by comparison, despite its demure (and confusingly named) Brilliant Blue paint.
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TS7
RS6 vs E63...
... I'd argue that the MB's interior is tech for tech's sake, instrumentation by Casio against the Audi's Breitling - and no, I don't like Audi's virtual cockpit either. As for the E63's ability "to squirrel its way out of a corner in a faint powerslide" so can the RS6. Many's the time I've had to apply a 'dab of oppo' exiting a roundabout - not just on a greasy surface either, happens in the dry too - all with the traction/stability control fully engaged. One thing you don't mention is the overall ownership experience. My wife's MB has broken down three times since bought from new in Autumn '16, to add insult to injury our MB dealer's customer service has been shockingly poor. We're in the process of swapping her car for an equivalent Audi to join mine on the driveway.
Byzantine
Skoda Superb
Anything more is vanity.
5wheels
I'd take the Audi
Reasons are that having had the very first Quattro ever built and never ever had a moments trouble, it inspired my rally driving to a higher level. But also because I notice the depreciation on the Audi's (something Autocar try not to state) is considerably less than the over expensive Mercs. And of course Danny boy got it right - they look much better than the Merc. New they are out of my league, but maybe tempted for used ..hmmmm this puts a cat amongst my choice pigeons, but here in Russia 4WD is a MUST if you dont want to be stuck and be safe. Audi it is then
what's life without imagination
RPF
The Porsche Panamera is
The Porsche Panamera is pretty practical (I admit it's hard to pigeonhole, but its huge hatchbck is quite estate-like in size) and a very good steer, too!
e-Hybrid Turbo has a mere 680 BHP......
4WD with lift (air suspension) would even work in Russia.
5wheels
RPF wrote:
yes their are sufficient oilywhatsits shuffling them around St. Petersburg to make me envious. Agree about it being better all round that the test vehicles but errr the price!!!
As for thefirst post MB reliability shows up in the JD Power survey where it was way way way down the list
what's life without imagination
TimTonne
RS4
It seems to me that Audi didn't want to allow the RS4 to outshine the RS6 so they held it back. Hope the next gen RS get the 2 litre engine, or even a straight 5 (which wouldn't need the fake engine sounds).
I suppose reviving is too much to ask for.
TS7
Once the 'C8' RS6 is launched...
... or perhaps when the current one is dicontinued, I wouldn't be surprised to see a 'Performance' variant of the RS4 appear with circa 500 bhp. The C8 '6 should have 600+ bhp in 'base' form, rumours are that there will be a performance version with a hybrid-V8 with considerably more.
5000hp
My old Ford C-Max has more
NoPasaran
True
not everyone can afford an RS6. But don’t be bitter.
AddyT
Can't beat a Merc V8. Really
Can't beat a Merc V8. Really glad Merc did well in the group tests here. Faster, more fun and plenty of lunacy thrown in! IMO Audi can't compete and doesn't have the necessary heritage to do so when it comes to these sort of cars.
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