ooooIYKYK, ISSUE #oo35
This week I ran a story about Audi choosing to go with a V8 hybrid in the RS 6 Avant. Autocar magazine had published a report confirming the move, and the reporter behind it is a consistently reliable source. However, since running the story, a number of contacts have reached out to tell me that I got it wrong — that the RS 6 Avant (C9) will use the 2.9-liter biturbo V6 as the basis of its PHEV configuration. In short, what I published was wrong.
At first, I didn’t want to believe them because I’d already staked a claim. The first one reached out and I dismissed it – maybe he was wrong. Another responded on Instagram – maybe there’s something to it. A third brought it up and I had to face facts. It’s not fun to have taken a stand just to learn that you might be wrong, especially when you’re wrong on a topic some who read your site may not want to hear.
First off, I’ve updated the original story. It now begins with a clarification and, since traffic to that piece is still quite active, anyone landing there will see what I now believe to be the correct information.
ABOUT RUMORS
It’s worth noting that this sort of thing happens in the world of future product rumors. That’s why they’re called rumors. We rely on sources, and those of us who do this professionally learn when we can go out on a limb and report something as more of a “done deal,” as I did this week. That said, even outlets with the highest-level sources — as Autocar no doubt has — can get it wrong. Those sources may have information from before a final decision was made, before plans changed, or for any number of reasons that ultimately make the information inaccurate. It happens, and it’s a useful reminder for anyone who reads rumor stories or sees online renderings and assumes they reflect the final product.
I do my best to label every rendered image here as a rendering and every rumor as a rumor, while noting when information seems to be moving beyond speculation, as this one appeared to be. The RS 6 isn’t that far out, so I assumed that presumably high-level sources at this stage would be accurate. In this case, that doesn’t appear to have been true.
ABOUT THE RS 6 (C9) AS A V6 BITURBO
I’m certain some people will be disappointed by this news. It’s a bold move that mirrors Mercedes’ decision to downsize the AMG E-Class wagon rather than stick with a V8, as BMW has done with new M5. That will understandably disappoint those who want big displacement. I get it. That reaction is natural.
Perhaps it may seem weird, but I’m not disappointed. To me, massive horsepower for straight-line performance has become commoditized as the EV era comes online. Too many EVs to count can outrun the current RS 6 or the new V8-powered BMW M5. They’d outrun a C9 RS 6 V8 in a straight line, too, so I’m not really seeing the value in straight-line performance wars anymore. The sound is undeniably cool, but in a world full of heavy EVs that are brutally quick in a straight line, I’d rather have sharper handling.
If the RS 6 is a V6 PHEV, it should also be lighter than a V8 would have been. As a plug-in hybrid it still won’t be a featherweight, but it may avoid becoming excessively heavy. Factor in the advancements Audi Sport is rumored to be developing, particularly using the electric drive system for torque vectoring and improved handling, and the car could unlock dynamic capabilities the outgoing RS 6 (C8) simply can’t match.
Better handling is what excites me.
Will it win the kind of drag race and handling comparison Edmunds recently put the RS 6 (C8) and BMW M5 Touring through in a video? That’s unclear. Maybe not, and I suppose that’s fair fodder for criticism.
Still, having owned an RS 6 (C8), what I wanted most from the car was greater handling precision, not more straight-line speed.
Maybe you feel differently. I get that, too. This is a subjective call. I’m still excited to get seat time in the new RS 6 and see what it ultimately delivers.
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