Audi on a roll: Official says carmaker will be more aggressive with high-performance models

By Marcus Amick April 23, 2013

Audi is making no bones about its desire to speed up the rollout of its high-performance RS models as evidenced by the recent launch of the RS 5 Cabriolet.

Luca de Meo, Member of the Board of Management, Marketing and Sales, for AUDI AG, told Reuters that Audi plans to introduce a record number of four RS models in 2013, which in addition to the RS 5 Cabriolet, includes the Audi RS 5 coupe, Audi RS 7 and the highly anticipated RS 6 Avant.

“There is very much potential around the world for sporty and dynamic cars,” de Meo told the news service in an interview at Auto Shanghai.

When Audi last had peaked, in 1985, it sold a total of only four models. By next year, the brand plans to have a total of 24 models and 63 variants in its lineup around the world, according to an official company press release.

The new all-wheel-drive 2103 Audi RS 5 Cabriolet is equipped with a 450-horsepower 4.2-liter V8 with 317 lb-ft. of torque. It has a 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds and a starting price around 60,713 euros or $79,000.

The RS 6 Avant, which Audi currently has no plans of selling in the US, is equipped with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-Liter V8 that cranks out 560 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Reuters projects the high-performance sports wagon will carry a sticker price of around 107,900 euros or $140,000 US in case you decide to venture to Europe to pick one up.

In addition to the RS line, Audi is also working aggressively to expand its portfolio at the highest end of each product line, which includes the launch of a handful of new “S” models in the U.S. this year.

Nice, but who’d like to see Audi bring the new RS 6 Avant to the US?

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Marcus Amick has been writing about the world of cars for more than ten years and has covered everything from new automobiles…

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