Forget anything Jeremy Clarkson and the Top Gear crew ferried to Africa. If there's a list of the coolest station wagons of all time—the Audi S6 Avant deserves a spot. It's the only wagon from the early 2000s you'd inherit from your parents and still get an invite into the cool kids club—regardless of how did you look when you were in high school.
The 2003 Audi S6 Avant is unlike any station wagon of its time. It was a complete makeover, more like Audi trying to clean the tarnished image of the world's most popular and loved family vehicle—the station wagon.
The 2003 S6 Avant danced a different from anything in its segment at the time. It wore an "S" on the chest like Superman but meant "Sport," referencing its athleticism when bolting off the mark.
If you are new to Audi, 'S' means there's more than meets the eye under the hood, a stiffer suspension, and a better grip around corners.
The 2003 Audi S6 Avant is close to 20-years today, but the folks over at TopSpeedGermany felt it was a worthy idea to take it for a cruise on the German Autobahn.
Under the hood, the 2003 Audi S6 Avant came with a 4.2-liter V8 mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission making 340 hp (347 PS) at 7,000 RPM and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque at 3,400 RPM. It could do 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in 5.7-seconds and finish a quarter-mile in 14-seconds.
Let's face it. Zero to 60 mph (0-97 kph) in 5.3-seconds is snail-paced action compared to the 2021 Audi RS6 Avant's bizarre 3.5-seconds time. And as you'd expect, the 2003 Audi S6 Avant only managed a top speed of 149 mph (240 km/h).
It is noticeable that the motor isn't in its best shape, but we still have to cut it some slack, considering it served close to two decades of service. Moreover, the car started to vibrate at 220 kph (137 mph). That said, it would be interesting to see it sprint side by side with a tuned turbo 1.8T Quattro.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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