Audi RS6 Avant Red Hot Braggin' Wagon Rumored To Arrive Stateside Flexing Over 600 HP

We might need a pinch of salt to go with this news, but word on the street is that Audi is set to bring its range-topping performance versions of the A6 and A6 Avant to the United States. That’s right, if this report is accurate, that means that we will soon see both the RS6 (sedan) and the RS6 Avant (wagon) to join the next-generation RS 7 Sportback.

Audi has been reticent to bringing the hardcore versions of its A6 to the U.S. market, but sources for CarBuzz indicate that both performance models will be sold here by the year 2020. The news of the RS6, while surprising, isn’t too far out of the realm of possibility. 

However, the idea that the RS6 Avant will make it here is both earth shattering and almost too good to be true. The number of station wagons available in the United States has been decimated in the past two decades as crossovers have risen to become the family “car” of choice for Americans. However, at the high end of the market, we still have the Mercedes-Benz AMG E63 S wagon which features a 4.0-liter “biturbo” V8 engine thumping out 603hp. It’s also priced from a mind-numbing $107,000.

The RS6 and RS6 Avant would also be powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine; one that is shared with the Porsche Panamera. The current generation RS 7 Sportback is priced from $113,900, so expect similar pricing for the RS6 and RS6 Avant if they actually arrive stateside.

The timing of this “rumor” is actually quite interesting given an article by Bloomberg News that was published earlier this week entitled “Richer Americans Are Skipping SUVs for Station Wagons.” According to the publication, station wagon sales surged 29 percent in 2018 and are a popular choice for customers that need more cargo capacity than a sedan can provide, but don’t want to drive a vehicle that feels like it’s on stilts.

“There’s a group of consumers who are greatly interested in the versatility and capability of an SUV, but they don’t want to be seen as someone who just goes with the flow,” said Sam Russell, marketing manager for Buick. Buick recently introduced its Regal TourX to compete with the premium wagons like the Audi A4 Allroad and Volvo V60. “They are almost violently opposed to being mainstream.

“As long as you deliver on the styling, I think there will always be an opportunity for wagons.”