2023 Audi RS6 Avant Performance Carbon Vorsprung

Audi's RS6 Avant in Performance Carbon Vorsprung trim is about as far as a factory estate gets from the school-run brief: a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 making 621 bhp and 850 lb-ft, sent through an eight-speed Tiptronic to all four wheels. Audi quotes 3.4 seconds to 62mph and the page lists a 174 mph top speed, which is the figure you get once the dynamic package limiter is lifted.

This 73-plate car has covered 42,888 miles and is finished in Mythos Black. The options list is sensible rather than excessive. It has the RS Design Pack Plus with grey interior details, carbon twill inlays, and RS steel brakes with red gloss calipers, which keeps the stopping hardware cheaper to maintain than the ceramic alternative. Heated front and rear seats, four-zone climate control, a surround view camera and the park assist pack are also fitted.

It is a used car with real mileage, which should be reflected in how it is judged against lower-mileage examples. The RS6 Performance sits at the top of the C8 range, adding power and a higher top speed over the standard car while keeping the full-size load space that defines the Avant.