Driven! The Super-Limited Audi RS6 Avant GT Superwagon Is Much More Than It Seems

Fast station wagons are a dying breed. The allure of looking down on the world from above with the added benefits of extra cubby space, headroom, and even some extra ground clearance and suspension travel has led many would-be waggoneers to stray down the SUV path. But as a European I remain fiercely devoted to the cause, so I was exceedingly pleased to be offered a first drive of the very special edition of the 2025 Audi RS6, the Avant GT.

What It Is

Before the current-generation RS6 says goodbye, Audi decided to celebrate it—as well as the company’s longstanding and illustrious history in American road racing—by producing the RS6 Avant GT. Based mostly on the performance version of the standard RS6, which sees its power upped from 591 to 621 horsepower and its torque bumped from 590 lb-ft to 627, the GT doesn’t get any additional grunt from its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8. But it’s inspired by the RS6 GTO concept from 2020, which took much of its design inspiration from the legendary Audi Quattro IMSA GTO race car of the 1980s. Indeed, this limited-edition GT model boasts many cosmetic upgrades and a significant overhaul to its running gear.

Audi plans to build only 660 RS6 Avant GTs worldwide with just 85 examples coming to the U.S., all of which will be finished in Arkona White exterior paint with the heritage package and six-spoke Avus concept-inspired carbon-fiber wheels painted in Ibis white. New exterior elements include a revised front grille in gloss black, an extended front splitter, a painted carbon hood and front side fenders, carbon side sills and wing mirrors, a revised rear splitter, and an extended rear spoiler. It all turns what is ordinarily something of a sleeper station wagon into a certified head snapper.

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On the Inside

The 2025 Audi RS6 Avant GT’s interior features just a few updates to an already spectacular cabin, including the seats from the RS6 Avant Performance with handsome red and copper stitching (European RS6 GTs get a narrow carbon bucket deemed unsuitable for the American market’s … size) and some carbon accents. The finishing touch comes in the form of a number etched on the center console to remind you just how limited this limited edition is.

Under the Arches

You’re forgiven for thinking that aside from the snazzy exterior package the headline here is that the RS6 Avant GT does not receive a power bump. Still, the RS6 Avant Performance it is based on has a terrific amount of power already. The V-8 and eight-speed transmission do a great job of churning out the horses, so to admonish Audi for not adding more misses the point of this car entirely: The work here went into perfecting how this car puts down the power.

First, Audi fine-tuned both the center and rear differentials. Power goes to all four wheels (duh, Quattro) with the locking center diff splitting the power 40/60 front/rear. In instances of slippage, up to 70 percent of power can be sent to the front axle and up to 85 percent to the rear to drastically improved traction. In Dynamic mode, the 2025 Audi RS6 Avant GT’s Quattro Sport rear differential is tuned for improved response and greater agility and dynamic performance.

Interestingly, the RS6 Avant GT also features fully adjustable coil-over suspension. Riding 10 millimeters (0.4 inch) lower than the regular RS6 Avant, the GT has three suspension settings that can be adjusted manually using a provided tool. With triple-adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars that are 30 percent stiffer at the front and a whopping 80 percent stiffer at the rear, the GT experiences dramatically less body roll in the corners. For customers who think this setup sounds a bit extreme, there is an optional RS sport suspension with Dynamic Ride Control or Audi’s RS adaptive air suspension.

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How It Handles

We spent three hours with the 2025 Audi Avant GT at the tight and twisty Streets of Willow circuit at California’s Willow Springs International Raceway. This is the kind of road course that demands precision, where scrubbing too much speed in any of the 14 tricky corners can ruin a lap. While we didn’t note lap times on this day, it was a great place to see if Audi’s upgrades to the GT have helped make into something more special.

First, the power: Down the straights it comes on well, with the eight-speed automatic intuitive and predictable. We had the GT set to RS mode, which improves throttle response and holds gears longer, but (at the request of Audi reps who were afraid we would roast the Continental Sport Contact 7 tires, also unique to the GT) we had the traction control partially on. The GT also features standard carbon-ceramic brakes that never indicated any sign of deterioration.

In the more complex corners, the RS6 Avant GT’s upgrades began to shine. The front end’s bite during turn-in was noticeable, with that 30 percent of additional stiffness working in tandem with the coil-overs to hook the car in. During the corner itself, the reduced body roll gives the Avant GT a decidedly more composed feel than the regular RS6, and on exit the differentials work their magic and rotate the car’s rear—not too much, mind you, but enough to mitigate any potential understeer, an ailment that front-engine Audis are no stranger to.

From foot and hand, pedal and wheel, engine to gearbox to diff, through the suspension and via the rubber to the road, the formula for cornering success was remarkable and infinitely repeated on the track. Indeed, in the instances where I knowingly pushed the car into a situation I was sure it wouldn’t like, it handled itself with poise and precision hitherto unseen in a superfast German station wagon.

Final Thoughts

For a little extra context, the Avant that started it all, the 1990s-era RS2, boasts 2,891 examples made, illustrating just how rare this 2025 RS6 Avant GT Avant model is.

Audi still hasn’t released pricing on the U.S.-bound superwagons, but Europeans needed to part with 219,355 Euros, or about $235,700. One thing’s certain: With this being the last go-around for the gasoline-powered RS6 before the model goes electric for its next generation, collectors and enthusiasts will likely hold the 85 U.S-bound examples in the highest regard. It’s a perfectly fitting way to bid farewell to a huge chapter in Audi’s history.