Audi Wasted No Time Shutting Down RS4 Avant Rumors
Enthusiasts and auto journalists are a predictable lot. Show us a high-performance wagon, preferably in brown, and we drift off into a warm haze of sideways-skidding family-hauling daydreams. Europeans have long gotten the cream of the crop when it comes to hot wagons, but Americans have gotten a few over the years, including the current Audi RS6 Avant. A couple of days ago, Motortrend got everyone’s hopes up with a report that Audi would bring the smaller RS4 Avant to America, but the automaker wasted very little time in shutting the rumor down – hard.
In an email to Motor1, Audi’s senior communications manager left no uncertainty in their response, saying, “there are no plans to bring the RS4 Avant to the U.S. market.”
While disappointing, that’s not a surprising development, as Audi has been public with its long-standing plan to completely electrify itself by 2033. The time, effort, and money it would take to bring the wagon here would likely not be worth it when the automaker is focused on building its EV fleet and could even be planning production in the United States.
As Motor1 points out, Audi is expected to roll out a new A4 later this year, and signs have pointed to it moving to a wagon-only body style for the popular car. We currently get an A4 Allroad, so another wagon option wouldn’t be unheard of. Even so, neither is near the ferocity of the RS4, though an S4 Avant could be a nice consolation prize.
[Image: Audi]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
More by Chris Teague
Comments
Join the conversation
Besides, all the loudest whiners would wait until the cars came off lease, and buy them used. Let some other fool take the depreciation.
I love how such sport wagons look in general. My favorites are 2009 Saab 9-5 Griffin with the 2.3T and manual. it scoots at highway speeds. And the 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX with frog eyes. I know I'm truly in the minority.
"Shooting Brake"
What we really want, at least I do, is a A3 Avant. Any variant would be good, a manual and I promise I'll be at the dealer.