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  1. Five of the best 500bhp family cars
  2. Audi RS6 Avant
  3. BMW M5 Touring
  4. Bentley Continental Flying Spur
  5. Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Estate
  6. Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Audi RS6 Avant

Audi almost apologetically unveiled its RS6 at the Frankfurt show last year alongside its new A4. Why apologetically? Frankfurt proved to be one of the motor shows with the greenest focus to date, and a twin-turbo 5.0-litre V10 mega estate didn't quite fit in with the show's zeitgeist. However, we couldn't help but notice that its mighty engine packs a quite extraordinary 572bhp, comfortably more than all its rivals. Driving through Audi's quattro four-wheel drive system that 572bhp is surprisingly exploitable, the RS6 far easier to drive quickly than its BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz AMG rivals.



The RS6 will reach 62mph in just 4.6 seconds, and if it wasn't electronically limited to 155mph Audi's super-estate would undoubtedly breach 200mph. That's mighty performance, but what's so impressive is that it's all so civilised, the RS6 having all the space, comfort and class of regular A6s, but with the ability to humble all but the most super of supercars.

Tuesday February 12