Feature Car: Jaime’s Navarra RS 6 Avant

words: Jaime Hardy, photos: Ryan Ponto

I have loved cars since I was a kid. Some of my best childhood memories come from hanging out with my Gedo (grandpa) in the garage, always tinkering with cars or going on great cruising and exploring adventures. My Gedo was more of a domestic car guy, but I was drawn to European marques, especially Audi. In the early ‘90s I saw a photo of an RS2 and fell madly in love. Over the years my dream of one day owning one grew as Audi released new Avants. 

Having been a single parent for most of my adult life, my dream Audi always seemed just out of my reach. But in 2015 I finally purchased my first one at the encouragement of my husband Geoff. That car was an SQ5 and I instantly knew I could never drive another brand again. I transitioned from the SQ5 to an S5 Sportback, then to an S5 coupe. Each was amazing, but still not the Avant I had dreamed about. 

Fast forward to the spring of 2021. I had a beautiful S5 coupe, Geoff had an RS 3 and we were at a car show when someone pulled in with a black RS 6 Avant. My heart nearly stopped. I stared at that car all night and circled it like a vulture. Over the next few weeks my curiosity got the best of me and I reached out to Southgate Audi in Edmonton to just ‘talk about’ what obtaining an RS 6 looked like. I should know better. It’s like looking at kittens. You never just look – especially when you have bad influences like Geoff, Ryan and Josh in you life. The conversation ended with a deposit on a car that was estimated to be a year away. 

A few weeks later, my phone rang. To my surprise it was Southgate Audi calling to say they had an RS 6 available. They said it was a near match to my spec and asked if I wanted to come see it. I was not prepared to make this purchase this quickly, but how could I not go see it? On the drive over I told my husband, “I’m not buying this car. It has a brown interior, and I hate brown. We are just looking.”

Famous last words. The car was positioned under the Audi rings on the building as we pulled onto the lot and the sun was shining, making that Navarra blue paint do all the things it does – including making my heart race. I knew immediately that it was coming home with me, brown interior and all (which I absolutely loved once I saw it). After all those years, I finally had my dream Avant sitting in my garage. 

I’ve had the RS 6 for two years now, and every time I drive it I fall in love with it all over again. There is just something about a 600-hp wagon. It’s practical enough to haul stuff, powerful enough to make your heart race and it’s all kinds of good looking. I haven’t found an angle I don’t like!

It’s been said that you know it’s THE car when you can’t walk away from it without looking back at it. This is so true and every time I look at it, I still can’t believe it’s mine.