Wolf in a tailored suit

Slotting between Audi’s garden-variety A6 executive saloon car range and the more extrovert high performance RS6, the S6 is the German luxury brand’s more discrete approach to the super saloon. Refreshed for the current model year, the S6 is a “sleeper” car with somewhat restrained styling. Not to be underestimated, the revised S6 packs an additional 30BHP, faster 0-100km/h acceleration and reduced fuel consumption.

A bona fide super saloon with devastatingly swift acceleration, seemingly boundless mid-range urge, sure-footed four-wheel drive road-holding and tidy buttoned down handling, the S6 is, however, a more relaxed and less intense vehicle than the glorious RS6. Instead, the S6 is a serenely quiet, smoothly supple and subtly sporty yet classy and business-like luxury executive that doesn’t attract unwanted attention.

Understated brute

Little changed, the still fresh-looking S6 — and entire A6 line — underwent a mild facelift for 2015. Subtle changes include sharper sills and front fascia, and a subtly reshaped version of its large hungry and dominant single-frame grille. The revised S6 also features angularly redesigned and more advanced full LED lights – replacing Xenon – to sharpen up its classy looks.

A wolf by any measure, the S6 may not quite wear sheep’s clothing but is certainly understated by super saloon standard and is more akin to a smart tailored wool suit. With little but its “S6” badging and quad tailpipes differentiating it from a standard A6 model with sporty S-line appearance package, Audi’s executive super saloon flies discretely under the radar. 

Chiselled and sculpted with an assertive face, flowing roofline arc, elegantly level waistline and unexaggerated body surfacing, the A6 cuts a classy figure and offers good visibility to easily place it on road and manoeuvre in tight confines. Offered with a choice including model-exclusive and paint and alloy wheels, the S6 looked striking in white, while huge 20-inch wheels lend it a powerful road presence. 

Effortless and efficient

Sitting low, just ahead of the front axle and driving all four wheels, the S6’ 4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine produces 444BHP throughout 5800-6400rpm and with tenacious off-the-line traction, rockets to 100km/h in 4.4 seconds. Smooth and refined, the S6’s engine has a discretely throaty bellow in “Dynamic” modes. Meanwhile, direct fuel injection, seamless 4-cylinder de-activation and a stop and go system allow restrained 9.2l/100km combine fuel efficiency.

Efficient yet effortlessly muscular, the S6’s mighty twin-turbo V8 features short gas flow paths and so spool up swiftly with almost imperceptible turbo lag from tick-over. Coming on boost early, the S6’s abundant 406lb/ft torque is on tap throughout a wide and arcing 1400-5700rpm band. Never found wanting, the S6’s generously ever-present twist force allows for brisk and versatile on-the-move acceleration for overtaking and underwriting a seamless transition to its wide power peak.

Responsive flexible and ever ready to pounce, the S6 deep reservoir or torque and powerfully punchy top-end allow it charge indefatigably swiftly up steep inclines and against wind resistance at speed towards an electronically governed 250km/h top speed. 

Meanwhile, a 7-speed dual clutch automated gearbox fires off cog changes smoothly and succinctly, and features a more responsive “Dynamic” mode and a steering wheel-mounted paddle-shift manual mode for more driver involvement.

Tenacious and tidy

Powering all wheels, the S6’ Quattro four-wheel-drive features a 60 per cent rear power bias for more eager handling. Meanwhile, the S6’ engine is mounted close to the front axle to lessen its somewhat nose-heavy configuration, and with direct steering, the S6 turns in tidily and curtly. Quick and precise, the S6’ steering is well weighted, refined accurate and reassuring at speed or through corners, if not very texturally nuanced. 

Driving through winding hill climb like it is on rails, the S6’s is ever faithful to cornering lines, with its’ centre and rear differentials able to reallocate power between front and rear and along the rear axle where it is best needed. With tenacious traction and all-weather road-holding, the S6 sticks to the road like glue. Pushed to its high limits, the S6’ instinct is for progressive, easily correctible under-steer.

Committed through corners, the S6 is best when attacking a corner rather than finessing it. Turning early into a corner’s apex to shift lateral weight transfer from its heavier front-end to the outside rear wheel, the S6 tightens its line of attack. And once a cornering line is chosen and the exit is within sight, one simply applies the throttle and the S6 tenaciously and faithfully follows through.

Class and comfort

With sophisticated multi-link suspension with adaptive air damping, the S6 is supple, smooth and fluent in “Comfort” mode and irons out even cobblestone roads. In “Dynamic” mode, its suspension becomes taut and handling poised, well-controlling the hefty 1895kg super saloon’s laterally weight transfer, and is buttoned down and settled on vertical rebound and at speed. The S6’ brakes and engine cooling were indefatigable through hot, high altitude and incline driving.

Superbly refined inside, the S6 features acoustic laminated glass and active noise cancellation. A model of classy, comfortable and accessibly automotive interiors, it features clean elegant but sporty designs, high quality materials and textures, and user-friendly controls and instrumentation.

Optional quilted leather sports seats and adjustable sports steering providing ideal seating, while visibility and space were good, but — like many competitors — rear headroom for tall passengers could be better still.

Highly well-kitted, the revised S6’s under the skin changes include an uprated infotainment system and telematics with faster processer, handwriting recognition, 8-inch screen and 4G mobile connectivity and Wifi. 

Extensive equipment available includes a semi-automated driver-assistance safety suite including parking, lane, blindspot assists, adaptive cruise control, night vision assistance and other systems, Infortainment equipment is similarly extensive and includes an optional Bang and Olufsen sound system.