Used Audi RS6 for sale: everything you need to know

Audi effectively invented the fast estate car with the RS2, so it’s only right that the Audi RS6 remains one of the most desirable cars of its type on the market.

Now in its fourth generation, the RS6 has changed quite a bit over the years, even gaining a V10 engine at one point, but today’s car is still in the mould of the first, with a twin-turbocharged V8 up front, all-wheel drive, and still enough room for your dog in the back, provided you’ve not gone for one of the bigger breeds.

With fantastic styling, supercar-style pace, and the usual Audi standards of quality, it’s easy to understand the RS6’s appeal - and the fourth-generation models launched in 2020 are better to drive than ever before, too. Read on to find out what you need to know about the RS6.

Should you buy an Audi RS6?

The case for buying an Audi A6 Avant is already a strong one. Here is a handsome estate car with class-leading standards of build quality, well thought-out infotainment systems, a wide range of engines, and a relaxed, comfortable drive that means the miles pass by effortlessly.

Now take those qualities and add more dramatic styling and an engine that wouldn’t look or feel out of place in a supercar, and you have the Audi RS6: one of the quickest and most desirable estates you can get your hands on, and in its latest iteration, launched in 2020, also one of the best.

Audi has enlivened the RS6’s styling over the standard A6 with wider arches and deep front and rear bumpers, and by filling the arches with enormous 21-inch (or optional 22-inch) alloy wheels. Depending on colour and specification it can look either brawny and classy, like Daniel Craig’s muscular James Bond in a tuxedo, or with darker trim, wheels, and paintwork, downright menacing.

The interior is dark and menacing too, thankfully enlivened a touch by metallic trim elements and the glow of both a TFT instrument cluster and a pair of touchscreens, the upper for primary infotainment functions, and the lower for the car’s air conditioning controls. Thankfully, despite the screen overload, they work well, with convincing haptic feedback - though we’d still prefer buttons for some functions.

There’s little to fault the driving experience though. Some rivals may be more entertaining, but Audi made big strides in driver appeal with this latest RS6, with more feedback from the steering, more agility thanks to rear-wheel steering, and even a more cosseting ride quality, which hasn’t always been the case on fast Audis. Naturally, it’s surefooted in poor weather too - something you’ll get from all generations of RS6. With a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, it’s also blisteringly quick. Regular models make 600PS, and Performance versions 630PS - good for 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds.

The RS6 has some challenging rivals though. There’s no Touring version of the current BMW M5 but if you don’t necessarily need an estate then the regular car is well worth a look. Then there’s the Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo from Porsche, and the thundering Mercedes-AMG E63 Estate. All are very close on the road, so factors like the Audi’s cabin and aggressive looks may swing it for some buyers.

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What’s the best used Audi RS6 model to buy?

All UK RS6s are currently sold in Performance form with more power than the regular cars, and to that you can step up to Carbon Black and Carbon Vorsprung trim. These trim levels are mainly desirable for their equipment rather than mechanical benefits, but the Vorsprung-grade car does come as standard with Audi’s RS Sports Suspension Plus, with Dynamic Ride Control - a system using coil springs rather than air suspension, which sits a touch lower and actively minimises body roll with electronics.

Otherwise, buying a used Audi RS6 is primarily about finding one with the right option boxes ticked from new. Two we’d look for are the Comfort and Sound pack, which includes heated seats, a reversing camera with parking assistant, and a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, and the RS sports exhaust system, to really wake up the note of that 4.0-litre V8.

Used Audi RS6 fuel economy and performance

• Audi RS6: The current generation of RS6, sold since 2020, has utilised a 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and all-wheel drive. It develops 600PS and is capable of covering 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds, with combined economy of 22.6mpg.
• Audi RS6 Performance: Originally offered as an upgrade, Performance trim is currently standard on the RS6. Power takes a hike to 630PS and the 0-62mph sprint drops to 3.4 seconds, while Audi also raises the speed limiter from 155mph to 174mph. Combined economy is quoted at up to 23.2mpg.

What used Audi RS6 trim levels are available?

No Audi RS6 is badly equipped - these are as much luxury cars as they are estates or sports cars. Audi does however offer different grades offering progressively more equipment, so the current trim lines detailed below will give you an idea of what you’re looking at on the used market. The big one to watch out for is Performance specification, which gets a notable bump in power over the non-Performance RS6s.

• The Audi RS6 is where the range started before Performance trim became the default RS6. Given the car’s position in the market, you’ll want for very little in terms of equipment, with 21-inch wheels and LED headlamps, and the 600PS version of the 4.0-litre V8 is no hardship either.
• The Audi RS6 Performance is the current starting point, the main benefit being a 630PS variant of the V8. Standard kit includes 22-inch wheels, the RS sport exhaust, and matrix LED headlights.
• The Audi RS6 Carbon Black features a different 22-inch wheel design in a matte black finish, along with matte carbon black exterior trim, Dinamica artificial suede for the headliner, and carbon trim inserts.
• The Audi RS6 Carbon Vorsprung tops the RS6 range. Wheels are as per the Carbon Black, but the Vorsprung adds a panoramic glass roof, Audi’s Tour Pack and City Assist Pack option packages, and comes with RS Sports Suspension Plus with Dynamic Ride Control as standard.

Used Audi RS6 dimensions and boot size

The Audi RS6’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4995mm
• Width: 1951mm (without mirrors), 2120mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1460mm
• Ground clearance: N/A

The Audi RS6’s boot size is:

• 565 litres
• 1680 litres with the rear seats folded

Used Audi RS6 road tax

Launched in 2020 and costing more than £40,000 brand new, the RS6 is subject to the VED or ‘road tax’ surcharge in its second to sixth years of registration, for an annual rate of £570 per year.

How much is it to insure an Audi RS6?

This kind of performance doesn’t come cheap to buy, it doesn’t come cheap to fuel, and as you might expect, doesn’t come cheap to insure either. All versions of the current generation RS6 sit in the top group 50 for insurance, on the 1-50 scale.

Read our full Audi RS6 review