Audi RS6 GT: £180k super-estate gets race-inspired makeover

Michl explained the motivation behind bringing the concept to showrooms: “We got a lot of feedback from customers that our show cars never touched the road and we were amazed by what the apprenticeship guys did with the RS6 GTO concept.

“So it’s not to do with a final vision. It’s really to have something special and we know we have existing RS customers searching for another pinnacle.”

Each car will be powered by the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 as the regular RS6, still pumping 621bhp and 626lb ft to both axles. However, lightweight materials and aero tweaks reduce the 0-62mph time to 3.3sec and 0-125mph now takes 11.5sec – 0.1sec and 1.5sec quicker respectively. Its top speed is limited to 190mph.

The suspension and rear differential have been reworked to make the car more agile when in Dynamic mode, with the coilovers lowered by 10mm and stiffened over the standard car’s.

The RS6 GT is expected to cost around £180,000 and deliveries will begin in the second quarter of this year.

Q&A: Rolf Michl, managing director, Audi Sport

What will be the priority for future RS cars? Speed? Driving feel? Sound?

“It depends on the car, so there will be more driving dynamics-oriented cars, depending on the size. I couldn’t give you one direction but we want in the future to offer the biggest package of versatility.”

What would you say to customers wary of an electric RS car?

“I think there’s a path we can take together with customers. We’re looking car by car and we have a close view of the usage profile. We will go hybridised and you will see that people will be happy about the additional value for it being electrified. We will do it step by step.”

How are you going to differentiate each model in the future?

“The USP will change all the time. For example, it has been sound or battery tech over the last 20 years. This has already changed and will further change. Going to driving dynamics, we have totally different options in the future. I think with EV tech, we can change the drivetrain set-up.”