2017 Audi S6 Reviews

The Audi S6 sedan has been a segment stalwart for 25 years, but now it seems to be going backwards. With a 4.0-litre V8 replaced by a 2.9-litre V6 in the new model, has it lost its way or found it?

Slingshot. Staggering. Subtle even. The S6 prompts several adjectives - as well as a few terms a number of people consider unsuitable for publication.No wild wings, belly-scraping ride heights or straining at the leash - the fastest S6 ever launched by Audi slides in beneath five seconds for the trip to 100km/h but push a few appropriate buttons within and it might well be hard to believe that it's capable of such ferocious feats.The new Audi S6 starts at $168,900, which is a $30,000 drop from the old V10 car - just 50 will be offered here and there's plenty on the features front to make the pricetag seem a little less steep. The leather-clad interior is comfortable and a quality cabin and it has a head-up display, a Bose infotainment system, digital TV, powered bootlid, heated and power-adjustable front sports seats, quad-zone climate control, side and rear sunblind, satellite navigation, auto-dimming mirrors, parking sensors front and rear, a reversing camera, automatic headlights (with rain-sensing function), rain-sensing wipers, electric automatic park brake and power-adjustable folding exterior mirrors.It sits on 20in alloy wheels with 255/35 Pirelli P-Zero tyres, with a seven-speed auto, adaptive air suspension, LED head and tail lights, auto-dipping high-beam system and the clever quattro sports differential.The heart of this executive machine is a four-litre V8, fed by two twin-scroll turbos to produce 309kW and 550Nm, the former hanging around from 5500 to 6400rpm and the latter on offer from 1400 through to 5200rpm. The muted but monstrous V8 has a cylinder-dropout  system that shuts down cylinders 2, 3, 5 and 8 whenever the system sees a need, which allows it to lay claim to a frugal (for its performance potential) fuel use figure of 9.6 litres per 100km, a 24 per cent drop on the old 320kW/540Nm V10 (lighter yet slower) S6.Getting all that grunt to ground in the new car is a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and a rear-biased (but variable) quattro all-wheel drive system that includes the clever rear diff. The quattro sports rear differential delivers drive to both rear wheels as required, which gives the S6 phenomenal drive out of corners. The adaptive air suspension varies the damping and ride height according to driver preference (unless left to its own devices in auto mode) and delivers a much improved ride quality - not brittle and wooden like some of its Audi S-car forebears.Also on offer is a start-stop fuel-saving system, active engine mounts to counteract the vibrations developed in four-cylinder mode (it works well) and an active noise control system that cancels unwanted cabin noise (detected via tiny microphones hidden in the vehicles headlining).Sharply-cut, the A6 foundation vehicle is given a subtle tailoring to quietly suggest to those at the traffic lights that they really shouldn't bother. The S6 has a twin dual-pipe exhaust set-up either side of a small under-bumper diffuser, a tiny bootlid rear spoiler, alloy mirror housings, ample front air intakes and a wheel-tyre package that ups the styling ante just enough.Five stars from NCAP are worn by the alloy and steel A6 and have been for more than a few years, so the S version is a fair chance of doing similar things - it has the presafe accident preparation system, tyre pressure monitoring, dual front, front and rear side and full length curtain airbags. The all-wheel drive system, stability and traction control and anti-lock system for the six-piston front, single-piston rear brakes all add to the bank-vault feeling of security on the road.I slid into the comfy "tombstone" sports seats expecting two things - serious straight line speed, a haycart ride quality and no feel through the steering. The new S6 was more than happy to oblige on the first count - floor it and the melodious but far too remote V8 sings as it slings you toward the middle of next week. The Audi claim for the sprint to 100km/h is 4.6 seconds with anelectronic limit of 250km/h - so I'm told - but there's nothing in the real world to suggest that time is optimistic.The adaptive suspension has been given a whole new dose of smarts that has improved the ride quality - comfort mode is almost exactly that (it's still on the firm side) but even in the dynamic mode there's little about which to complain. The trick rear diff gives the big German an inordinate amount of exit speed - it can feel a little nose heavy on the way into a corner but fires out of them with gusto - so a A-to-B hills drive is completed in double-quick time should the need arise.Sadly, the steering remains inert, although there's better weighting but still an absence of info for the driver, something that is not a complaint when it comes to the instrumentation. The dash and centre stack offers ample functionality without too much confusion, with a top-notch sound system; the MDI cable-connected iPhone didn't want to talk to the sound system, unless it was through the Bluetooth.In cruising or commuting mode, the S6 is quiet, refined and comfortable, with little to betray when it's in four-cylinder fuel economy mode. There's decent rear space, with headroom a little tight for those north of the old six-foot mark, but four adults would have no reason to complain, with climate controls for all four and rear sunscreens for the rear occupants. Bootspace is good at 530 litres, a long but shallow load space that can swallow a solid amount of gear without issue.Extroverts might want to look elsewhere in the Audi range for vehicles that scream to be looked at, but the new S6 is a subtle machine - too demure if you like to hear the orchestral noises that emanate from an engine bay. The pricetag is sharp, there's plenty of gear and it's a seriously swift sedan - there's no excuse for late arrival at meetings in this one.

Audi already has the biggest model range in Australia but has just bumped that up by two (more!). Two absolute pearls if you have a fat wallet to take the hit. And in a departure from usual Audi practice, the new $168,900 S6 and $179,900 S7 are fully equipped as standard - a big move away from the extensive options list usually offered with this brand.Both cars are “limited editions” restricted to 50 apiece but we reckon that is an arbitrary number that could be increased if needed. This is a share-pair using the same platform with some aluminium body panels and same powertrain though the S6 is a four-door, five-seater sedan while the S7 is more your five- door, four-seat ‘coupe’ style car with a rear hatch (tailgate).They are medium large in size weighing just under two tonnes and offer high-end performance, luxury, style and quality as well as a raft of Audi technology.ENGINEA V8 replaces the previous howling V10 but outpoints it everywhere thanks to technology. It's a compact 4.0-litre, direct injection V8 with variable valve timing and variable lift as well as two, twin-scroll turbochargers - effectively four turbos.Most ancillaries including the turbos are in the engine vee. Internals are friction modified and it has auto cylinder deactivation when all eight pots aren't required, cutting back to four. Auto stop/start further improves fuel economy also helped by thermal management for optimum running at all times.Fuel economy is rated at 9.6-litres/100km - exceptional when you consider there's some 309kW/550Nm burbling from under the bonnet. More importantly, maximum torque is from a mere 1400rpm. Drive is through a seven-speed dual clutch ‘manumatic' called S-tronic, then by Audi's quattro system to all four wheels with torque vectoring on the S6 thanks to its special sports differential.Torque vectoring monitors wheel spin apportioning drive to wheels with the most grip. Get the picture about technology? It's the same throughout both cars - the communications systems, luxury kit and safety.FEATURESThey use the 14 speaker Bose audio system in a noise cancelling mode so you can't tell when it's running on four cylinders.Both ride on adaptive, four-mode air suspension and have imposing 20-inch alloys, digital TV, heads-up display, LED headlights with auto high beam, leather sports seats, electric park brake and reversing camera in their comprehensive features list. Lane departure warning and radar cruise control are two of only four options available.DRIVINGWe were fortunate enough to drive both S6 and S7 last week and found both to our liking, particularly the gorgeous fastback S7. It really stands out in a sea of conservative sedans and when you plant the right foot - look out. This engine offers superlative performance and in these two cars, is neatly harnessed by adept dynamics that give true sports sedan (adjustable) dynamics and drive feel.They are sharp as a tack through tight stuff and smooth as silk out on the freeway. We wound down the windows often for some aural appreciation. Both cars are into the mid-4.0 second bracket for the 0-100kmh split - despite their bulk. They look powerful at rest with grey body hardware and pumped out guards. From inside, the experience is sumptuous luxury grand turismo style for all occupants.VERDICTWould give the full blown RS Audis a run for their money because of huge torque output at low revs. Sound is stirring, wieldy handling, controlled ride. Heavy. Some people get all the fun...Audi S6 and S7Price: from $168,900 ($179,900)Engine: 4.0-litre, 8-cylinder, 309kW/550NmTransmission: 7-speed dual clutch ‘manumatic' S-tronicThirst: 9.6-litres/100km

With a heritage extending back to 1991 (the first-generation S model was based on the Audi 100), this fourth-generation S6 is easily the best yet.It's loaded with clever trim finishes and technology (active engine mounts and active noise control) not previously seen on cars like this, and has been fitted with an engine raised on a diet of blood-drenched red meat. Audi Australia is predicting sales of around 60-80 cars split between S6 and S7 (which will go on-sale at the same time).While prices, and Australian spec, are yet to be confirmed you can expect the new S6, when it arrives Down Under around October-ish, to be priced at less than $200,000.And possibly by some margin too so that it can line up with Merc's E500 ($183,685) and BMW's 550i ($179,900).What you can expect for that sort of coin is quattro all-wheel drive, adaptive air suspension, Audi drive select (vehicle-dynamics control system), 19-inch alloys, sports seats, quad-zone climate control, Audi pre-sense basic safety system, six airbags, stop-start, cylinder deactivation, active engine mounts and active noise control, plus much more.Under the bonnet is a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 (this engine is shared with the S7) making 309kW at 5500-6400rpm and 550Nm from 1400-5200rpm. This is mated to a super-smooth seven-speed twin-clutch transmission, which Audi calls S Tronic.Weighing in at 1895kg, the S6 consumes just 9.6L/100km, and that's not bad when you consider how much oomph this thing has. Fuel consumption has been kept in check through the prodigious use of aluminium (20 per cent of the body is aluminium, making it 15 per cent lighter than an conventional steel-bodied car). The S6 also gets stop-start, and cylinder on demand which sees four of the eight cylinders deactivated during part-load operation.Because dropping to just four cylinders can produce a lot of noise, Audi's engineers have included active noise control, which, in conjunction with active engine mounts, dials out unwanted clatter via a cancellation sound issued through the sound system's speakers... ad it absolutely works.The front grille has a single frame and turns up at the outer edges, there's deeper air dams in the front and a skirt right the way around the car, which gives it a hunkered down and muscular stance. Climb inside and you're met with typical Audi craftsmanship; no other maker does quite as good a job on its interiors, the design, the materials and the finish as Audi does.From behind the wheel, all of the major controls are skewed towards the driver, and the Multi Media Interface (MMI) is easily the simplest of its kind (it leaves BMW's iDrive for dead).Electric adjustment of both front seats makes it an cinch to get into the right position, and there's decent rear seat legroom, shoulder room and headroom. But forget about using the middle seat in the back. There's a long but shallow boot which offers 530 litres of space.As well as a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating (based on A6) the S6 gets the usual complement of active and passive safety aids as well as six airbags and, in Europe at least, is standard with pre sense basic, which is designed to minimise the risk of an collision by warning the driver with an audible chime, and then by applying the brakes if the driver's made no attempt to stop the car. It also has quattro all-wheel drive for impressive grip on all surfaces, and in all weather.While the S6 is quick (0-100km/h flashes up in just 4.6secs) it's the way the thing builds speed that truly impresses. With a diesel-esque 550Nm of torque from just off idle at 1400rpm right the way through to 5200rpm, the S6 flattens hills and makes overtaking an cinch.And, if you're on the Autobahn in Germany, like we were, it'll accelerate right through each of its seven gears with never a let-up in oomph... Every S6 gets adaptive air suspension, which allows you to choose from Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual - we found Auto to be the best setting.Our test car was fitted with cost optional dynamic steering and a sport differential and, if I'm honest, I'd forget about the dynamic steering, it ends up feeling too assisted and artificial. We didn't get a long drive in the S6 (only 87km), but it was long enough to know that you get a bump-smothering ride, an nimble chassis, and an iron-fisted punch.Audis are sometimes criticised for their dull dynamics (the RS5 is one such disappointing example), but the S6 shows that Audi really can offer up class with clout. BMW, and Mercedes-Benz... you have until October before the S6 lands. Be afraid.