It's been a quarter of a century since the first Audi RS 4 Avant made its debut, and to mark this anniversary, Audi has revealed a special version of the current car: the RS 4 Avant edition 25 years. It’s expected to be the final iteration of this generation.
Limited run
There's more to the RS 4 Avant edition 25 years than its head-turning yellow paintwork, although that will be the main talking point on first impressions. It's painted that colour as a tribute to the ‘Imola Yellow’ shade that was offered on the original RS 4 Avant launched in 1999, although the 25 years edition can also be had in Nardo Gray or Mythos Black if you'd rather not draw attention.
The yellow paint is joined by a carbon-matte package for the door mirror housings and bumper trim, while the Audi rings on the boot lid and the window trims are in gloss black. The 25 years also does without the standard car's roof rails for a more streamlined look. There are tinted rear windows and special 'RS 4 edition 25 years' engraving on the rearmost side windows, too.
Inside, there's yellow stitching for the leather trim, plus RS 4-branded floor mats for the first time, and extra yellow detailing on the dashboard. The Virtual Cockpit driver's display can be set to show white dials with black lettering, in homage to the first of Audi's fast estates, the RS2 Avant, while matte lettering on the centre console will carry the individual number of each 25 years model.
Engine upgrades
As well as coming with a unique look, the RS 4 edition 25 years features enhancements to its engine and running gear. The 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6 is carried over from the standard RS 4 Avant, but changes to the engine have extracted an additional 20hp for a maximum of 470hp, although peak torque remains unchanged at 600Nm.
That allows 0-100km/h to be completed in 3.7 seconds, while the car's top speed is still electronically limited to 300km/h. Carbon ceramic brakes are fitted as standard, as is an RS sports exhaust system, which is designed to deliver a distinctive soundtrack.
Adjustable suspension
As well as making the RS 4 fast in a straight line, Audi Sport's engineers have focused on making the edition 25 years entertaining in corners. The ride height has been lowered by 10mm over the standard RS 4, while ‘RS sport suspension pro’ has been added, which is a manually adjustable coilover system that allows owners to reduce the ride height by an additional 10mm. The car will come with a full set of tools to allow owners to adjust the suspension as they see fit.
Audi has added the quattro sport differential, a system that delivers a more rearward bias than standard, while reprogrammed gearbox software makes for quicker shift times. The RS 4's suspension geometry has been tweaked, too, with an extra two degrees of negative camber on the front wheels and stiffer control arms, while at the back is an enhanced Torsen differential and more rigid subframe.
Finally, the RS 4 Avant edition 25 years is fitted with Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres on 20-inch forged alloy wheels that are carried over from the RS 4 Avant competition. Customers will also get a second set of matt black alloys wheels fitted with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS semi-slick tyres for circuit use.
The Audi RS 4 Avant edition 25 years is available to order from June and just 250 will be available in Europe. Audi has also announced the introduction of the RS 5 Sportback performance edition. It has the same 470hp engine upgrade and coilover suspension set-up as the RS 4.