2013 Audi S6 Reviews, Specs, and Pricing
Audi has a new mission for its S-series of performance cars: Instead of competing directly against high-enders like BMW##Q##s M-series, the S cars are aiming a bit lower.
So how well do the S6 and S7 fulfill their objectives? Not well, as it turns out — and that##Q##s a good thing.
For the second consecutive year, we##Q##re bellying up for a helping of Audi##Q##s alphanumeric soup.
To the “As” and “6s” and “7s” from the A6 3.0T and A7 models that made the list last year, we##Q##re happy to see a couple of hot “Ss” float to the top in 2013. For the S6 and S7, Audi takes the “A” models##Q## rich mix of virtues and turns it lethal, thanks in no small part to a 420-hp, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8.
Audi has had a car on this list for four of the last six years. Last year it was the mid-size A6, a beautiful luxury car with a high-tech engine that delivers great value-for-money.
This year it##Q##s the S6, hot-rod version of the same car, which packs a 420 horsepower twin-turbo V8 wallop and delivers a driving experience reminiscent of a first-year Best New Cars winner (and one of my all-time favorite cars), the Audi RS4.
In a recent comparison test, the S6 put the hurt on the vastly more powerful BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG. On the road, the S6 is an inexhaustible cannon, more cohesive and less fiddly than cars costing an additional $20,000.
The A7 didn##Q##t make last year##Q##s list because I didn##Q##t think the driving experience delivered on the promises made by the fastback styling, but this year the S7 joins the S6 on the podium — it##Q##s just as potent and a bit better in the corners than the S6. And with prices starting just under $73k for the S6 and $80k for the S7, these Audis are a bargain compared to the competition.
Audi##Q##s modus operandi for the non-S varieties is basically the same, minus 110 horsepower. Understated bodies cover stout structures into which Audi crafts beautiful and sensible interiors, without unnecessary complication. Combine that with an unflappable chassis, accurate steering, ample power, and a general sense of quality and you have an unbeatable luxury/sports-car range.
any people will compare the A6 and A7 to the BMW M5, but that car is in a different class. The M5 is a proper beast, with a twin-turbo V8 that bests the S6 and S7 by 400ccs, 140 hp, and 94 lb-ft of torque, all of which is fed to half the number of wheels. Set in its most aggressive performance mode, the M5 is a real handful — it will allow you to hurt yourself in ways that the S6 and S7 won##Q##t. It also costs nearly twenty grand more than the S6.
Price
The base price for the Audi S6 4.0 TFSI Prestige is $71,900, which is $39,365 more expensive than the average for all Sedan Cars.
Vehicle Type
This 4-Door Sedan seats 5 passengers. Available with AWD / 4×4, the drivetrain in the 2013 S6 4.0 TFSI Prestige sends power to the wheels through a standard 7-speed Automatic (with manual mode) transmission.
Gas Mileage
The Audi S6 4.0 TFSI Prestige achieves 17 MPG in the city, which is 15% lower than the average for all Sedan Cars, and 27 MPG on the highway, which is 6.9% lower than the average for all Sedan Cars.
Power & Torque
The S6 4.0 TFSI Prestige has a peak horsepower output of 420 HP, which is 75% more than the average for all Sedan Cars. Maximum torque available is 406 ft-lbs, which is 63.7% more than the average for all Sedan Cars.
