331kW & 430nm N/A V8 | DUAL CLUTCH | SPORT DIFF | PANO ROOF | CARBON TRIM | SPORT “WINGBACK” SEATS | B&O AUDIO | STOCK w. RES DELETE | ANNUAL SERVICE HISTORY | WAGON KING!
I think every enthusiast secretly loves a fast wagon. Deep down we believe that it’s just a little easier to get away with being… adventurous. BMW, Porsche, Mercedes and Audi all have their own take on the body style but we think…
331kW & 430nm N/A V8 | DUAL CLUTCH | SPORT DIFF | PANO ROOF | CARBON TRIM | SPORT “WINGBACK” SEATS | B&O AUDIO | STOCK w. RES DELETE | ANNUAL SERVICE HISTORY | WAGON KING!
I think every enthusiast secretly loves a fast wagon. Deep down we believe that it’s just a little easier to get away with being… adventurous. BMW, Porsche, Mercedes and Audi all have their own take on the body style but we think that Audi is the King of the Long-Roof. They did it first with the RS2. Then the B5 RS4…And again with the B7 RS4. And then with this absolute weapon – the B8 RS4 Avant … a naturally aspirated 4.2 litre V8, quattro all-wheel drive, 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, wide-body Avant that balances flexible practicality with an exhaust note that feels simultaneously dangerous, special and rapidly becoming extinct in a world full of muffled turbocharged appliances.
Our Avant was built in 11/2012 and released locally as a 2013 MY13 RS4 Avant, this Australian-delivered example presents as one of the last great high-revving V8 performance wagons. New, these carried a manufacturer RRP of $149,400 which placed it squarely in the ring with the BMW M3 and C63. Luckily, the RS4 had a steel jaw and wasn’t bad at throwing a punch itself.
Against the heroes of its era, the RS4 Avant makes a very strong case for itself. The W204 C63 AMG brought more torque and muscle-car drama, while the E92 M3 delivered sharper rear-drive precision, but the RS4 blended naturally aspirated V8 performance with quattro traction, dual-clutch speed and real wagon practicality. It is the one you can use every day, in every season, without giving up the noise, response and occasion that made this era of performance cars so special. The real knock out blow from our perspective is the Sport Differential that this car is fitted with – allowing an overdrive of power to the outside wheel mid corner, initiating a small slide and tucking the nose into the apex. But others will likely appreciate the more modern features and creature comforts – if you hold an Audi interior up against the BMW & Mercedes offerings in 2013 there is no competition. Not on paper, nor in real life usability. Audi is the champ.
The 4.2 FSI V8 produces 331kW and 430Nm, revs to over 8,000rpm and sends power to all four wheels through Audi’s 7-speed S tronic transmission, quattro all-wheel drive and sports differential. Audi quoted 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds, which remains genuinely quick today, especially in a five-door wagon with room for passengers, luggage and everyday life.
Specification in this exact car is strong – with Audi Drive Select (Dynamic/Comfort/Eco Modes), sports suspension, a sports exhaust system, that magical sport differential and 20-inch titanium-look rotor wheels (since powder coated black) giving the car the hardware to match its RS badge. It also features Bang & Olufsen audio, MMI Navigation Plus, Bluetooth (Music & Calls), a rear-view camera with Parking Aid Plus and three-zone climate control, making it a properly usable daily rather than just a weekend noise machine. Even the non-enthusiast will request the Audi if given the choice!
Inside, the RS4 feels every bit the special model, with Fine Nappa leather, S sports front seats, carbon interior trim, a flat-bottom leather multifunction steering wheel with shift paddles, driver memory and power-adjustable front seats. The cabin is purposeful without being silly, which is exactly what you want from a car that can behave like a practical “dad-van” one minute and a V8 road going race car the next.
It is also fitted with a panoramic glass sunroof, Comfort Key, power tailgate, matte aluminium roof rails (powder coated black to match the wheels) matte aluminium mirror housings, Xenon Plus headlights with dynamic cornering lights, rear side airbags, tyre pressure monitoring. In other words, it has the theatre, but it still knows how to do the school run in the wet with a driver who can’t explain the wheel alignment specs to an onlooker.
What makes the B8 RS4 so appealing is the combination of old-school and modern. You get a proper naturally aspirated V8, huge revs, a fantastic exhaust note and a drivetrain that still feels special, but you also get an everyday-friendly wagon body, a dual-clutch gearbox, high-end audio, navigation, parking assistance, climate control and proper long-distance comfort.
Period reviewers understood the appeal straight away. Carsales praised the RS4 Avant for its prodigious performance, immense stopping power and colossal cornering grip. CarsGuide highlighted the 331kW/430Nm V8, 7-speed S tronic transmission and 4.7 second 0-100km/h performance. CarShowroom also praised the RS4’s high-performance interior, S sports steering wheel, carbon inlays and driver-focused cabin.
The result is a car that still feels deeply desirable today. Not because it is the newest or most digital thing on the road, but because it has the ingredients enthusiasts keep asking for and manufacturers keep taking away: natural aspiration, revs, noise, quattro traction and proper RS wagon presence.
This car has as close to a perfect service record as we have seen for a car of this vintage. In summary, it has had a total of 13 documented services from new, with an Average service interval of approximately 10,600 km, 61.5% of all recorded services completed by Audi dealerships, with the remaining services completed by respected Audi specialists including TGM Automotive, Zodtec Performance and Eurotech Automotive. Most recent major service completed at 137,286 km in May 2026. New tyres fitted at the most recent service and the next service due May 2027 or 152,286 km, whichever occurs first. See the digitised service history in the images for more information.
This generation also marks the end of an era: the B8 RS4 Avant was the final Audi RS4 wagon powered by a naturally aspirated V8 before the B9 generation moved to twin-turbo V6 power. The newer car may be more modern, but this is the one with the engine people will keep talking about – and the one that keeps you getting hard on that noise pedal!
This RS4 Avant is the sort of car that can do it all and teach you something along the way. Whether your use case is the wet-weather commute, the school drop-off, the winery lunch or the empty-road detour home – this wagon can and will do it all. And it carries itself with that quiet RS confidence. It is not pretending to be a supercar. It is arguably something better: a fast, usable, beautifully specified Audi wagon with a V8 heart and the attitude of something that could take out a podium. It’s certainly won first place in our hearts. And we’re certain it will take up the first box in your driveway.
DONT. DRIVE. BORING.
LMVT 6212.