The 2013 Audi RS 4 Avant just unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show sets any car enthusiast’s adrenaline pumping. This sleek looking sport wagon will surely put away any lackluster memories traditionally associated in America with family haulers. In fact, I’d bet when you and your family pull up in this RS 4 Avant, others will drool with envy, whether it’s at a restaurant (Wolfgang Puck’s or Chucky E. Cheese’s), your yacht club or local elementary school. And best of all, the car will fit right in, no matter the venue.
To me, the Audi RS 4 Avant is one of the best looking cars in the world. The folks from Ingolstadt have really fine tuned what used to be an overbearingly large trapezoidal Audi-signature grille into something that is aggressive yet blends nicely with the rest of the vehicle’s contours. The LED daytime running lights surrounding the xenon headlights complement large air openings below the bumper accentuated by a splitter. Slightly chiseled fenders front and rear give a subtle hint to the power of the car. The greenhouse is defined nicely by its aluminum trim. At the rear, the roofline tapers down and is supported visually by two oval exhaust pipes integrated into a diffuser.
Inside the RS 4 Avant it’s all business, practically dressed in black with a few chrome, aluminum and carbon accents. Alcantara or Nappa leather can be ordered with sport seats, plus the latest and greatest infotainment system, all to provide a premium and sporty ambiance.
Now that the family is pampered in luxury, it’s time for the car enthusiast in the driver’s seat to have some fun. Just look at the specs: normally-aspirated 4.1-liter, 450-bhp V-8 mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission; 317 lb.-ft. of torque urging the car from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph (optionally, to 174 mph), all-wheel drive with torque vectoring, adjustable all-around multi-link suspension, and the list goes on. After dropping the family at the mall, do I want to sneak in some track time? If I opt for the 20-in. tires and front 15.0-in. 6-pot carbon ceramic discs, I’ll be all set.
So what’s preventing me from rushing to the local dealer and putting my name on the dotted line? Sadly, the 2013 Audi RS 4 Avant won’t be available until fall this year—and only in Europe. Even more discouraging is the whopping base sticker price, when converted from euros, of $101,926. I can only dream about the ultimate family car…
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