2004 Audi RS6 Credit: Audi
Many manufacturers have an in-house performance department - sometimes referred to as a "skunk works," in reference to the legendary advanced development division at Lockheed Aerospace, which designed and built the first high-speed fighter airplanes.
BMW has its M-Power division, Mercedes its relationship with AMG, Dodge its Performance Vehicles Operations, Ford the Special Vehicles Team, and so on.
In 2004, Audi's speed shop unleashed a street-legal pavement-scorcher in the form of the RS6, which was essentially the A6 sedan/wagon with a performance boost.
And what a boost it was. Audi dropped in a Cosworth-tuned 4.2-litre V-8 engine with twin turbochargers that put out 450 horsepower at 5,700 rpm. This engine was also found in the S4, but without the twin turbos.
It was mated to a five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission with a manual shift feature and Audi's Quattro full-time all-wheel-drive system. The result was one of the most well-behaved but lethal high-performance drivetrains ever put on the market.
Where many specially tuned powerplants belt out eyeball-flattening, back-straightening power that comes on like a punch in the solar plexus, the RS6 was smooth, linear, and refined. And it took you from 0 to 100 km/h in less than five seconds.
In addition to the AWD Quattro system, the RS6 featured sport-tuned suspension, with Audi's active suspension, known as Dynamic Ride Control, an electronic stabilization system and a brake assist system. In a nutshell, these three features monitored the car's progress and adjusted the suspension settings, brake pressure, and traction according to driving conditions. Absolutely huge Brembo disc brakes fore and aft also provided race-calibre stopping power.
The RS6 was, and is, a very sophisticated automobile and, if you happened to be a gearhead, its technical details could keep you occupied for hours at a time.
Lots of creature comforts here as well: Leather interior was standard, as were power up/down windows, wood or carbon fibre trim, heated seats front and back, power sunroof, 200-watt Bose stereo system, and all the usual accoutrements that came with a $100,000-plus automobile.
Audi also offered several packages that included things like power rear window shade, a DVD-based navigation system with voice recognition and a solar-powered sunroof that provided ventilation while the car was parked.
This last system was most welcome; when you got into the car after it had been parked in the sun all day, the ventilation system was already operating, with fresh air coming through the flow-through vents. It didn't air condition the interior, per se, but it did cool things down a little.
The RS6 also featured steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles that allowed you to change gears up or down, sequentially - like a motorcycle. Audi used this feature on some of its other models, such as the TT and S4.
Visually, the RS6 distinguished itself with special badging front and back, a slick-looking roof-mounted radio antenna that controlled the GPS and OnStar telematics systems, oversize wheels and tires, and ominous-looking chrome exhaust tips.
Not to mention the noise. Think of a NASCAR stock car with mufflers - subtle but unmistakably powerful. The RS6 could get you into trouble with the law before you could say "Quattro."
None of this came cheap; the RS6 started at well over $100,000 and with extras like the Warm Weather Package, navigation system, rear side airbags, glitzy exhaust system and a few other odds and ends, you were up to and over $115,000, before taxes.
This was, and is, a lot of money, but the RS6 was a unique automobile that came with built-in exclusivity and the ability to please performance buffs and luxury-craving sybarites alike.
If you could find one, that is. In total, Audi shipped no more than 1,000 of these limited-edition speedsters to North America, and only selected dealers had them in their showrooms.
Transport Canada has one safety recall to report for the 2004 RS6 and it applies to all A6 models of the same vintage. Apparently, there is a slight chance that tall drivers could press their knees against the wiring harness, which could possibly short out and cause a dashboard fire. It's easily rectified, however, with dealers installing a protective cover around the wiring.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also has this one, as well as a warning about a possibly leaky fuel tank, and wonky halogen headlights.
NHTSA has 39 technical service bulletins on file for the A6 of this year, most of which are electrical issues. There is also an alert about a possible oil leak in and around the turbochargers, leaky coolant reservoirs, questionable fuel injectors, "fluctuating" throttle response and various lighting issues.
Consumer Reports gives the 2004 A6 - all models - an "average" used-car prediction rating, but singles out the drivetrain and electrical system as potential trouble spots.
Because it's a comparatively rare automobile, market research company J.D. Power doesn't have a lot of information on the RS6. The 2004 A6, however, gets an above-average ranking for vehicle dependability and overall performance and design.
These days, expect to pay anywhere from $30,000 to $40,000 for an RS6. Potential buyers should also bear in mind that the RS6 was, and is, a flat-out performance automobile and will probably have been run hard by previous owners.
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2004 AUDI RS6
Type: Five-passenger sports sedan/wagon
Original Base Price: $109,000; Black Book Value: $43,800; Red Book Value: $30,750
Engine: Turbocharged 4.2-litre V-8
Horsepower/Torque: 450 hp/415 lb-ft
Transmission: Five-speed Tiptronic automatic
Drive: All-wheel-drive
Fuel Economy (litres/100 km): 13.7 city/8.9 highway; premium gas
Alternatives: BMW M3, Mercedes C32 AMG, Infiniti M45, Lexus LS430