The perfect storm

There’s nothing overt when you first see the RS 4 Avant competition plus that says ‘even more special’. No over-the-top wings, graphics or special badging, but even those who aren’t up on the performance car Who’s Who can see that there’s something out of the ordinary about them both. Both the RS 4 Avant and its sibling, the RS 5 Sportback, are long-time Audi Sport favourites and have built a well-deserved reputation for excellence as high-performance, luxury tourers that deliver supercar performance and handling in a package that can be used and enjoyed every day. 

They have a definite edge in terms of design and styling that sets them apart and they deliver on the visual promise big time when the road and the conditions are appropriate.

The competition plus package, as the name suggests, takes these truly accomplished RS models and hones their edge for competition, or more accurately, serious track work for those who want to really explore the limits of performance.

To that end they are lighter, faster and offer the ability to fine-tune aspects of their handling to make them even more potent on the road and especially at the race track. 

Adjustable coil-over suspension, offered for the first time on these models under the RS sport suspension pro moniker, allows manual adjustment of the ride height, damper rate and rebound. Already 10mm lower than an RS 4 Avant on delivery, the adjustable suspension allows the car to be manually lowered a further 10mm for the track, which, along with a higher spring rate and stiffer stabilisers makes for a different driving experience. 

Add to the equation an enhanced quattro sport diff, dynamic steering with a fixed ratio of 1:31.1 and retuned ABS software that reduces braking distance from 100km/h by two metres (when used in combination with the optional Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres that are good for road and track) and you have a handling package that is impressive by any standards. But wait, there’s more. There is also the option to go from the standard steel brakes (375mm front with six piston fixed callipers and 330mm rear with twin piston floating callipers) and upgrade to the ceramic front brakes measuring 400mm with six piston callipers and also delivering a further 6.5kg weight saving.

And speaking of weight, a further eight kilograms has been removed from the car in sound damping material, enhancing the sound of the RS Sport exhaust system plus when under load, though not intruding on the cabin ambience when driven sedately. The unique 20-inch milled alloy wheels too play their part in the weight saving, taking off an addition two kilograms per corner.

Then of course there’s the engine, which remains the same 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 powering the RS4 and RS 5, with the same 331kW power output and 600Nm of torque. But fine-tuning has resulted in a 3.9 second 0 to 100km/h time for the RS 4 Avant competition plus and 3.8 seconds for the RS 5 Sportback competition plus. That’s 0.2 and 0.1 seconds quicker than the ‘standard’ RS4 Avant and RS 5 Sportback respectively. The eight-speed tiptronic transmission has also received attention in the form of updated software in the transmission control unit which makes for even faster changes.

Top speed is 290km/h for both cars, so a track is the only place in this country you’ll be able to get close to experiencing that, and yet, driven sedately out on the road, it’s still possible to extract 9.5L/100km and 9.4L/100km from the RS 4 and RS 5 respectively.

But despite these significant enhancements, they remain supremely comfortable and accomplished tourers. There are the superbly supportive sport front seats upholstered in fine Nappa leather, complete with pneumatic side bolster adjustment and massage function – just the thing to hold you in place when you decide to test the limits of the car on a twisty road or at the track. Customers can also opt to upgrade the front seats with with RS front bucket seats in Dinamica/leather with one-piece backs in carbon to really embrace the track focus.

Then there’s the climate control front and rear, 755 watt B&O 3D sound system and ambient light package to create an environment to suit any mood and occasion.

Infotainment and in-car systems are likewise state-of-the-art, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging with the Audi phone box light, MMI navigation plus and of course Audi connect plus and the veritable online world that brings right into the car.

Natural language control is of course a standard function so you can keep your hands on the Dinamica-covered sports wheel and still control vehicle functions. The steering wheel also features multiple controls as well as aluminium shift paddles should you want to adopt a more 'hands on' approach to driving. It also houses the RS 1 and RS2 selector button where you can preprogram specific car setups and easily select them as desired.

The Audi virtual cockpit with dedicated RS screens displays all standard car information as well as specialised info like lap times, g-forces and race-style shift light for track work. While items like the head-up display and 360-degree cameras are indispensable for all styles of driving and manoeuvring in tight spots respectively.

But despite the levels of refinement and appointment, make no mistake, this is a supercar. The fact that you’re in a wagon (or a five-door in the case of the RS 5 Sportback) becomes irrelevant when you start to push the limits. The new-found ability to fine-tune suspension make it a serious ‘trackable car’ but not a ‘stripped out’ race car that has been shoehorned into road compliance.

But it’s a supercar with none of the annoying drawbacks that make them a nightmare as a daily driver. No advanced gymnastic ability required to get into and out of the car. Nor do you have to leave luggage at home on weekends away or limit yourself to one passenger at a time. Hell you can carry four other adults and all the luggage you want as well as golf clubs – in a car that is perfectly at home on a race track. Although, perhaps take all the gear and the passengers out for track days.

It’s an impressive accomplishment, taking two supremely accomplished vehicles at the top of their game and making them better. Yes, the emphasis is on performance and taking the revered RS 4 Avant name to its ultimate conclusion 25 years after it effectively became the first RS model. But that added track focus, added to the RS 4 Avant’s already exhaustive list of attributes, makes for a luxury performance vehicle that’s tough to top.

“The first Audi RS4 Avant, which we presented in 1999, was in the strict sense the first genuine RS model from quattro GmbH,” says Stephan Reil the Head of Technical Development at the Neckarsulm site since July 2020.

“Not only did it lay the foundation for everything that still characterises our vehicles today. With the 280kW V6 twin turbo unit, we also created something completely new at the time – back then, there was nothing in this vehicle segment that could match the performance of our Audi RS4 Avant.”

Now, 25 years later, the last RS 4 Avant, in competition plus guise, takes this seminal model to its obvious conclusion. Numbers are limited and with the change in the naming conventions to facilitate the move to saving the ‘even numbers’ for the brand’s all-electric models, this will be the last RS 4. This RS 5 Sportback competition plus also represents the last of a very special breed of car, given the completely redesigned A5 models recently unveiled.

Even without its limited edition appeal and the fact that this is the last RS 4 as we know it, this is a model that will certainly appeal to Australia’s very strong RS audience. As always, this RS 4 Avant competition plus fulfils the original RS 4’s brief of being a car that can comfortably be driven every day. But to really appreciate the depth and engineering, not to mention soul of this car, you just need to find the right twisting road, or better still, a race track.