FORGET REWRITING THE RULES, AUDI IS BLOWING UP THE ENTIRE RULEBOOK WITH THE DEBUT OF THE LIMITED-EDITION RS 6 AVANT GT, BOASTING A BLISTERING MUSCLE CAR POWERTRAIN IN THE BODY OF A WAGON, WITH ONLY 660 SOLDIERS AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE

BY AMANDA McCOY

THE LIMITED-EDITION STUNNER

was inspired by Audi’s legendary 90 Quattro IMSA GTO circa 1989, a favorite among motorsports fans, nabbing several victories and podium finishes in the IMSA flagship series.

FINAL ASSEMBLY IS PERFORMED BY HAND. After body construction and painting is complete on the Neckarsulm pro duction line, the GT heads to Böllinger Höfe, where seven dedicated arti sans spend an entire day hand-fitting GT-specific features, from the hood and fenders to the rocker panels and front and rear aprons.

Since its original debut in 2002, Audi’s RS Avant has been a glorious paradox. It’s a wolf wrapped in the cloak of a station wagon, fed by a hungry turbo-juiced V8 and underpinned by a sharply tuned suspension for serious driving kicks. In 2008, Audi bumped up the cylinders to ten, cementing the 580-horsepower Avant’s standing as the most powerful series production station wagon on the planet, a dizzying divergence from a class traditionally reserved for family mobiles. Boasting a fast-shift ing six speed, sophisticated sports suspension, and carbon fiber ceramic brake discs, it was a treat for the purists, proving high-performance thrills could live outside the lines of coupes and convertibles.

Flash forward to 2025, and the now 23-year-old nameplate is causing a stir in the automotive matrix once again with the crowning of the GT: the quickest, fastest, and most powerful production version of the RS 6 Avant ever to take the road. A follow-up to last year’s performance upgrade, which souped up the power from 591 to 621 ponies, the Avant GT packs aerodynamic tweaks and suspension upgrades to achieve a blistering 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds. It’s powered by Audi’s 4.0L TFSI biturbo V8, delivering 627 lb.-ft. of torque (along with the aforementioned 621 hp) for a top track speed of 190 mph.

EXCLUSIVE EXTERIOR BRAGGADOCIO includes plenty of racing-heritage livery and RS badging, car bon fiber front fenders and hood, 22-inch 6-arm design “Avus” wheels, and a sleek “pass-through” roof-edge rear spoiler.

THERE ARE SIX COLORWAYS available worldwide – Arkona White, Nardo Gray, Chronos Gray Metallic, Madeira Brown Metallic, and Mythos Black Metallic – though all U.S. bound wagons will arrive in Arkona White.

GT-SPECIFIC INTERIOR DRESSINGS include RS sport seats wrapped in Valcona leather with an RS 6 GT logo, red and copper double stitching on an Alcantara steering wheel, and Crimson Red seatbelts

A specially tuned three-way adjustable coil over suspension differentiates the GT from the pack, lowering the ride height by 10mm compared to its brethren, and offering triple-adjustable dampers and stiffer stabilizers for better performance. Both the center and rear differentials have also been reworked to ensure razor-sharp handling and greater agility. This one will be tough to nab, as only 660 units will be produced worldwide, with an astonishingly scant 85 slated for U.S. borders. If the gods of luck shine down on you, be prepared to shell out $200,195 for the GT. (The RS 6 Avant, a still joyously souped-up super-wagon, rings in at $127,895.)

This one will be tough to nab, as only 660 units will be produced worldwide, with an astonishingly scant 85 slated for U.S. borders. If the gods of luck shine down on you, be prepared to shell out $200,195 for the GT. (The RS 6 Avant, a still joyously souped-up super-wagon, rings in at $127,895.)

Ray Catena Audi Freehold 3561 US-9, Freehold / 732.810.8000 / audifreehold.com