Audi RS4 re-emerges

When Audi killed the brilliant 414bhp RS4 in 2008 half the wheels team jumped out of our office window in despair.

Fortunately, our office is on the ground floor so none of those guys were hurt, but now there’s no reason for any more depression because Audi is officially bringing back the RS4 nameplate. And by officially we of course mean speculatively, as all we’ve got so far are these spy shots sent to us from the side of a German road.

This Avant RS4 looks like the current model because it is, but underneath it’s an RS5, which means a 450bhp 4.2-litre V8, twin-clutch tranny, AWD and a 0-100kph time of 4.5 seconds.

What gave the game away was its burbling exhaust note, 20in RS wheels and gigantic brake discs and callipers.