We’ve seen all kinds of camouflaged Audi prototype vehicles this year, but this one is a first. As such, it comes with plenty of questions but there are some things we can suss out right away. First of all, it’s an Audi. And second, it’s a station wagon. Groundbreaking stuff, this.
Kidding aside, we’re fairly certain this is part of the A6 family. It’s bigger than the A4/A5 Avant prototypes we’ve seen zipping about, and the front looks very much like an A6 E-Tron test vehicle we saw back in May at the Nurburgring. We called it a “high-performance” A6 because we still aren’t entirely sure what Audi’s plans are regarding vehicle names in its near-term electric future. We do know E-Tron branding will stick around as mainstream models go electric. Will this be an A6 Avant S E-Tron? An S6 Avant E-Tron? Stick around, because we’re just as curious as you are.
That said, we feel confident this wagon sighting isn’t a simple entry-level A6 Avant E-Tron. Note the red brake calipers behind the wheels, which by the way are shod with some aggressive Pirelli P Zero tires. There’s also a modest diffuser at the back, and there’s no denying this wagon has a very low, sleek stance. We don’t think it’s aggressive enough to land in RS territory, but calling this an Audi S6 Avant E-Tron wouldn’t be a stretch.
Speaking of that sleek stance, these spy shots give us a nice view of the front clip. Camouflage wrap conceals design details with one notable exception. A strip of camo is missing next to the passenger-side headlight, offering some perspective on both the thin headlamps, and secondary lights mounted beneath.
![Audi A6 Avant EV Front View Spy Photo](https://cdn.motor1.com/images/static/16x9-tr.png)
That lower light section is actually the top of larger side vents reaching down to the bottom of the fascia. With camouflage in place, it looks like a split-light arrangement similar to what we see with the BMW i7. Once the camo is removed, however, we suspect it will look more conventional and much like the A6 Avant E-Tron Concept from March 2022.
What’s hiding under the wrap as far as the powertrain is concerned? The new A6 should share the same PPE platform found under the Q6 E-Tron, rocking dual electric motors for all-wheel-drive grip. Details on the Q6 powertrain are still forthcoming, but the Q6 E-Tron prototype we drove earlier this year delivered 395 horsepower. The aforementioned concept featured 469 hp, and that wasn’t billed as a performance variant.
Stay tuned for more on the A6 E-Tron. A debut is expected sometime in 2024.