Audi rolls out an anniversary edition, paying tribute to the RS 4 Avant sports station wagon on the 25th anniversary of the model. Only 50 examples will make it to the United Kingdom. The special edition comes with a design to match.
The Audi A4 Avant has always been a family car since the moment the Ingolstadt-based automaker rolled it out in November 1995 in the shape of the B5 generation. However, the first RS 4, with sportier looks and performance, arrived way later, in 1999, as the family man's sports car.
In fact, Audi had started the Avant adventure with the RS2 and S6 back in the 1990s. But the first quattro-branded model RS was the 1999 B5-generation RS4 Avant. Sharing the platform with the A4 and the S4, the RS 4 came with a widened body. It sported wider front and rear wheel arches, which made room for the wider axle track.
A 2.7-liter biturbo six-cylinder engine with five valves per cylinder, developed in partnership with Cosworth. It pumped out an impressive 380 metric horsepower. The upgrades took the output from 261 horsepower (265 metric horsepower and 295 pound-feet (400 Newton meters) all the way to 375 horsepower (381 metric horsepower) and 325 pound-feet (440 Newton meters) of torque.
But that was just the beginning. Things snowballed and the sportiest version of the RS 4 generation arrived in 2001, labelled as the RS4 Sport. It sat closer to the pavement and had bucket seats, a sports exhaust, and a steering wheel wrapped in suede.
Photo: Audi
Fast forward to 2024, the all-new RS 4 Avant edition 25 years is powered by a 2.0-liter V6 biturbo engine, pumping out 470 metric horsepower, which is 20 more compared to the regular RS 4 Avant. In consequence, it does the 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 kph) run 0.4 seconds quicker than the standard version, at 3.7 seconds, going all the way to a top speed of 186 mph (299 kph).
The car is standardly equipped with RS ceramic brakes for better stopping power and with an RS sports exhaust system with tailpipes in matt black for an intense soundtrack.
The all-new Audi RS 4 Avant edition 25 years is also equipped as standard with the RS sports suspension pro, which is a manually adjustable coilover suspension, providing the car with a 10-millimeter lower ride height than that of the regular RS 4 Avant. Furthermore, the one behind the wheel can go for an even lower stance, going to a total lowering of 20 millimeters.
A quattro sport differential is on the menu, while the Audi engineers retuned the transmission for faster gear shifts. Furthermore, they also increased the negative camber on the front axle by two degrees and installed stiffer control arms.
For improved aerodynamics and a sportier appearance, the roof rails have been removed. For the first time, the modeleatures a black inlay in the rear lights, matching the glossy black trims of the side windows and the Audi rings and lettering.
The car rides on 20-inch alloy wheels in matt palladium, wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Corsa high-performance tires designed both for the road and track. Whoever drives the RS 4 special edition home will also get the Pirelli senzorized P Zero Trofeo RS semi-slick tires and the Pirelli Track Adrenaline system.
Photo: Audi
A Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System is standard, and so are the 360-degree camera and the wireless phone charging.
The anniversary edition can be ordered in one of the three paintworks available: Nardo Grey, Mythos Black, and Imola Yellow. The "RS 4 edition 25 years" lettering shows up on the windows between the C- and the D-pillars, but also on board, below the headrest of the RS bucket seats wrapped in black/yellow leather/Alcantara combination with honeycomb yellow stitching and carbon backrest, inspired by the 2001 RS4 Sport.
The driver can choose a white background for the tachometer and speedometer from the MMI menu, as a tribute to the 1994 Audi Avant RS2
The RS 4 logo is on the floor mats for the first time, while exclusive lettering on the center console shows each individual car's sequential number starting with 1 of 250.
The model starts at 115,880 pounds, which translates to $147,703. Only 50 examples will be available in the United Kingdom, with the rest being available on other European markets.
Photo: Audi
Audi also rolls out the new RS 5 Sportback Performance edition, which comes with the same powertrain upgrades. It is the most powerful Audi RS 5 ever made. It takes 3.7 seconds to flash fro 0 to 62 mph, which is 0.2 seconds quicker than the regular version. Top speed is electronically limited to 186 mph.
The RS sports suspension pro with progressive steering and an improved Torsen differential equip the model. Only 10 such cars will hit the UK market.
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