Fans of Audi performance and station wagons in America would love to have an RS4 Avant in the garage, but alas, the speedy estate isn’t sold here. And according to Audi, there are no plans to change that, full stop.
That’s what a senior manager of Audi’s communications team told Motor1.com in an email about the RS4. A recent report from Motor Trend claimed otherwise, stating an Audi employee said it was coming to America during a media drive last year. The report claims a second unnamed source in Audi confirmed it, but official comments from Audi say otherwise.
Motor Trend received official word from the company that there were no plans at this time for the RS4 in the US, potentially leaving the door open to interpretation. However, Audi’s official comment to us was abundantly clear: “There are no plans to bring the RS4 Avant to the US market.” Bummer.
That’s not necessarily the end of the story, however. A next-generation A4 is currently being tested, as evidenced by the numerous spy photos we’ve seen in recent months. However, the images show only wagon versions of the A4 and S4. Rumors are swirling that Audi could drop the A4 sedan completely, leaving just the long roof models. In the US market, Audi sells the A4 in sedan and burly Allroad wagon so if the company plans to keep an A4 in this market, it could well be wagon only with the Allroad and Avant. Though both are still far from a 444-horsepower RS4 Avant.
For the immediate future, the larger RS6 will be the only fire-breathing wagon for Audi buyers in North America. With a starting price of $121,900, it’s not exactly a vehicle for the masses. But that hefty sum gets you a boosted V8 estate punching out 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Going to the ground through an eight-speed gearbox, it grips with all-wheel drive and can hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. That’s more than enough g force to make the kids nauseous before dropping them off at school.
Audi will debut its sixth-generation A4 later this year. At that point, we should find out what the A4’s future is in North America.
