Currently reading: Audi updates RS4 Avant with more aggressive styling for 2020
Hot estate receives RS6-aping design flourishes and new touchscreen infotainment system

Audi has given its RS4 Avant performance estate a facelift, including a reshaped grille and flared wheel arches, just two years after the current generation was launched.

The mild redesign follows on from the recent refresh of the standard Audi A4 and is limited mostly to a revised front end design and enhanced interior technology. 

The RS4’s front grille, bumper and lower splitter have been overhauled to further distance the performance variant from the standard model and bring it into line with the new RS6 Avant, which sports a notably more aggressive stance than the outgoing RS4. 

The gloss black honeycomb grille featured across Audi Sport’s range of top-rung RS models has been designed without a frame to sit flush with the bumper. The model’s LED headlights have also been reshaped and can now be specified with darkened bezels.

As is tradition with Audi’s sportier models, the wheel arches are substantially flared to accommodate wider wheels and tyres, the RS4 measuring a full 30mm wider overall than the standard A4 at the front and rear. 

Inside, the facelifted model receives a new 10.1in infotainment touchscreen, equipped with Audi’s new MMI acoustic response technology, in place of the outgoing car’s rotary controller.

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A new digital instrument panel can display drive system component temperatures, g-forces, tyre pressures, power output, lap times and acceleration measurements. It also features a shift light display to assist the driver with gearchange timings. 

There are no changes to the RS4’s turbocharged 2.9-litre V6, which still produces 444bhp and 443lb ft – enough to give the car a 0-62mph time of 4.1sec and top speed of up to 174mph. 

The new RS4 Avant will make its public debut at this weekend’s DTM season finale at the Hockenheimring, ahead of sales beginning later this month. 

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Rapid, sure-footed, practical, comfortable, classy: can the new RS4 Avant really be all these things?

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UK pricing is yet to be confirmed, but a European starting price of €81,400 suggests we’re likely to see a slight increase over the current model’s £67,585 price tag. 

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Audi RS4 Avant review​

2020 Audi RS6 Avant performance estate shown in Frankfurt​

Felix Page

Felix Page
Title: News and features editor

Felix is Autocar's news editor, responsible for leading the brand's agenda-shaping coverage across all facets of the global automotive industry - both in print and online.

He has interviewed the most powerful and widely respected people in motoring, covered the reveals and launches of today's most important cars, and broken some of the biggest automotive stories of the last few years. 

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gavsmit 2 October 2019

Just wondering

Just wondering when someone with political influence is going to question whether aggressive styling on cars encourages aggressive / dangerous / selfish driving?

With so many people in the country at the moment getting downright nasty with others over differing opinions, throwing around insults without actually trying to see that person's point of view and why they might actually have a point, I'm wondering how long it will be before we're all forced to drive around in faceless self-driven electric boxes in order to calm everyone down?

Cheltenhamshire 2 October 2019

Slight increase in price?

At €81k starting price it will be more than a slight increase over £68k thanks to the brexidiots ruining the £.

 

Crash Gordon 2 October 2019

Cheltenhamshire wrote:

Cheltenhamshire wrote:

At €81k starting price it will be more than a slight increase over £68k thanks to the brexidiots ruining the £.

 

Cock

Daniel Joseph 2 October 2019

Nice mash-up

Interestingly, the RS4 retains the pre-facelift A4's continuous high-level bodyside crease (incorporating the bonnet to wing shut-line) albeit merged into the new wider wings, and the sharper profile lower bodyside indent.  It also doesn't get the facelift A4's half-hearted crease line through the door handles.  Consequently, it's rather better looking than other facelifted A4 models, which are a wholesale disimprovement over the original, IMHO.