2014 Audi RS4 Avant

Finished in Sepang Blue with a black fine Nappa leather interior, this incredible Audi RS4 Avant has had just the one owner from new.

Yup, that’s right; at a time when you thought the only examples out there were thrashed and abused multi-owner cars with dubious modifications, up pops this one.

The seller treated himself to it as a 50th birthday present, immediately setting out in it for a party weekend in France. Because that’s the kind of car this is.

Fitted with one of the greatest engine and gearbox combinations of all time, the 4.2-litre V8 is stuffed to the gunnels with toys, leaving the showroom with £8,000-worth of goodies.

Treasured ever since, it is still showing just 94,000 miles on the clock - and its full Audi service history has been with the same dealer throughout.

Being sold with a heavy heart, this is your chance to get your hands on a standard RS4 with an impeccable and known history.

Painted in Sepang Blue pearl effect paint, the RS4 Avant is the clearest possible proof that nothing, and we do mean nothing, is cooler than an uber-estate.

With a perfect stance and mm-perfect shutlines, this one looks every inch the Autobahn royalty it is; completely standard and free of the sort of questionable modifications that haunt the RS car park (“no horrible dark windows or oversized wheels!”) this one is as elegant as it is well preserved.

Of course, the silver mirrors that denote the RS models are present and correct, and the badges, window glass, and lamp lenses are all good with the exception of the offside headlamp, which has an unusual blemish to it (e.g. #34).

The alloy wheels, which are 19” in diameter, give an improved ride compared with larger wheels you see on many RS4s. They still fill the arches and feature a natty 10-spoke design, reminiscent of the classic, previous generation RS4. The wheels are lightly scuffed on their edges and could do with refurbishing. “If a scuff or stonechip doesn’t offend me, I leave it as it is. I’d rather spend my money on servicing and maintenance than stuff like that.”

Despite the owner’s modesty, flaws are few and minor. Apart from the usual stonechips (e.g. #66 and #80), there is a scuff to the rear bumper (#97) and there are some stonechips to the front splitter (#49).

NB: there was a small amount of accident damage to the offside front wing and bumper but the repair cost was only £560, and the owner has confirmed the damage was only cosmetic.

The RS4 is, as befits its status as a top-of-the-range model, absolutely loaded.

Trimmed with black fine Nappa leather with grey piping and RS embossing, the electrically adjustable sports seats are as cossetting and supportive as you could hope for. Comfortable too, and the driver’s seat has a memory, which makes switching drivers easy.

Both the front and outer rear seats are heated, and all are in a fine condition, as are the carpets, door cards, dashboard, and headlining.

The driver gets a flat-bottomed steering wheel for extra sportiness plus one of the best and clearest dashboards in the business.

Extras include the matt aluminium styling package that complements the standard carbonfibre inlays, rear side airbags, and rubber mats in the cabin. The original, unmarked carpet mats are also provided.

The technology count is just as high and includes optional extras such as Audi Parking System Advanced, High Beam Assist, Audi Hill-hold Assist plus the standard-fit package of Adaptive Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights and rear lights, Adaptive headlights with turning lights, electrically folding, auto-dimming, heated door mirrors with memory function, auto-dimming rear view mirror, three-zone climate control, cruise control, and Electronic Stability Control.

The standard Audi MMI Navigation System Plus has Audi Music Interface including Bluetooth plus a DAB digital radio in addition to the upgraded Bang & Olufsen sound system.

The boot is as well presented as it is vast, and is protected by a reversible floor mat.

With a full Audi service history, the electronic record shows the following:

• 22.07.2022 and 87,566 miles – oil change service by Slough Audi
• 09.07.2021 and 74,423 miles – oil and inspection service plus fresh brake fluid and gearbox and final drive oil by Slough Audi
• 03.11.2020 and 68,997 miles – oil change service by Slough Audi
• 25.10.2019 and 61,117 miles – inspection and oil change service by Slough Audi including new filters and spark plugs
• 25.01.2019 and 51,657 miles – oil change service by Slough Audi
• 04.05.2018 and 43,249 miles – oil change service by Slough Audi
• 02.08.2017 and 33,679 miles – inspection and oil change service including fresh brake fluid by Slough Audi
• 29.01.2016 and 17,054 miles – inspection and oil change service by Slough Audi

As you would expect – and can see in the video - it starts easily and idles perfectly with no warning lights illuminated on the dashboard. The seller was at pains to tell us that he always waits until it’s properly warmed through before driving it hard, which must have taken a lot of restraint given how good it sounds at full chat…

As for how it drives, the owner reports it “still feels and runs like new.”

This comes as no surprise given its maintenance record and the fact it’s fitted with the following optional extras: a sports exhaust, Sports Suspension plus Dynamic Ride Control (DRC, including Comfort, Dynamic, Automatic, and Individual settings), and Dynamic Steering.

And yet, despite its prodigious performance and high-tech chassis, the servicing costs have been surprisingly low. It’s worth sitting down and digitally leafing through them and then comparing them with what it would cost to keep an Italian sportscar with similar performance as well fettled as this…

The engine bay is grubby but no worse than that. Those of a fastidious nature might like to detail it, but everyone else will be too busy wringing the engine to its redline to worry about how clean it is.

The history file is exhaustive and is presented in both paper and digital formats, which is heartening to see and demonstrates the fastidious approach the seller has taken with his car’s maintenance and curation.

The RS4’s MoT certificate is valid until the 1st of August 2023, the recent Vehicle History Check is, of course, clear and it comes with two key fobs.

The Audi RS4 Avant offers the kind of performance that would put some supercars to shame (one of us drove one at its launch, averaging 75mph between Germany and the UK - including the time it took to queue and cross on the Euro Tunnel…) alongside enough space to seat five people and their luggage for inter-continental jaunts.

It also has plenty of toys to play with and sufficient refinement to make longer journeys far less arduous, plus a choice of soundtrack from the either the V8 engine or the Bang & Olufsen sound system.

This one is unmodified and is offered with a full Audi service history and just the one owner from new; if you’re in the market for one of these then there is simply no reason to look any further.

But, we hear you ask, how much will it set you back? We think somewhere between £16,000 and £20,000 is our best estimate and we can’t think of a safer, faster or more reliable way of going so quickly for the money.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.