Nearly 20 years ago, in a small, specialized factory in Zuffenhausen, Germany, one of the world’s most fantastic vehicles to ever grace the Autobahn was produced: the Audi RS2 Avant. This machine was a Porsche-manufactured 311 hp inline-5 wagon with a 6-speed manual and AWD.
Fast forward to today and the hallowed RennSport moniker lives on strong, with Audi firmly secured as one of Earth’s most reputable marques. To celebrate this RS anniversary, Audi has created a little something special for the world to behold: the Audi RS4 Avant Nogaro.
Glance at the menacing fender flares, massive dual exhaust tips, striking blue paint, and front fascia seemingly ripped off a DTM racer. Underneath the bodywork lies the heart of a lion: a 4.2L V8 generating 450 hp that sends its power to all four wheels by means of a hyper-quick 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. Launching the RS4 Avant Nogaro to 62 mph takes 4.7 seconds.
Though the mechanical bits are indeed shared with the standard RS4, there are subtle details that separate the Nogaro from the rest of the RS4 lineup, such as a unique black Valcona leather interior with available Nogaro Blue Alcantara inserts, contrasting stitching in the same hue, and an interesting special-edition S tronic shifter which helps add a reassuring sense of exclusivity to each Avant Nogaro owner.
Unfortunately, as with the first RS2, this hyper-wagon will not be making the trip across the pond to the U.S. anytime soon. European pricing begins at £87,300 (a bit more than $121,ooo) with the first shipments arriving in spring 2014.
No Comments yet