Lighter Audi S6 delivers energetic, luxurious ride
To paraphrase Lil Chris — “You don’t have to take your clothes off to have a good time!”
The Audi S6 takes the base A6 and adds some key hardware, including a high-output engine, better suspension, bigger brakes and a raft of gizmos. It takes the mortal and transforms it into something special, providing the most fun a driver can have with his clothes on.
Talking about clothes or in this case, the sheet metal the S6 wears — the 2013 S6’s body is 20 per cent aluminum, including sheet and cast aluminum components — it is lighter than the outgoing model. This and the adoption of a twin-turbo V8, which replaces the previous V10, delivers a ride that can only be described as energetic.
Yes, the new twin-turbo, 4.0-litre V8’s 420 horsepower is more than ample, but it is the torque figure that really makes this thing sing — 405 lb.-ft. of torque anywhere between 1,400 and 5,200 rpm. This gives the S6 a very fast tip-in response and an enviable turn of speed from rest to the sort of speed that sees the car impounded and me dining at the expense of Her Majesty.
Even when everything is set in the Comfort mode (more on this in a moment) it romps off the line with authority. The reason is simple: The horsepower peaks just 300 rpm after the torque and it keeps pulling through to 6,400 rpm. In the end, it gave this driver one seriously cheese-eating grin.
The new engine features cylinder deactivation, so when the revs and loads are low, it shuts down four of the eight cylinders. To compensate for the imbalance and harmonic vagaries this causes, there are active engine mounts and four microphones that listen for the change in tone quality. When the V8 goes into the fuel-saving fourcylinder mode, the system fires a counteracting sound through the audio equipment. It worked well enough that it is very hard to tell which mode the engine is in. A job well done!
The power is relayed to the road through Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system and a seven-speed twin-clutch transmission that features functional paddles regardless of the main shifter’s position (Drive, Sport or Manual).
The gearbox is a delight that sneaks through its gears seamlessly and like greased lightning.
The Quattro all-wheel drive system ensures the power is put down peerlessly. The system sends 40 per cent of the torque to the front wheels and the remainder to the rear. It can, however, send up to 70 per cent of torque to the front, 80 per cent to the rear or split the power evenly front-to-rear depending upon the conditions and how the S6 is being driven.
The system also puts Audi’s sport differential to very good use. It adds torque vectoring to the basic ability — the outside rear wheel gets more power, which turns the car into a corner with less steering input, greater precision and virtually no understeer. It adds up to a ride that responds to driver input with unerring accuracy.
Drive Select allows the driver to choose between Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual modes. Comfort relaxes everything, while Auto switches between Comfort and Dynamic. The latter sharpens the throttle response, the transmission holds its gears longer and it adds a rewarding growl to the exhaust note. Inside, the changes are as noteworthy. The 10-way power seats are supportive, the driving position just about perfect and the access to everything very easy thanks to the multimedia interface (MMI).
One of the defining touches, and one of the reasons Audi interiors are held in such high regard, proved to be the optional Beaufort oak accents ($500) — the trim resembles the deck of a finely crafted yacht.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the optional Bang & Olufsen sound system — 1,400-watts and 19 well-placed speakers say it all.
The S6 really is a capable ride that is full-on sports car and high-end luxury car at the same time. However, crank up the tone of the drive and it becomes a high-flying speedster with wonderful handling and tenacious grip.
Lil Chris must have taken one for a spin.