Quick Answer: RS 6 Avant performance
The RS 6 Avant performance is the only US-market trim of the RS 6 Avant, from $130,700 MSRP (plus $1,395 destination and a $1,300 gas-guzzler tax). It pairs a 621-hp, 627-lb-ft twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic, standard quattro all-wheel drive, and a sport rear differential, with 0-60 mph in a manufacturer-claimed 3.3 seconds. Standard equipment includes RS-tuned adaptive air suspension, an RS-specific exhaust with twin oval tailpipes, the 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit plus with an RS-only white-background display mode, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and matte gray exterior trim. Options run from a Matte carbon wheel-and-trim package to an Executive package with heated rear seats and a head-up display.
Total price, including every dealer-imposed charge: starting at $132,270 all in for the RS 6 Avant performance — the $130,700 manufacturer’s suggested retail price plus the $1,395 destination charge and the $175 documentation fee (an optional dealer charge, not a New York State or DMV fee). It excludes state and local taxes, title, registration, and any optional equipment.
One trim, because one trim is enough
Some model lines make you choose between a comfortable version and a fast one. The RS 6 Avant performance doesn't offer that choice because Audi decided the US only needed the answer, not the question: a single, fully loaded specification badged "performance," identical in mechanical hardware to what Europe calls the top-spec RS6, with no lesser RS6 Avant sold alongside it here the way some overseas markets get. Every car that leaves Audi Queens with an RS 6 Avant badge on it carries the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, the same 8-speed Tiptronic gearbox, and the same standard quattro all-wheel drive. What buyers actually choose is paint, wheels, interior trim, and which option packages go on the build sheet, not whether the car is quick.
The powertrain
621 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 627 lb-ft of torque, delivered by twin turbochargers nested in the V of the eight-cylinder block, are the headline numbers, and Audi backs them with a claimed 3.3-second 0-60 run (independent testing has landed a tenth behind that, around 3.4 seconds, which is close enough to call it accurate). Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph in standard trim; the optional carbon-ceramic brake package raises that ceiling to 190 mph, along with the fade resistance to actually use higher speeds repeatedly without cooking the brakes. The 8-speed Tiptronic automatic sends power to a sport rear differential, engineered to actively vector torque between the rear wheels under power rather than simply splitting it evenly, which is most of why this wagon changes direction like a much smaller car. Cylinder-on-demand deactivation and a 48-volt mild-hybrid assist system, confirmed on the EPA's own fuel-economy record for this car, help claw back some efficiency when the V8 isn't working for its living, though Audi's own marketing copy doesn't lead with "hybrid" the way it might on a different model; it's a background efficiency assist, not a driving-mode headline.
Ride and handling hardware
RS-tuned adaptive air suspension is standard, with damping calibrated specifically for this car rather than borrowed wholesale from the regular A6 Avant or the S6. Audi's engineers also spent effort on what you hear: the RS-specific exhaust routes through twin oval tailpipes, and the standard car already sounds meaningfully different from an A6, with an optional RS sport exhaust with black tips available for buyers who want more of it. Underneath, the standard staggered 21-inch wheel-and-tire package (275/35R21 all around, per published spec sheets) and 4-wheel disc brakes (17-inch front rotors, 15-inch rear) handle the everyday case; the carbon-ceramic option exists for buyers who plan to actually use the higher speed ceiling it unlocks, whether on a track day or just with more margin in reserve.
Cabin and technology
The RS-specific virtual cockpit plus display mode.
The 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit plus is standard, and it includes an RS-exclusive white-background display layout that swaps the regular Audi gauge graphics for something closer to a purpose-built instrument cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, along with Audi connect CARE for remote vehicle services and security features that don't require a paid subscription for the base safety functions. A top view camera system with Virtual 360 gives multiple angles for parking a car this wide, and adaptive cruise assist with lane guidance plus lane departure warning are standard driver-assistance features. A head-up display with RS-specific modes is available, standard as part of the Executive package or orderable separately; night vision assistance and the 1,820-watt, 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen Advanced sound system are both standalone options.
Options and packages
Four ways to personalize the same mechanical car:
Matte carbon package is the visual-statement option, a satin-carbon treatment on the exterior trim and mirror caps, dark roof rails, and a switch to 22-inch wheels in a five-spoke design finished in matte black rather than the standard bright metal. RS Design package plus in Blue takes the same idea inside the cabin: a suede-wrapped steering wheel stitched in a contrasting blue thread, twill-weave carbon trim panels picking up that same blue as an accent color, and blue-dyed seatbelt webbing, the interior treatment shown in the photo above. Executive package is the comfort bundle, a head-up display, a park-assist system that can maneuver the car via phone, warmed rear seats, doors that cinch themselves shut the last inch, and leather stretched across more of the dash and console than the base cabin gets. And the standalone options, a louder RS-tuned exhaust with darkened tips, the top-tier Bang & Olufsen sound upgrade, a thermal-camera night-vision system, and the carbon-ceramic brake upgrade, let a buyer dial in sound, safety, and top-speed headroom independently of whichever bundle they pick.
Cargo, seating, and the Avant argument
Five seats and 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats mean the RS 6 Avant carries cargo the way a wagon should, 30 cubic feet behind the second row and 69.5 with it folded flat, more room than most three-row SUVs offer with their third row in use. That's the entire case for the Avant body over a sedan with similar performance: this car does the school run, the Costco trip, and the airport pickup on the same weekend it also does everything a 621-hp V8 promises.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Audi RS6 Avant any good?
By most independent accounts, yes, it's regularly cited as one of the fastest and most capable performance wagons sold in the US, combining supercar-adjacent acceleration with genuine cargo utility that a sports sedan or coupe simply can't match. The tradeoffs are the ones you'd expect at this end of the market: premium fuel, a real fuel-economy penalty at 16 mpg combined, and a price that reflects the hardware underneath.
Why is the RS6 Avant so expensive?
A hand-tuned 621-hp twin-turbo V8, an RS-specific chassis and suspension calibration, quattro all-wheel drive with an active differential, and a full luxury-cabin equipment list all cost real engineering money, and the federal gas-guzzler tax adds another $1,300 on top of what a more efficient Audi would carry. It's priced against other performance wagons and sports sedans in its class, not against a standard A6.
Why is the RS6 so expensive compared to an S6?
The S6 uses a smaller-output V6 and starts meaningfully lower; the RS 6 Avant's V8, its RS-specific chassis hardware, and its exclusive interior and exterior detailing all sit above what the S6 offers. Buyers cross-shopping the two are usually deciding how much extra performance, and extra cost, they actually want.
Ready to see it in person
Photos and spec sheets get you this far; the rest is a test drive. Contact Audi Queens to check current RS 6 Avant availability and arrange a drive out of the Flushing showroom.
All 2026 Audi RS 6 Avant guides
Manufacturer’s suggested retail price excludes the $1,395 destination charge and the $175 documentation fee (an optional dealer charge, not a New York State or DMV fee), along with the $1,300 federal gas-guzzler tax, taxes, title, registration, and dealer-installed options. Performance figures (0-60, top speed) are manufacturer claims recorded under controlled conditions on a closed course; always obey posted speed and traffic laws. Fuel economy figures are EPA estimates; real-world results vary, especially under performance driving. Equipment, package contents, and availability can change with configuration and production timing; confirm current specifications and options with Audi Queens.