Hot estates are a perennial dream garage staple
Certainly it was the outset auto to combine the practicality of a bigger- booted carriage trunk with the straight- trouble speed of a supercar. Thanks to its quattro four-wheel-drive organization as well as punchy turbocharged engine, it was genuinely faster to 30mph than the mighty McLaren F1, every bit discovered yesteryear this magazine’s route testers inwards the mid-1990s – but the outset rapid estate auto it was not. BMW’s E34 M5 Touring had arrived 2 years earlier it, inwards 1992, albeit inwards left-hand- crusade markets only.
Another 2 years earlier that, Subaru had endowed an estate auto with to a greater extent than powerfulness than was strictly necessary yesteryear offering the Legacy with every bit much every bit 197bhp inwards its abode marketplace of Japan.
Whether it was Audi, BMW or Subaru that invented the fast estate is a thing for debate, then. But which manufacturer builds the best high- surgery wagons inwards 2018? That nosotros tin lavatory answer for certain.
As the leading proponents of the breed it’s a face-off betwixt Audi Sport as well as Mercedes-AMG. First, we’ll pitch Neckarsulm’s gear upwardly novel RS4 against Affalterbach’s C63 S, earlier lining the RS6 upwardly against the E63 S.
Only as well as then volition i of these High German companies last crowned manful mortal monarch of the crushingly fast estate car.
RS4 vs C63 S:
There is something close this RS4’s Misano Red paint, inwards direct Sun at least, that does it a disservice. It seems to flatten the topography of the bodywork, those squared-off box arches getting lost inwards the car’s flanks. The visual musculus seen inwards photographs seems to cause got atrophied to nothing. In fact, looking at it inwards situ, it’s difficult to last sure this is the range-topping RS model, but for that little badge inwards the grille. The Mercedes-AMG C63 south that’s sitting with the RS4 looks pumped- upwardly as well as purposeful yesteryear comparison, despite its demure (and confusingly named) Brilliant Blue paint.
But it must last a play tricks of the light, or that colour. In Daytona Grey or Navarra Blue the RS4 looks every bit tough as well as musculus leap every bit whatever mid-size estate has ever done. The hue of the bodywork isn’t the only thing that’s a picayune baffling close the RS4, though. As we’ll see, Audi’s latest high-speed charge carrier is precisely i of those cars that leaves y'all feeling... unconvinced.
Beneath its bonnet the RS4 has come upwardly total circle. Between 2006 as well as 2015 the Mk2 as well as Mk3 RS4 were propelled yesteryear high-revving, usually aspirated V8s, the form of engine that made y'all prod the throttle pedal non only for the surge inwards acceleration but also for the serrated border to the powerfulness delivery as well as the dramatic, soaring soundtrack. This fourth-gen RS4 junks the 4.2-litre V8 inwards favour of a twin-turbo V6 – the sameconfiguration of motor that powered the outset RS4 dorsum inwards 1999.
Giving upwardly a pair of cylinders as well as to a greater extent than than a litre of displacement to the AMG C63 south – which, admittedly, is almost £8000 to a greater extent than expensive than the Audi – puts the RS4 at a disadvantage. The Merc’s 4.0-litretwin-turbo V8 is comfortably to a greater extent than strong than the Audi’s V6 – inwards fact, with 503bhp to 444bhp it’s non fifty-fifty unopen – as well as it feels it. Whereas the RS4 is precisely rattling quick, the C63 south has the sort of unrelenting, runaway-train straight-line surgery that makes your passengers panic. Sure, the four-wheel-drive RS4 is quicker off the line, but everywhere else the Mercedes emphatically hauls itself off into the distance. More of import than its sheer surgery advantage, however, is the mode with which the AMG delivers its power.
It’s a lunatic, walloping along on a tidal moving ridge of torque, quad exhaust tips spewing forth a torrent of burn as well as fury, traction command fighting desperately to travel along the 2 driven wheels from roasting the safe wrapped or thence them. You position your pes down, concur on tight as well as – crucially – express mirth similar an idiot.
The RS4? Its engine is mayhap a picayune to a greater extent than responsive but it offers nix similar the thump to your back. The soundtrack is strained as well as bland fifty-fifty though this attempt out car, similar its counterpart, is fitted with the optional sports exhaust. That’s aside from an odd, occasional whining vibrations nether total load, every bit though there’s a supercharger upwardly front end rather than a pair of turbos. The V6 spins apace to the limiter, but with all 4 contact patches sharing a much-reduced load, the Audi precisely punts along without a hint of a drama. Effective, then, but exclusively forgettable. The RS4 wouldn’t gear upwardly y'all express mirth if it had precisely spent a calendar week parked inwards Billy Connolly’s garage.
And yet inwards some of import ways this RS4 is the best of the dynasty. It has residual for i thing, cheers to the novel V6 weighing some 31kg less than the former V8 as well as sitting farther dorsum inwards the chassis. This RS4 doesn’t chase its olfactory organ similar RS4s of old, as well as if y'all over-commit to a corner you’ll precisely every bit probable experience the nurture goal come upwardly circular every bit sense the front end pushing on. That is a deeply odd – but bright – thing to experience inwards an Audi estate car. It way the auto is less frustrating at the bound than its forebears. Out of a corner it feels positive as well as agile, too, the RS sport differential diverting crusade to the exterior nurture corner to smashing effect.
The 2d huge measuring forrard from former RS4 to novel is the ride quality. Rolling on RS sport respite (a £2000 option), the latest model has a plushness to it over petroleum roads whereas the previous model was tight as well as unyielding.
But despite those rattling commendable steps forward, it is the C63 south that is the to a greater extent than involving as well as rewarding surgery car. It steers to a greater extent than faithfully, it’s to a greater extent than playful as well as agile as well as it’s amend balanced still. The ways inwards which its trunk moves as well as rolls inwards corners makes it easier to read as well as manipulate at the limit, too, as well as if y'all switch the stability systems off it tin lavatory play the hooligan inwards the finest AMG tradition. The Mercedes is precisely a lot to a greater extent than fun.
Does a surgery estate genuinely require to last fun to drive, or is fast as well as competent expert enough? Perhaps it is, inwards which instance the novel RS4 is a rattling fine auto indeed. But if y'all plough over to recollect that a £60,000-plus surgery auto should last inwards some way engaging to crusade regardless of its trunk type, every bit nosotros plough over to, as well as then the Mercedes-AMG is the clear victor.
RS6 vs E63 S:
There are 2 ways inwards which the Audi RS6 Performance is a amend fast estate than the Mercedes-AMG E63 S. The outset is that it looks a whole lot tougher, its steroidal arches, low-slung ride superlative as well as menacing smoked headlights making the AMG expect fussy as well as generic. To these eyes, at least, the RS6 Performance powerfulness precisely last the best-looking estate yet.
The other ace it holds over the E63 south is its fluid, pliant ride quality. Both cars hither sit down on air suspension, but whereas the AMG ever feels somewhat jittery – jarring, inwards fact, over rattling petroleum surfaces – the Audi is ever comfortable as well as composed.
The way a auto looks as well as the way it rides are surely 2 of the biggies, but the reality is that inwards every other meaningful assessment the E63 is the amend auto yesteryear an fellowship of magnitude. Until the AMG arrived, the RS6 was at the top of its game, but when the E63 appeared belatedly terminal year, the game changed entirely.
Its steering, for i thing, is ultra crisp as well as precise, spell the Audi’s is gloopy, vague as well as inconsistent. The Mercedes has a much to a greater extent than neutral treatment balance, too, with the sort of resilient front end goal that y'all tin lavatory genuinely lean on – almost every bit though it belongs to a much smaller, far lighter car. The RS6 pushes on where the E63 south holds on.
It’s a similar even out on the way out of bends. The Mercedes shuffles its powerfulness fore as well as aft to slingshot itself along the adjacent direct similar some form of Nissan GT-R hearse. You tin lavatory quite easily persuade the E63 to squirrel its way out of a corner inwards a faint powerslide, inwards fact, which is a type of behavior no four-wheel-drive estate has ever had the chops to exhibit. Time as well as again, the AMG does things it genuinely shouldn’t last able to.
The RS6 Performance tin lavatory also divert torque hither as well as at that spot with its nurture axle’s sport diff, but it never feels every bit freakishly agile or every bit malleable every bit the E63. Both are fantastically quick inwards a direct trouble as well as both cause got distinctly V8 soundtracks, but the E63’s engine is angrier as well as harder- edged. Both motors are grizzly bears, but the Audi’s has had its teeth as well as claws filed down. And every bit if all of that wasn’t enough, the Mercedes has far as well as away the amend cabin. It feels the best business office of a decade newer, which, of course, it is, the A6 this RS6 is based on having been launched correct dorsum inwards 2010. The novel A6 is correct or thence the corner; the adjacent RS6 only a brace of years behind it.
In the end, then, it’s some other comprehensive victory for AMG: 2 wins inwards every bit many contests. And yet, offering me half-dozen months inwards either the E63 south or the RS6 as well as I’d cause got the Audi. Well, looks are important, aren’t they?
The appeal of a fast estate:
Why exercise hot estates concur such appeal? Many of us reserve a infinite inwards our five-car dream garage for one, oftentimes inwards identify of the saloon alternative. The broad arrive at of powerfulness is business office of the draw: identify unit of measurement coach or Ikea carriage i minute, 911 Turbo chaser the next.
But there’s the incongruity, too. An otherwise utilitarian auto with 600bhp is brilliantly absurd. And while, say, super-SUVs are to a greater extent than incongruous still, fast estates create exercise to exercise it without beingness hopelessly daft.
Best used AMG Estates:
MERCEDES C43 AMG 1997-2000:
The C43, instantly 21 years old, is the cheapest way into a Mercedes- AMG estate auto today, but with to a greater extent than than 300bhp it needn’t last considered the pathetic man’s choice. Price to pay: £8000
MERCEDES E63 AMG 2010-2011:
In 2012 the E63 switched to a downsized 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8, but for a brace of glorious years from 2010 it used the same 6.2-litre lump every bit the SL63 AMG. Price to pay: £23,000
MERCEDES C63 AMG 507 2013-2015:
A run-out particular edition as well as Mercedes’ ain bye to its wonderful (but increasingly anachronistic) 6.2-litre usually aspirated V8, the 507 was the previous-generation C63 at its rattling finest. Price to pay: £45,000
Best used Audi RS Estates:
AUDI RS2 - 1994-1995:
Co-developed with Porsche, the RS2 used a 311bhp five-pot motor as well as could launch itself to 62mph from repose inwards precisely 4.8sec. Price to pay: £40,000
AUDI RS4 - 2006-2008:
The second-gen RS4’s centrepiece was its high-revving, naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8. With 414bhp it was quick as well as the powerfulness delivery as well as soundtrack were to cash inwards one's chips for. Price to pay: £15,000
AUDI RS6 - 2008-2010:
The ‘C6’ RS6 accelerated Germany’s horsepower nation of war faster than whatever other auto to date. Its Lambo-derived V10, with added turbos, made a monstrous 571bhp. Price to pay: £22,000
Source : autocar