2017 Audi S6

Overview: Audi’s S6 is the hotter, more powerful version of the brand’s everyday A6 sedan. It has been around in its current incarnation since the 2012 model year, having benefited from only a single update last year that brought a bump in horsepower and mild cosmetic tweaks. Every S6 comes standard with Quattro, Audi’s all-wheel-drive system, as well as the A6 lineup’s only twin-turbocharged V-8. (Regular A6s make do with a turbocharged inline-four or a supercharged V-6.) The only visual telltales include trim-specific wheels, aluminum mirror caps, quad exhaust outlets, and a tiny S6 badge in the grille.

What’s New: Last year Audi tweaked the headlights of the A6/S6, giving them a more curved shape. That change pales in comparison to the additional 30 horsepower that Audi extracted from the S6’s engine. The horsepower increase brought the S6’s output to a round 450 ponies; the engine’s peak-torque figure of 406 lb-ft stayed the same. One year later, with a new A6/S6 sedan looming on the horizon for 2018, Audi unsurprisingly hasn’t messed with the S6 at all.

What We Like: The S6 is a wickedly quick car that carries few if any of the compromises to everyday livability that such speed typically entails. You can drive this Audi sedately without passengers being any wiser to its ability to crack off sub-4.0-second runs to 60 mph. The suspension is comfortable, even in the sportier driving modes, and the cabin is quiet. That interior, by the way, might be old, but only the slightly dated MMI infotainment system gives that away. The dashboard’s minimalist style and high-quality materials otherwise belie the S6’s age. Similarly familiar, the S6’s exterior styling is understated and handsome, appealing to those who want a fast sedan that attracts little attention. And all-wheel-drive traction is a boon on wet surfaces and in states that see winter weather.

What We Don’t Like: If you’re not into older love interests, you might not appreciate the S6’s dated infotainment display and general market endurance. The underlying A6 has been around since 2012, and its paucity of upgrades since leave it feeling somewhat stale relative to newer competitors such as the Mercedes-AMG E43 or the new BMW M550i. If excitement is what you seek, keep looking, because for all of its objective dynamic capability, the S6 goes about its business coolly and without drama. Just about the most interesting thing it does on the way to putting up incredible numbers is a mild hesitation when pulling away from a stop that results in a come-from-behind sensation during hard acceleration. (The transmission’s Sport mode alleviates this trait somewhat, but there is still a slight delay.) Make no mistake, however, the S6 puts up incredible numbers. The last model we tested, a 2016 with the latest upgrades, hung on for 0.92 g around our skidpad and ripped from zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Still, exploiting that performance is fairly easy; thanks to all-wheel-drive grip, the S6 requires little effort to drive fast.

Verdict: An oldie that has aged well.

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Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

BASE PRICE: $71,850

ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 244 cu in, 3993 cc
Power: 450 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque: 406 lb-ft @ 1400 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 114.8 in
Length: 194.4 in
Width: 73.8 in Height: 56.8 in
Passenger volume: 97 cu ft
Cargo volume: 14 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): : 4350 lb

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA combined/city/highway driving: 21/18/27 mpg

C/D TEST RESULTS FOR:
2016 Audi S6
Zero to 60 mph: 3.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 9.8 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 17.1 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.8 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.5 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.3
Standing ¼-mile: 12.4 sec @ 113 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 153 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 162 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.92 g
Curb weight: 4389 lb
C/D observed fuel economy: 17 mpg