Audi has decided to celebrate the 25 years of the RS 4 with a special edition, Audi RS 4 Avant edition 25th, to highlight the performance flagship of the A4 range.
In the 90s, Audi set the idea of the sporty wagon with the Audi Avant RS2 and the Audi S6 plus. However, the first RS model from quattro GmbH (now Audi Sport GmbH) was the RS4 Avant from the 1999 B5 generation. Compared to the Audi S4, it came with widened bodywork and a 2.7-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder engine developed in collaboration with Cosworth, which at the time had an impressive power of 380 hp. The sportiest version of the first RS 4 generation hit the market in 2001 with the RS4 Sport. Its features included an even lower suspension, more supportive seats, a sporty exhaust, and a suede steering wheel.
Thus, the RS 4 Avant edition 25th anniversary echoes the memorable design of this model and is itself the sportiest version of the current B9 series. The engine of this anniversary version is a V6 twin-turbo that offers 470 hp of power and a maximum torque of 600 Nm, an increase of 20 hp.
The sportiest version of the A4 range accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, which is 0.4 seconds faster than the regular Audi RS 4 Avant and reaches a top speed of 300 km/h. The anniversary model comes equipped with a standard RS ceramic braking system. The RS plus sports exhaust with black matte tips are also standard.
The Audi RS 4 Avant edition 25º comes standard with the RS pro sports suspension, a manually adjustable coilover suspension that ensures a balance between dynamics and comfort. This feature gives the anniversary model a 10-millimeter reduction in ground clearance compared to the RS 4 Avant.
Additionally, customers can manually lower the height by another 10 millimeters, resulting in a maximum of 20 millimeters lower than the standard model.
The anniversary model comes equipped with the sporty quattro differential, which ensures greater agility and sends more power to the rear axle to increase driving pleasure, especially in “dynamic” driving mode. The updated transmission software allows for faster gear shifts and a noticeably greater distinction between the various driving modes.Another of the novelties for the Audi RS 4 Avant edition 25th, is the increased negative camber of the front axle to two degrees and stiffer control arms were installed, resulting in superior grip and better handling for higher cornering speeds. A fixed subframe on the rear axle provides more precise suspension feedback for better performance. This fact is further reinforced by the improved Torsen differential.
To put all this power on the road, the RS 4 Avant edition 25* comes standard with high-performance Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires, designed for both road and track. The tires are mounted on 20” machined Palladium matte alloy wheels. The forged wheels, known from the RS 4 Avant equipped with the competition package, are optimized in terms of weight and visually enhanced. Additionally, they have a modified offset from ET 22 to ET 18 to emphasize the sporty character.
To transfer all the power to the road, Audi equipped this anniversary model with a kit consisting of a second set of wheels, Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS semi-slick tires, and the Pirelli Track Adrenaline system. The tires are specifically designed for the track and are mounted on exclusive 20” matte black alloy wheels.
In addition to the semi-slick Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires and the Pirelli Track Adrenaline System, customers also receive a pair of gloves for track use. Manufactured by Alpinestars, they were specially designed for the special edition and, like it, feature yellow details. In homage to the color scheme of the RS 4 Sport, the model of this special edition also uses Imola yellow, although the exterior colors Nardo gray and Mythos black are also available.Several unique design elements make the commemorative edition truly special. For example, the side window trims are in glossy black and, for the first time, the RS 4 features a black inlay on the rear lights. The Audi rings and letters are also in glossy black, and the Matrix LED headlights feature specific darkened frames from the RS family. The roof bars have been removed to give the vehicle a flatter and more sporty silhouette.
The standard equipment includes smoked glass with sun protection for the rear gate and side windows. A unique highlight: the inscription “RS 4 edition 25 years” is engraved on the glass between the C and D pillars. The Carbon matte appearance package was designed exclusively for this edition, including front blades, side flaps and sill extensions, as well as the diffuser clip and mirror housings in matte Carbon.
The interior, with yellow decorative stitching, recalls the black and yellow Alcantara leather combination of the 2001 RS4 Sport. For the first time, the floor mats have an RS 4 logo, and the traditional red diamond from Audi Sport and black RS letters are now also yellow.
The steering wheel rim, leather armrests on the doors, the central console in black Alcantara, and the gear lever area feature stitching in the same color. The RS sport seats with honeycomb stitching and the carbon backrest present an impressive combination of black leather/Dinamica with contrasting yellow stitching. Directly below the headrest is the RS 4 inscription in the same color. The logos on the door sills and the LED projection ‘RS’ on the floor are in white.
Produced in collaboration with Audi exclusive, the RS 4 Avant edition 25th comes off the production line in Ingolstadt alongside its “siblings” A4, S4, and RS 4, and the German brand has already announced that it will only produce 250 units for Europe of this anniversary edition.
