Top Gear (2002 TV series)/Series 1/Episode 8/Super Saloon Film
Using the bodyshell and various other parts from the Audi A6 as a base, the Audi RS 6 features a twin-turbocharged 4.2 litre V8 which develops an astonishing 450 brake horsepower. Harkening back to the argument he made back in the studio, Clarkson asserts that is the same amount of power which could fit the area occupied by St. Paul's Cathedral seven times over. In addition to its power upgrade, the RS 6 looks the part with a "chicken wire" grille at the front and flared wheel arches. Though the top speed is limited to 155 MPH[1] in order to satisfy the Gentlemen's Agreement agreed upon by each of the major German car manufacturers, Clarkson drove the car with its limiter removed around the Top Gear Test Track and was able to reach 175 MPH, wagering that given enough track, the car theoretically had sufficient power to breach the realm of 200.
Avaliable as both a saloon and an estate, the RS 6 could be had in 2002 for £58,000, which although being £5,000 more expensive than a BMW M5, Clarkson feels is worth the extra premium, as it is one of the best cars on the road today. He notes that a lot of the "rock aristocracy" drive these fast Audis, specifically naming Kenny Jones and Mitch Mitchell as owners. He takes the car into Wiltshire, where many older rock stars reside and pulls over Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, asking for directions to Steve Winwood's house. He instructs Jeremy to drive straight until he reaches Van Morrison's house, turning left at Sting's trout lake, and at the T-Junction by Peter Gabriel's residence, Clarkson would theoretically make a left. This of course is tongue-in-cheek, simply to demonstrate the amount of famous musicians who live in the area. When asked about his car collection, Mason states that he owns a few Audis and will be buying an RS 6 that coming Christmas.
Stars such as Mason choose cars like the RS 6 because not only are they well-made and powerful, but with the RS 6's 4 wheel drive "quattro" system and a firmed up suspension, are also easier to drive. With its looks, power, and drivability, the RS 6 is the total package. However, that isn't the end of the story. The car may outclass the M5 and S-Type R, but there is a rival in the form of the Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG. Though Clarkson derides its looks, comparing it to a Honda, and similarly dismissing the company's customer service, he is a fan of the 5.5 litre V8 engine under the bonnet, outputting close to 500 BHP. It is the same engine as used in the SL55 AMG, the car which Clarkson owned at the time, and in that it sounded like a Tornado jet fighter, NASCAR and a peel of thunder rolled into one. Though the E55 has quietened the noise down compared to the SL, the power is still there and does so at an eye-watering 7 MPG. Despite being £3,000 more expensive, the E55 has more than the RS 6. However, Clarkson does issue the viewer with a warning; the car reminds him of the Eurofighter, which can't fly without its flight computers constantly making adjustments and feels that the car would be uncontrollable in wet weather situations without the assistance of its onboard computers, noting the constant adjustments the system has to make as he drives it.
At the end of the test, Clarkson stacks up the two cars against each other, which although seeming a difficult choice, he likens the Mercedes to Charlie Watts and the Audi to Keith Moon, with Clarkson always preferring The Who, therefore choosing the Audi.
Power Laps[edit | edit source]
Back in the studio, Jason questions whether or not the person Clarkson met was really the drummer for Pink Floyd, and of course it was, apparently on the way to borrow sugar from Roger Daltrey. However, one final question remains: given that the Mercedes was more powerful, which of the two super saloons is faster around the track? Jeremy believes that the E55 AMG would have easily won in dry conditions due to its higher power output and more sophisticated electronics, but the laps were done in the wet, thus evening the playing field and giving track advantage to the Audi.
| Position | Car | Time | Track Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Audi RS 6 | 1:33.0 | Wet |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG | 1:35.5 | Wet |
The RS 6 was a full 2 and a half seconds faster than the Mercedes and was easily the more controlled of the two, with the E55 AMG powersliding and aquaplaning on the wet surface. When adjusted for optimum conditions, the RS 6 would have set a 1:29.0 lap time, putting it on par with the SL55 AMG and Honda NSX-R from two episodes prior. To conclude the segment, Clarkson returns to his graph, stating that by 2008, cars would have 100,000 BHP underneath the bonnet, or enough power to span the distance from the Earth to the Moon. The idea of putting high-displacement engines inside regular 4-door saloon cars gives fellow host Richard Hammond an idea, and leads directly into the following segment.
