Insurance Group: 42
MPG: 29.4
CO2: 225
0-62 Mph: 4.6 secs
BHP: 414 BHP
Range: 485 miles
PROS: The Audi S6 is beautifully made, goes like stink and is good value for money compared to the more expensive but mechanically identical S7.
CONS: It's not as much fun to drive as you'd expect and it's very expensive.
The S6 is fitted with a 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine which develops 414bhp and 405lb-ft of torque. This translates into a 0-62mph time of 4.6 seconds and an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. Make no mistakes, this is a very fast car.
However, the driving experience leaves a little to be desired. The brakes feel mushy and the steering feels numb and disconnected. It's not a bad car to drive, but you get the sense that the S6 is more of a powerful motorway cruiser than a blistering B-road barnstormer. An M5 it ain't.
You'd be forgiven for mistaking the S6 for its less expensive and less powerful brother the A6. Despite its impressive credentials, the Audi doesn't shout itself from the rooftops. It’s a restrained car and this is part of its appeal.
Inside, it's business as usual; smooth, crisp lines and high-quality materials make the inside of the S6 a very comfortable and pleasant place to be.
Standard equipment includes alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric windows, rear parking sensors, leather seats, cruise control, sat-nav, Bluetooth and a CD player with MP3 connectivity. A rear seat entertainment system can be specified for £1050, an electric sunroof costs £950 and metallic paint will set you back £655.
There's an impressive amount of room inside the S6 and enough head- and leg-room even for taller rear passengers. The boot is also very spacious, offering 565-litres of space.
It should also be a very safe car too; Euro NCAP awarded the standard A6 its full five star rating thanks, in part, to the fitment of adaptive front airbags which sense how the far the driver is from the steering wheel and inflate accordingly.
Reliability should not be an issue -- Audi is famed for the quality and dependability of its cars and the S6 comes with a 3 year/60,000 mile warranty as standard.
At £53,995, the S6 is not cheap and costs over £7,000 more than the most expensive A6. On top of this, you'll struggle to top 30mpg and CO2 emissions of 225g/km ensure tax will be expensive, falling under VED band K.
Of course, these costs are to be expected; after all, the S6 is a performance car. However, we're not totally sold on its performance credentials. Sure it's fast, but we don't think the driving experience offered by the S6 is enough to justify its high price tag. In the real world, the S6's impressive power output is irrelevant anyway.
The Audi S6 offers fantastic performance and is built with the sort of attention to detail that you'd expect from Audi. However, it's not much fun to drive -- the steering and brakes are both devoi...
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