Audi RS 4 Avant Competition Plus, circuit test

When they tell you that you are going to do a circuit test, your pulse shoots up and your adrenaline goes up. If, furthermore, it is on a great circuit like Ascari in Malaga, what am I going to tell you… And if the protagonist of the test is an Audi RS 4 Avant Competition Plus, it becomes one of those round days left for the memory. Pay attention, I’ll tell you all the details.

But before going ahead with the test of this new RS 4 in Competiton Plus version, I must say that during the same event I also had the opportunity to drive the Audi RS 5, both with Coupé and Sportback bodies, which are almost identical models by engine. , power and configuration.

As you know very well, the Audi RS 4 Avant is the sportiest and most radical model of the Audi A4 Avant 2020. And this new Competition Plus version is the most of the most within this model. It presents novelties in design and, above all, in the configuration of the chassis. I’ll tell you.

Video: this has been the circuit test of the Audi RS 4 Avant

Design: this is the RS Avant outside and inside

On the outside the changes are not radical, but the success lies in the subtlety. If you look closely you will notice that in this Competition Plus variant it incorporates the black color package, with the grille and the rings of the Audi logo in black.

The Competition Plus editions also add an exclusive matte carbon fiber finish to the exterior rear view mirror caps, front and side wings, as well as the sill skirts and rear diffuser trim.

Other specific details of this model are the tinted windows, the matt black RS Plus sports exhaust, the standard Matrix LED lights and the specific 20″ wheels, as well as red brake calipers (optionally ceramic discs can be mounted , which have gray calipers) with Pirelli PZero Corsa tires (optional).

When I go inside, the mirror light beam typical of this version greets me as if making me realize that I am going to go to a different cabin. And what do you want me to tell you, it’s not different, it’s not different, but there are new features: like the new Audi Sport “runaway” visualization of the Virtual Cockpit, which looks like that of the “Fantastic Car”.

In addition, it mounts the optional upholstery in Dinamica/Napa, made up of 45% recycled plastic fibers from the sea. It has red stitching throughout the cabin: steering wheel, console, doors, gear… even on the starter button, which belong to the RS Competition Package.

Also characteristic of this version are piano black seat side inserts and embroidered RS logos on the seat backs.

Regarding the equipment, it should be noted that in Spain, unlike other markets, these Competition Plus versions are equipped with: Bang & Olufsen sound system, Plus tire pressure control system (gives the pressure of each tire separately ), signal recognition device and the aforementioned Audi Sport “runaway” display mode.

Engine and performance of the RS 4 Avant

In this section there is no movement with respect to the normal RS 4 Avant. It mounts a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 that offers 450 hp and a torque of 600 Nm between 1,900 and 5,000 rpm, which is linked to an 8-speed Tiptronic gearbox.

In the transmission, yes, there are news, because the change times have been adjusted through a specific configuration of the control unit.

I have not had a normal RS 4 to check the difference, but the speed with which it engages the gears does not leave room for much improvement and the thrust of this engine is beyond doubt. When you sink the right pedal you stick to the seat as if you were in a rocket.

And it is not my impression, but the benefits confirm it. Yes, it is a family car, but it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, which is an improvement of 0.2 seconds compared to the production model. And the top speed has been increased as standard on the RS 4 Competiton Plus to 290 km/h.

In the case of the Audi RS 5 Coupé and the RS 5 Sportback they complete the sprint in 3.8 seconds, achieving an improvement of 0.1 seconds.

By the way, the exhaust insulation between the engine and the cabin has been removed so that the sound reaches your ears more clearly. And it shows, well, it shows…

The average consumption according to the WLTP protocol, although it is not the most remarkable data when we talk about sports cars, is 9.8 l/100 km.

Circuit test of the RS 4 Avant Competiton Plus

For this test, of all the driving modes that the car has, Audi asked me to set it to RS Dynamic and to forget about the RS Mode 1 and RS Mode 2 positions, because it started to rain and they didn’t want me to Crumple your new jewel.

Don’t think I cared, because the asphalt was quite wet and I didn’t want to be scared either by a car going through some fast corners at over 190 km/h.

It’s on laps of the circuit that I’ve noticed the changes the most, because everything within my reach: sports steering, accelerator, brakes, gearbox has been fine-tuned and improved to offer a more radical driving experience.

And the best thing of all, from my point of view, is that it is not a violent car or difficult to drive, but rather you become ae’l right away and it makes you go faster than you would go with others.

The sporty quattro differential is largely to blame, because it ensures better dynamics, especially in Dynamic mode. Under normal conditions the split is 40/60, but you can send up to 80% (not 85%, as I say in the video) back.

But the RS Sport Pro sports suspension is for me the key to this Audi RS 4 Avant Competition Plus. It not only lowers the height of the body by 10mm compared to the normal RS 4, but it can be adjusted manually (it comes with a specific tool kit to do so), like in competition cars, which would allow an additional 10mm to be lowered .

The adjustment possibilities that it allows are almost limitless, because on the front axle you can combine 21 different positions for the rebound, 12 to regulate the hardness of the compression at low speed and another 15 at high speed. And on the rear axle you can also adjust the rebound. In addition, it incorporates a sports stabilizer bar.

Setting this up unknowingly sounds complex and it is. That is why Audi offers some proposals in which they specify how many clicks you must apply for rebound and compression both for daily use and if you are going to enter a circuit.

And to make sure everything stays under control, they have installed new software for the ABS system and, additionally, optional RS ceramic brakes can be fitted, which allow the braking distance to be reduced from 100 km/h to two meters.

Price and rivals of the RS 4 Competiton Plus

Worth? Without a doubt, but only if you are going to exploit it, even if it is occasionally on track days on the circuit.

This new Competition Plus version of the RS 4 Avant is now available at dealerships and its price is 125,560 euros. In the case of the RS 5 Coupé and Sportback the rate is 129,630 euros.

Its direct rivals, of course, are the BMW M3 Touring and the Mercedes-AMG C 63 Estate (it has not yet been put up for sale). Both are more powerful, although neither allows for as advanced a level of chassis customization.

Factors to decide the purchase

As you may have seen, I give this RS 4 Avant Competition Plus an 8 as a final grade. Why not more if I loved it? Because it is not cheap and because only a few will know how to understand the extra price (20,000 euros extra) that this exclusive version of the standard model entails. If you are one of those, go ahead!