The high performance sedan market has become a battle waged around the world, but the European companies have held a lock on it for the majority of the competition and with the recent release of the 2009 Audi RS6 sedan, the rest of the world will need to head back to the drawing board.

This new luxury sedan that moves like a Supercar features the sharp, aggressive styling often associated with the four rings, but the key aspect to the new RS6 sedan is the drivetrain. Putting the “Quatro” all wheel drive system to the test is a new twin-turbocharged V10 engine, making 580 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, and that power is set to the wheels by means of a six speed automatic transmission. This auto transmission features Audi’s Tiptronic electronic shift control, and the driver and opt to have the transmission shift on its own, or rather shift manually via the steering wheel mounted shift paddles. This setup allows the RS6 sedan to dash from 0 to 60 in just over four seconds, and reaches a top speed of almost 174 miles per hour, but the 2009 RS6 is more than just a straight line performer.

The suspension setup of the new RS6 sedan has been designed for optimum performance, but also maintaining the luxury car ride and comfort, and that is achieved by the speed-sensitive steering and Dynamic Ride Control, which helps manage body roll during all types of driving.

The interior of the 2009 RS6 sedan pushes the limits of the Super-Luxury sedan, with high back, leather wrapped race-inspired seats in the front offering a comfortable ride and a firm seat during stints of spirited driving. The entire interior is adorned almost entirely in black, with sparse silver and carbon-fiber trim tucked around the shifter and the center stack, which features the state of the art sound system and climate controls.

The 2009 Audi RS6 sedan is expected to hit US showrooms sometime in October, with a stated price of 105,550 Euros (around 157,000 USD), and while its not likely to see them all over the place, this new Supercar in sedans clothing will leave an impression on all who drive it…or challenge it.