Time really does fly. It seems hard to believe that the Audi RS6 turns twenty this year. To celebrate this milestone the company trotted out pristine examples of the RS6 to the Canadian wilderness. Several journalists were recently invited to experience this performance range in Canada. Hmmm… maybe our invite was lost in the mail.

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In the Beginning (C5)

The RS6 nameplate was launched in 2002. Audi introduced the very first RS6 hot on the heels of the first RS4. The larger model was based on the first-ever (C5) A6. Audi slotted in a 4,2-litre V8 and strapped on a pair of turbochargers. In addition, they enlisted the services of performance specialists Cosworth to help massage more power from the engine.

The net result was 331 kW of power and 560 N.m of torque. These figures made it the most powerful Audi on sale at the time. Thanks to all-wheel-drive traction the RS6 could sprint from 0-100 km/h in 4,7 seconds. Top speed was limited to 250 km/h or 280 in ‘Plus’ guise.

Read about a classic Audi S2 Coupe at this link.

The Second Album (C6)

Audi followed up with an even more outrageous RS6 in 2008. This second-gen version boasted 10 cylinders and, again, featured twin-turbocharging. This 5,0-litre engine was borrowed from the mid-engined Gallardo sportscar.

Maximum outputs were rated as 427 kW of power with 650 N.m of torque. The latter figure was on tap from a lowly 1 500 r/min. Drive was fed through a six-speed manual automatic and on to an AWD system. The V10 RS6 could blast to 100 km/h in 4,6 seconds To rein in that power it had the option of 420 mm carbon ceramic discs up front.

Check out our Audi R8 Performance Spyder driving review here.

Less is More (C6)

The third iteration of the Audi RS6 dropped two cylinders, but kept the twin-turbochargers. The lightweight V8 now displaced just 4,0-litres, the smallest engine ever fitted to an RS6. Peak power, in ‘Performance’ guise rose to 441 kW and maximum torque went up to 750 N.m. 

Again with AWD and an auto trans the RS6 could now sprint to 100 in shade under four seconds. In addition, Audi  unleashed its full performance potential which resulted in a top speed of 305 km/h. 

The Quickest Yet (C8)

The C7 and C8 generation RS6s are quite closely related as they are based on the same architecture and they share the same twin-turbocharged 4,0-litre V8. The engine now features a 48 volt mild hybrid system. Thanks to a rise in torque to 800 N.m the latest RS6 can blitz the benchmark 0-100 run in 3,6 seconds. You can read our review of this car by clicking this link.

Catch a Audi RS6 Turns Twenty celebratory video below. If you enjoyed this post please feel free to share using the social media buttons.