The Audi S6 is the high performance variant of the Audi A6, an executive car produced by German automaker Audi. It went on sale in 1994, shortly after the "A6" designation was introduced, replacing the "100" nameplate.
The original S6 (Ur-S6) was largely the same car as the outgoing, original Audi S4 (C4) (Ur-S4), with the only visible differences being new body-cladding and badging. In certain markets where the even-higher performance RS6 which is also based on the A6 is not sold, the S6 is the most powerful A6 trim there.
The S6, like all Audi "S" models, is fitted as standard with Audi's trademark quattro four-wheel drive (4WD) system, the S6 using the Torsen-based permanent 4WD.
Audi’s lineup of V-8–powered S models is growing, and each S has its own place. Of the four models with the new twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, the 420-hp S7 is the beauty, and the 520-hp S8 is the big daddy with lots of extra baubles. The Europhile’s choice, the S6 Avant, won’t be offered here, which leaves the four-door S6 as the serious performance sedan. Under the skin, it is virtually identical to the S7. But thanks to the lack of a hatch and its slightly more compact dimensions, the S6 weighs about 100 fewer pounds, and it has a slightly narrower track. The chassis components are identical, however, and so are the engine and the transmission.
The 2013 S6 walks in some big footprints. Its immediate predecessor was more powerful, packing a 435-hp naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V-10. And that powertrain was capable of sending a chill down your spine simply from its F1-like exhaust note. The new V-8 emits a menacing growl but doesn’t quite match up to the raging V-10. On the plus side, the new engine is not only a bit more torquey but also more efficient—by a whopping 25 percent, according to Audi. It’s also much quicker.
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Nov 02, 2012
Audi redesigned A6 for the 2012 model year. For 2013, the lineup will expand to include a 4-cylinder model with all-wheel drive (previous 4-cylinder A6s were front-drive only). The high-performance S6 also returns, and we ...
Feb 04, 2013
For 2013, the 4.2-liter V8 engine featured in the Audi A8 has been replaced by a supercharged V6 that delivers better performance. Beyond that, a smaller yet more powerful turboV8 is also available. Later, a diesel V6 will ...
Apr 29, 2012
The original Audi Quattro competition car debuted in 1980, first as a development car, and then on a formal basis in the 1980 Janner Rally in Austria. Largely based on the bodyshell of the road-going Quattro models (in ...
