Tuner MTM debuts 722 hp Audi RS6 Avant

It seems a minor horsepower war has just erupted over in Germany, and the title at stake in this conflict is which tuning house can build the most powerful Audi RS6 Avant. Not that long ago ABT Sportsline unveiled a 700 hp Audi RS6 Avant, an absolutely rabid grocery-getter that can make the sprint to 60 in just 3.4 seconds. ABT's RS6 Avant packs 25 percent more power than the stock version of the RS6 Avant, which made an already hair-raising 560 hp. And ABT's tuned 4.0-liter TFSI also displaces 649 lb-ft of torque, which gives their RS6 Avant a top speed of 198 mph.

Many would say that's plenty of power for what's meant to be a sporty station wagon, but German tuning house MTM, which, like ABT Sportsline, specializes in Volkswagen Automotive Group vehicles, clearly felt that wasn't enough.

MTM started with the same 560 hp Audi RS6 Avant powered by the same bi-turbo 4.0-liter TFSI engine, a model no longer available on our shores we have to point out. The previous version of the Audi RS6 used a V10 engine shared with the Lamborghini Gallardo and the Audi S8, you may recall, but Audi went to a 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 this time around. In building their version of the RS6, MTM reprogrammed the engine control unit, and installed a stainless steel exhaust system of their own design. The result is a wagon that produces 722 hp and 652 lb-ft of torque. MTM also fitted 20-inch Bimoto wheels shod with 285/35 ZR 20 Michelin Pilot Supersport tires, and installed a Brembo monobloc six-piston braking system. If there is one department where MTM goes a little light it's the exterior, as aside from the larger wheels the RS6 Avant appears pretty close to stock. A remarkable achievement for something that's quicker and larger than most supercars we know.

MTM
Aside from the wheels (and the badging) there is very little clue on the outside as to what's under the hood.

MTM calls this setup the C7 power pack (no relation to the Corvette), and in this configuration the RS6 Avant is capable of reaching 211 mph, getting to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds. Those aren't hypothetical figures, as MTM has tested the RS6 Avant equipped with the C7 power pack at Nardo. In Europe the cost of the C7 power pack translates into $18,492, which is a of a bargain compared with the cost of the car itself: $145,103 U.S. dollars. Unfortunately, since the stock RS6 is not available on our shores, that precludes the possibility of receiving a tuned RS6 in this configuration from MTM. Their tuning components are available a la carte as well.

By Jay Ramey