Audi S 6E-Xperience

The Audi S6 seems quicker than the R8 off-the-line. I know that is a big statement and possibly not accurate – but that is exactly what you feel when you floor the throttle; the 1.9-ton sedan hurls past all the standard milestones in a jiffy, leaving you to think about nothing but the first opportunity of jamming the brakes.

I drove the S6 at one of the most undramatic places – a racing circuit, so the review will seem unidirectional and performance biased. But there is more to this car than being a weekend getaway at some circuit or on a clean stretch of winding road. The S6 tries to blend pure performance and everyday practicality, carving a niche for itself at a relatively reasonable price of Rs 85.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

For untrained eyes, the S6 appears no different from the A6 at the first glance. But look more closely and you will notice subtle yet distinct changes that make the S6 look more resolute. There is a S6 badge on the front grille that sits neatly between the two horizontal chrome inserts. The bling to the fascia continues with chrome ascents for air intakes on the front bumper. It rides on 19-inch S-Line alloys with some more ‘S6’ detailing on the brake calipers. Like in the S4, the mirrors get aluminium finish to add a sporty touch. At the back, it has almost nonexistent boot-lip spoiler, but the quad-exhaust setup is more than enough to add the brawny look.

The interior layout is also similar to that of the A6, but with all-black sporty theme in Alcantara leather. Audi has used Aluminium lavishly on the dash and also to build paddle shifters and brake / accelerator pedals.

The new S6 is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 that develops 420bhp. They might not sound like a lot, but this unit also develops 550Nm of torque, which is more than that of the R8 V10 and the thing is it kicks in at as low as 1400rpm. Moreover, all this thrust is delivered through Audi’s renowned Quattro AWD, so there is enough traction right from the start and the car easily manages speeds of over 220kph on the back straight of BIC. The S6 can touch 100kph from standstill in 4.6 seconds – that is proper sportscar territory and from a car that weighs close to two tons.

The S6 has cylinder-on-demand technology that cuts off four of the eight cylinders when driven at sane speeds. This makes the car more manageable and also improves efficiency and cuts emissions. The thing is though, this car has Active Noise Cancellation – now it might seem like a nice thing when you are with family or going around the city doing mundane stuff; the cabin is ultra-quiet and blissful. But when someone plans to use most of the 420bhp this car has to offer, he expects some encouragement and cheering – which is where this car disappoints. Hardly any of the V8 growl is audible in the cabin and that I suppose is the Achilles heel of the S6.

I will not compare the Audi S6 with the BMW M5 or the Mercedes E63 AMG. Both of them are rear-wheel-drive, deliver over 550bhp and come with a price tag that is enough to buy both the S6 and the A4. Where the Merc and the Bemmer are Super Saloons, meant purely to have unadulterated fun even if it means you have to buy another luxury car for the comfort of your family, the S6 is a compromise that will let to invest the remaining money in an appreciating (only from economic perspective) asset. So as a sports saloon the S6 does its job pretty well, we only wish it could announce this fact a little better.