Audi has marked 25 years since the launch of the famed original RS4 with the model name’s most powerful variant yet and a new flagship for the current generation.
Limited to just 250 examples, with just 50 coming to the UK, the Audi RS4 Avant Edition 25 Years is priced from £115,800. It gains 20bhp over the standard RS4, with the same 2.9-litre V6 twin-turbocharged engine boosted to 464bhp. Torque stays at 443lb ft.
Although this increase in power still leaves it short of the 502bhp BMW M3 Touring, it can now, coupled with improved gear mapping for the eight-speed auto 'box, sprint to 62mph in 3.7sec, a 0.4sec improvement and just 0.2sec off its BMW rival. Top speed rises to 186mph.
Along with that extra muscle, Audi engineers have tweaked the RS4 to improve it on track. As well as fitting the normally optioned Quattro Sport Differential, they have increased the negative camber on the front axle by 2deg and installed stiffer control arms to improve grip and handling in fast corners.
A firmly fixed subframe on the rear axle has also been fitted for more precise suspension feedback. Stopping power comes from standard RS ceramic brakes.
The special edition also uses the commonly optioned RS Sport Suspension Pro, which lowers the car by as much as 20mm.
Although visually identical to the standard RS4 Avant, the anniversary edition’s key standout is the Imola Yellow paint (a £3300 option), made famous by the original RS4. Buyers can also specify optional Nardo Grey and Mythos Black paint.
Audi has removed the Avant’s roof rails for a flatter, sportier silhouette and added a matt black sports exhaust and gloss black details to the side windows and badging.
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The original looks so much better