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Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
There are seven, yes, seven, of these cars for Canada. Want one? It'll cost ya!
When I saw the 2025 Audi RS 6 Avant GT at the Toronto Auto Show back in February, I thought it was pretty jaw-dropping. Gigantic wheels, wild graphics package, and what's with all the white? Having driven it, I can confirm it is, indeed, jaw-dropping. It drives like it looks — an absolute land rocket. And a very rare one at that. This car is blindingly fast, loaded with exclusive touches and prohibitively expensive. Oh, and there are seven for Canada. Audi Canada tells me the one I drove is still unclaimed. For now. I'll get right to it: my time in unit 385 (out of 660 built worldwide) was memorable. The sonorous sounds from its twin-turbo V8 fill the cabin when I squeeze the throttle, and this white wagon launches, pressing me into the driver's seatback. As you might imagine, everything in this car is turned up to 11. Red stitching everywhere. Embroidered seats and headrests. In red, of course. Numbered console plate. Quilted leather seats. Red seatbelts. Same goes for the exterior. Gigantic 22-inch Ibis white wheels. Huge shiny black grille. Carbon fibre hood and fenders. A red, black and grey graphics package that pays homage to the Audi 90 quattro race car that dominated IMSA sports car racing. In 1989. A bit obscure, I think to myself. But then I look up the IMSA GTO results from 1989 and see the Audi 90 won seven of thirteen races entered, including five of the last seven. Impressive. Audi began RS 6 Avant GT development in 2020 around the same time the current gen. RS 6 Avant was going on sale in Canada. The GT serves as a capper for the fourth generation RS 6, which goes out of production this year. And Audi decided it should go out with a bang — a big one. The RS 6 Avant GT is powered by a 4.0-litre, twin-turbo, V8 engine that produces 621 horsepower and 627 pounds-feet of torque, or motive force. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system, this wagon is made for quick exits. The official 0-100 km/h time is 3.3 seconds, with a top speed of 305 km/h. Mechanical bits unique to the RS 6 Avant GT include red ceramic brakes, all-wheel steering, sport-tuned suspension and steering, and Continental high-performance tires. Some cars I drive are more head-turning than others, and the white Audi wagon had more admirers than most. Lots of thumbs up, discreet photo snapping and staring. Despite being white, the RS 6 Avant GT really stands out. Especially in the Toronto suburb I live in, where Audis generally aren't all that common. A few interested parties — yes, they were guys in their 20s — drove by while I was taking photos, parked their cars and walked over for a closer look. Another gaggle pedalled over on bikes and asked me a bunch of questions. Which I dutifully answered to the best of my ability. I think owning a rare car isn't just about the car, but also the way people react to it. Sure, you're not spending $250K for that reason alone, but I suspect it's a perk for many owners. If you want to be noticed, driving a car like the RS 6 Avant GT will certainly do it. And that made driving unit 385 so much fun. Sure, the car's prowling, lunging nature — it's very hard to drive it slowly — is fun, but doing regular stuff is also fun. Like going to the supermarket. Or visiting a lakeside park. If this car could give autographs, it would have used a lot of Sharpies. Plus, it's still a wagon and has wagon practicality. Lots of room for people and cargo. All-wheel drive for Canadian winters. And it fits in most garages. Negatives are few, but cost is a big one. The GT has a price tag that is almost $100K greater than the regular 2025 RS 6 Avant Performance model. It's priced like a Lamborghini, and that will eliminate most buyers. But it's actually rarer than most Lamborghinis, so maybe that makes up for it. It's in the eye of the beholder, I suppose. Lower order nitpicks include a digital screen that houses climate controls. (Buttons work much better for this stuff.) And the twin-turbo V8 is thirsty. Not supercar terrible, but not great either. So, it's not perfect. But when you're cruising around in a powerful, retro-cool, extremely limited edition car with a Bang & Olufsen stereo booming, you won't care about any of the drawbacks. You'll be too busy waving to adoring onlookers. And giving them the thumbs up. Wow! Type: High-performance premium wagon, front-engine, all-wheel drive Motor: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8; 621 horsepower; 627 pounds-feet of torque (motive force) Transmission: Eight-speed automatic Fuel (Premium 91+): 17.0 litres/100 km in the city; 11.0l/100 km on the highway; 14.3l/100 km combined Cargo: 548 litres, or 19.4 cubic feet; 1,658l, or 58.6 cu. ft. in total Price: $249,785 as tested, plus $2,850 freight
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Toronto Star
There are seven, yes, seven, of these cars for Canada. Want one? It'll cost ya!
When I saw the 2025 Audi RS 6 Avant GT at the Toronto Auto Show back in February, I thought it was pretty jaw-dropping. Gigantic wheels, wild graphics package, and what's with all the white? Having driven it, I can confirm it is, indeed, jaw-dropping. It drives like it looks — an absolute land rocket. And a very rare one at that. This car is blindingly fast, loaded with exclusive touches and prohibitively expensive. Oh, and there are seven for Canada. Audi Canada tells me the one I drove is still unclaimed. For now.
