The Audi S6 is the

performance A performance is an act of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment. It is also defined as the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an action, task, or function. Management science In the work place ...

variant of the

Audi A6 The Audi A6 is an executive car made by the German automaker Audi. Now in its fifth generation, the successor to the Audi 100 is manufactured in Neckarsulm, Germany, and is available in saloon and estate configurations, the latter marketed by Aud ...

, an

executive car Executive car is a British term for a large car which is equivalent to the European E-segment and American full-size classifications. Executive cars are larger than compact executive cars (and the non-luxury equivalent mid-size cars), and small ...

produced by German

automaker The automotive industry comprises a wide range of companies and organizations involved in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles. It is one of the world's largest industries by revenue (from 16 % such a ...

Audi Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. Th ...

. It went on sale in 1994, shortly after the "A6" designation was introduced, replacing the "

100 100 or one hundred (Roman numeral: C) is the natural number following 99 and preceding 101. In medieval contexts, it may be described as the short hundred or five score in order to differentiate the English and Germanic use of "hundred" to de ...

" nameplate. The original S6 was largely the same car as the outgoing, original Audi S4 (C4) (''Ur-S4''), with the only visible differences being new body-cladding and badging. In certain markets where the even-higher performance

RS6 The Audi RS 6 is a high-performance variant of the Audi A6 range, produced by the high-performance subsidiary company Audi Sport GmbH, for its parent company Audi AG, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, from 2002 onwards. The first and se ...

(which is also based on the A6) is not sold, the S6 is the most powerful A6 trim there. The S6, like all Audi "S" models, is fitted as standard with Audi's trademark quattro

four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

(4WD) system, the S6 using the

Torsen Torsen Torque-Sensing (full name Torsen traction) is a type of limited-slip differential used in automobiles. It was invented by American Vernon Gleasman and manufactured by the Gleason Corporation. Torsen is a portmanteau of Torque-Sensing. ''TO ...

-based permanent 4WD. __TOC__

C4 (''Typ'' 4A, 1994–1997)

Audi was restructuring their model lineup in early and mid-1990s, and in late 1994, began selling the fifth generation (C4)

Audi 100 The Audi 100 and Audi 200 (and sometimes called Audi 5000 in North America) are primarily mid-size/executive cars manufactured and marketed by the Audi division of the Volkswagen Group. The car was made from 1968 to 1997 across four generations (C ...

model, re-badged as the

. Wanting to keep a sports-saloon in their lineup, the company made small revisions to what was previously known as the

Audi S4 The Audi S4 is the high performance variant of Audi's compact executive car A4. The original Audi S4, built from 1991 until 1994, was a performance-oriented version of Audi's 100 saloon/sedan. All subsequent S4s since 1997 have been based on ...

, renaming it the Audi S6; the S4 name would eventually be re-used for a completely different model derived from Audi's smaller

Volkswagen Group B platform The Volkswagen Group B platform is a mid-size automobile platform from the Volkswagen Group. It has been used for saloon cars/sedans, estate cars/station wagon, and coupés - under the Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT and Škoda marques o ...

-based

Audi A4 The Audi A4 is a line of compact executive cars produced since 1994 by the German car manufacturer Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The A4 has been built in five generations and is based on the Volkswagen Group B platform. The first ...

. As this was the first S6 model from Audi, it is sometimes referred to as the ''Ur-S6'', derived from the German augmentive, "Ursprünglich" (meaning: original). It was available as both a saloon/sedan (''typ'' 4A5), and an "Avant" (''typ'' 4A9) ( estate/wagon) to European and United States customers, but only as a saloon in Canada, Asia and Australia. Audi's trademark "

procon-ten procon-ten (lower case initial ''"p"'') (an acronym for ''Programmed Contraction-Tension'') is a proprietary ''Safety Restraint System'' (SRS), used by German car manufacturer Audi from 1986 until the mid-1990s. Audi was one of the last German ...

" safety system was standard fitment.

C4 powertrain

From its launch in late 1994, the Audi S6 was powered by a

turbocharged In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...

inline five-cylinder

petrol engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends (such as ''E ...

(parts code prefix: 034, identification code: AAN) with a Bosch

Motronic Motronic is the trade name given to a range of digital engine control units developed by Robert Bosch GmbH (commonly known as Bosch) which combined control of fuel injection and ignition in a single unit. By controlling both major systems in a si ...

electronic

engine control unit An engine control unit (ECU), also commonly called an engine control module (ECM), is a type of electronic control unit that controls a series of actuators on an internal combustion engine to ensure optimal engine performance. It does this by re ...

(ECU), producing a motive

power Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power Power may a ...

output of at 5,900 rpm, and at around 1,950 rpm, whilst consuming high

octane Octane is a hydrocarbon and an alkane with the chemical formula , and the condensed structural formula . Octane has many structural isomers that differ by the amount and location of branching in the carbon chain. One of these isomers, 2,2,4-Tri ...

"Super Plus" 98RON unleaded petrol. This engine gave the S6 a top speed of , and a 0 to of 6.7 seconds; with being reached in 17.5 seconds. The vehicle was available with a standard six-speed

manual transmission A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission (mechanics), transmission ...

(five-speed only in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

) and with the four-plus-one-speed automatic (the fifth "gear" called a 'lockup' gear, what reduced the RPM by ~400 at highway speed with cruise control on) as well, with the Audi's dynamic

T-1 quattro permanent

system. Audi made a high-performance, 4.2-litre

V8 engine A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V8 engine was produced by the French Antoinette company in 1904, developed and us ...

(parts code prefix: 077, identification code: AEC) with a Bosch Motronic ECU available as an option in the original European S4s, and made the decision to continue to do so with the S6, making a version of the 4.2 available as an optional upgrade over the 2.2-litre inline five-cylinder turbo. Unlike the five-cylinder turbocharged version, the V8-powered S6 was supplied with a four-plus-one-speed

automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...

as standard, but kept the quattro four wheel drive. A six-speed manual gearbox was also available as an option.

C4 brakes, wheels and tyres

The C4 braking system included radially ventilated

disc brake A disc brake is a type of brake that uses the calipers to squeeze pairs of pads against a disc or a "rotor" to create friction. This action slows the rotation of a shaft, such as a vehicle axle, either to reduce its rotational speed or to hol ...

s front and rear; with diameter by thick discs, with two-piston floating Girling calipers bearing the interlocking four-ringed Audi logo, and four individual pads per caliper up front, and by discs with

Lucas Lucas or LUCAS may refer to: People * Lucas (surname) * Lucas (given name) Arts and entertainment * Luca Family Singers, also known as "lucas ligner en torsk" * ''Lucas'' (album) (2007), an album by Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities * ''L ...

single-piston sliding calipers at the rear. Bosch

Anti-lock Braking System An anti-lock braking system (ABS) is a safety anti-skid braking system used on aircraft and on land vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses. ABS operates by preventing the wheels from locking up during braking, thereby maintaini ...

(ABS) with EDS was also standard. Standard wheels were 7½Jx16 "Avus" cast aluminium alloy wheels with 205/55 R16 tyres. An optional 7½Jx16 five-arm alloy wheel, with 205/55 R16 tyres, an 8Jx16 five double-spoke alloy, an 8Jx17 10-spoke alloys "Bolero" were also available with 225/45 R17 tyres.

Audi S6 Plus

As a

swan song The swan song ( grc, κύκνειον ᾆσμα; la, carmen cygni) is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that swans sing a beautiful so ...

to the C4 platform, an even more powerful, and very limited-production Audi S6 Plus was briefly available to European customers. The S6 Plus, developed by Audi's wholly owned high performance subsidiary,

quattro GmbH Audi Sport GmbH, formerly known as quattro GmbH,Audi-Mediacente ...

, was available for sale during the 1997

model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...

only (production from June 1996 to October 1997). A total of 952 cars were produced – 855 Avant, and 97 saloons. It was powered by another version of the 32-valve (four valves per cylinder) 4.2-litre

(parts code prefix: 077, identification code: AHK, later to be seen in the

Audi S8 The Audi S8 is a full-size luxury car of the Audi S models produced by the German automaker Audi AG, manufactured by Audi Sport GmbH at the Neckarsulm plant. The S8 is the mechanically-upgraded, high-performance version of the Audi A8, fitted stan ...

as AKH). Audi's performance division reworked key parts of the

internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal combus ...

, increasing the motive

to . It was only available with a revised six-speed

(parts code prefix: 01E, identification code: DGU) (

gear ratio A gear train is a mechanical system formed by mounting gears on a frame so the teeth of the gears engage. Gear teeth are designed to ensure the pitch circles of engaging gears roll on each other without slipping, providing a smooth transmission ...

s - 1st: 3.500, 2nd: 1.889, 3rd: 1.320, 4th: 1.034, 5th: 0.857, 6th: 0.730), with a final drive ratio of 4.111. Further revisions were made to the suspension, brakes and wheels. The front brake discs were enlarged to in diameter by thick. Standard wheels were 8Jx17 6-spoke "Avus" cast aluminium alloy wheels with 255/40 R17 tyres on them, with an optional 7Jx16 alloy wheel for use with winter tyres was also available. With so much power on tap, the S6 Plus saloon could reach from a standstill in 5.6 seconds, with the Avant a tenth of a second slower at 5.7 seconds, making it comparable in terms of acceleration to vehicles like the

Porsche 944 Turbo The Porsche 944 is a sports car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Porsche from 1982 until 1991. A front-engine, rear-wheel drive mid-level model based on the 924 platform, the 944 was available in coupé or cabriolet body styles, wi ...

Hella ''Hella'' is an American slang term that originated in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is used as an intensifying adverb such as in "hella bad" or "hella good" and was eventually added to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' in 2002. It is possibl ...

xenon Xenon is a chemical element with the symbol Xe and atomic number 54. It is a dense, colorless, odorless noble gas found in Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts. Although generally unreactive, it can undergo a few chemical reactions such as the ...

high intensity discharge High-intensity discharge lamps (HID lamps) are a type of electrical gas-discharge lamp which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent fused quartz or fused alumina arc tub ...

(HID) headlamps (still with the C4s triple bulb design, only low beam) were available as serial equipment.

C5 (''Typ'' 4B, 1999–2003)

In late 1997, Audi introduced an all-new range of

models, based on the Volkswagen Group C5 platform. A new Audi S6, now officially known as the Audi S6 quattro appeared in 1999, to complement its A6 platform-mate. It was available in a four-

door A door is a hinged or otherwise movable barrier that allows ingress (entry) into and egress (exit) from an enclosure. The created opening in the wall is a ''doorway'' or ''portal''. A door's essential and primary purpose is to provide security b ...

saloon/sedan and a five-door Avant ( estate/wagon). In North America, the Avant bodystyle was the only version available. The vehicle could accelerate from standstill to in 5.7 seconds, and from 0 to in 21.7 seconds. The top speed was electronically governed to . This generation of S6 went out of production in 2003.

C5 powertrain

The engine was a new rubber-hydro mounted all-aluminium alloy 4.2-litre 40-valve (five valves per cylinder) 90° V8 (parts code: 077, identification codes: AQJ ept 99-May 1 ANK ept 00-onwards. It had

double overhead camshaft An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...

s on each

cylinder bank The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...

and

solenoid upright=1.20, An illustration of a solenoid upright=1.20, Magnetic field created by a seven-loop solenoid (cross-sectional view) described using field lines A solenoid () is a type of electromagnet formed by a helix, helical coil of wire whose ...

-operated

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...

two-stage variable intake manifold. It displaced , and was rated at at 6,600 rpm, producing of

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of th ...

at 3,400 rpm. It satisfied the European Union EU3 emissions standard, and was managed by a Bosch Motronic ME 7.1.1 electronic engine control unit (ECU) with manifold-sited sequential

fuel injection Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines. All comp ...

, mapped direct ignition with eight individual spark coils, Bosch longlife

spark plug A spark plug (sometimes, in British English, a sparking plug, and, colloquially, a plug) is a device for delivering electric current from an ignition system to the combustion chamber of a spark-ignition engine to ignite the compressed fuel/air ...

s, four heated

lambda Lambda (}, ''lám(b)da'') is the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiced alveolar lateral approximant . In the system of Greek numerals, lambda has a value of 30. Lambda is derived from the Phoenician Lamed . Lambda gave rise ...

sensors and two

catalytic converter A catalytic converter is an exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction. Catalytic converters are usually ...

s, cylinder-selective knock control and a Bosch "E-Gas"

drive by wire Drive by wire, DbW, by-wire, steer-by-wire, fly-by-wire or x-by-wire technology in the automotive or aviation industry is the use of electrical or electro-mechanical systems for performing vehicle functions traditionally achieved by mechanical link ...

throttle. The engine was cooled with the aid of two electric

cooling fans A fan is a powered machine used to create a flow of air. A fan consists of a rotating arrangement of vanes or blades, generally made of wood, plastic, or metal, which act on the air. The rotating assembly of blades and hub is known as an ''imp ...

, replacing the single

viscous The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to deformation at a given rate. For liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of "thickness": for example, syrup has a higher viscosity than water. Viscosity quantifies the inter ...

fan of earlier models. An oil-cooled six-speed

(parts code: 01E, identification code: EEY) was standard, with

s as follows: 1st: 3.500, 2nd: 1.889, 3rd: 1.320, 4th: 1.034, 5th: 0.857, 6th: 0.730; final drive: 4.111. An optional ZF 5HP24A five-speed

tiptronic The modern usage of the automotive term manumatic denotes an automatic transmission that allows the driver to select a specific gear, typically using paddle-shifters, steering wheel-mounted push-buttons, or "+" and "-" controls on the gear select ...

automatic transmission was also available (parts code: 01L, identification codes: EFN ept 99-May 1 FBD une 00-onwards with gear ratios as follows: 1st: 3.571, 2nd: 2.200, 3rd: 1.508, 4th: 1.000, 5th: 0.803; and final drive ratio: 2.909). The automatic included steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, and a "Dynamic Shift Program" (DSP) for improved gear selection based on driving conditions.(paddle shift optional)

T-1 based dynamic quattro permanent

was also standard. Both front and rear axles utilised " Electronic Differential Lock" (EDL), which is a function of the Bosch ESP 5.7 Electronic Stability Programme.

C5 suspension and steering

Compared to its A6 sibling, the suspension on the S6 was stiffened and lowered by , and utilised gas-pressurised

shock absorber A shock absorber or damper is a mechanical or hydraulic device designed to absorb and damp shock impulses. It does this by converting the kinetic energy of the shock into another form of energy (typically heat) which is then dissipated. Most sh ...

s. ZF rack and pinion "

servotronic A power steering is a mechanical device equipped on a motor vehicle that helps drivers steer the vehicle by reducing steering effort needed to turn the steering wheel, making it easier for the vehicle to turn or maneuver at lower speeds. Hydrauli ...

" speed-sensitive

power steering A power steering is a mechanical device equipped on a motor vehicle that helps drivers steer the vehicle by reducing steering effort needed to turn the steering wheel, making it easier for the vehicle to turn or maneuver at lower speeds. Hydraul ...

was standard.

C5 brakes, wheels and tyres

Brakes consisted of radially vented brake discs front and rear. The fronts are sized at diameter by thick, and are clamped by

HP2 two-piston

calipers A caliper (British spelling also calliper, or in plurale tantum sense a pair of calipers) is a device used to measure the dimensions of an object. Many types of calipers permit reading out a measurement on a ruled scale, a dial, or a digital dis ...

. At the rear, the discs are by , and use a Lucas single-piston sliding caliper. Bosch ESP 5.7 Electronic Stability Programme, with

(ABS),

Brake Assist Brake assist (BA or BAS) or emergency brake assist (EBA) is a term for an automobile braking technology that increases braking pressure in an emergency. The first application was developed jointly by Daimler-Benz and TRW/ LucasVarity. Research ...

, and

Electronic Brakeforce Distribution Electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD or EBFD) or electronic brakeforce limitation (EBL) is an automobile brake technology that automatically varies the amount of force applied to each of a vehicle's wheels, based on road conditions, speed, lo ...

(EBD) completed the brake system. Wheels are 8Jx17" cast alloy "Avus" 6-spoke alloy wheels, with 255/40 ZR17 tyres.

C5 body and interior

The body panels were largely based on the

4.2 model, with slightly flared wheel arches and door sills, with the bonnet (hood) and front wings being constructed from aluminium. Other features included S6 badging, bolstered seats (optional

Recaro Recaro Holding, as the parent company of the Recaro Group, owns the Recaro brand and the independently operating companies Recaro Aircraft Seating (aircraft seats) based in Schwäbisch Hall and Recaro eGaming (gaming seats) based in Stuttgart, Germ ...

seats), polished aluminium exterior door mirror housings, unique front grille, and rear bootlid/tailgate spoiler.

Audi RS 6 (C5)

A higher performance

Audi RS 6 The Audi RS 6 is a high-performance variant of the Audi A6 range, produced by the high-performance subsidiary company Audi Sport GmbH, for its parent company Audi AG, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, from 2002 onwards. The first and se ...

was also available from 2002 to 2004. It was built by Audi's high performance private subsidiary quattro GmbH. It used a

twin-turbo Twin-turbo (not to be confused with a twincharger setup, which is a combination of a supercharger and a turbocharger) refers to an engine in which two turbochargers work in tandem to compress the intake fuel/air mixture (or intake air, in the case ...

biturbo Twin-turbo (not to be confused with a twincharger setup, which is a combination of a supercharger and a turbocharger) refers to an engine in which two turbochargers work in tandem to compress the intake fuel/air mixture (or intake air, in the case ...

") version of the 4.2-litre V8 engine (identification code: BCY). Power output was at 5,700 to 6,400 rpm, and torque was from 1,950 to 5,600 rpm. The only transmission was a five-speed tiptronic automatic. Wheels and tyres were upgraded to , or (5/15 arm design), and there was the "

Dynamic Ride Control Dynamics (from Greek δυναμικός ''dynamikos'' "powerful", from δύναμις ''dynamis'' "power") or dynamic may refer to: Physics and engineering * Dynamics (mechanics) ** Aerodynamics, the study of the motion of air ** Analytical dyna ...

" (DRC) system available for the suspension, which featured diagonally interlinked shock absorbers to give better body control during extreme cornering, acceleration and braking. Compared to the standard S6, the suspension was lowered by . The brake discs were ventilated and upgraded to at the front and at the rear. It can accelerate from 0- in 4.6 seconds. 0- times are 16.6 seconds for the saloon and 16.8 seconds for the Avant.

C6 (''Typ'' 4F, 2006–2011)

The Audi S6 5.2 FSI quattro (''Typ'' 4F) was introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in January. The performance version of the C6 Audi A6, the S6 uses the Volkswagen Group C6 platform, and is available in saloon/sedan and Avant ( estate/wagon) bodystyles. Factory production started in June 2006. A facelifted version of the S6 was released in late 2008 for the 2009 model year. In 2010, the S6 gained Audi's third-generation MMI electronics controller and real-time traffic information.

C6 powertrain

The engine in the C6 S6 is an Odd firing all-aluminium alloy

Fuel Stratified Injection Gasoline direct injection (GDI), also known as petrol direct injection (PDI), is a mixture formation system for internal combustion engines that run on gasoline (petrol), where fuel is injected into the combustion chamber. This is distinct fro ...

(FSI) 40-valve (four valves per cylinder) 90°

V10 A V10 engine is a ten-cylinder piston engine where two banks of five cylinders are arranged in a V configuration around a common crankshaft. V10 engines are much less common than V8 and V12 engines. Several V10 diesel engines have been pr ...

(parts code: 07L, identification code: BXA). This engine is often referred to as a derivative of Lamborghini's 5.0-litre V10, but with longer stroke and wider bore to provide additional low end torque for use in the heavier sedan. The cylinder spacing is 90mm compared to 88mm for the Lamborghini engine. The V10 is based on the Audi 4.2-litre V8 engine. It produces at 6,800 rpm and of torque from 3,000 to 4,000 rpm. It uses twin chain-driven double overhead camshafts with

variable valve timing In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing (VVT) is the process of altering the timing of a valve lift event, and is often used to improve performance, fuel economy or emissions. It is increasingly being used in combination with varia ...

for both intake and exhaust valves. The engine is managed by a Bosch Motronic MED 9.1 electronic engine control unit (ECU), which controls the mapped direct ignition, ten individual spark coils,

common rail Common rail direct fuel injection is a direct fuel injection system built around a high-pressure (over ) fuel rail feeding solenoid valves, as opposed to a low-pressure fuel pump feeding unit injectors (or pump nozzles). High-pressure injection ...

cylinder-direct sequential multi-point fuel injection, and drive-by-wire throttle. A ZF 6HP26 six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission (parts code: 09E, identification codes: JBW, JMS, KHD, JLL) (

s - 1st: 4.171, 2nd: 2.340, 3rd: 1.521, 4th: 1.143, 5th: 0.867, 6th: 0.691), with steering wheel-mounted "paddle-shifters" is the only transmission available.

-based quattro permanent four-wheel drive - initially with the T-1 symmetrical differential, and from 2007

with the latest 40:60 front:rear asymmetric/dynamic Torsen T-3 differential, is standard. The final drive ratio is 3.801. Traction is assisted "Electronic Differential Lock" (EDL) and "Anti-Slip Regulation" (ASR) (commonly known as

traction control system A traction control system (TCS), also known as ASR (from german: Antriebsschlupfregelung, lit=drive slippage regulation), is typically (but not necessarily) a secondary function of the electronic stability control (ESC) on production motor vehicle ...

) - both functions of the Bosch ESP 8.0 Electronic Stability Programme. The same engine is used in the latest Audi D3 S8, but in a higher state of tune where it develops , as the S6 is not to be positioned above the S8 in output. With the discontinuation of the S8 5.2 FSI after the 2009 model year and the RS 6 5.0 TFSI in late 2010, the S6 5.2 FSI and R8 5.2 FSI were the remaining Audi vehicles that have V10 engines. The S6 5.2 FSI was discontinued after the 2011 model year, shortly before the release of the 2012 Audi A6 (C7). For the sprint from rest to , the S6 saloon takes 5.2 seconds, with the quarter mile passing in 13.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to . However a test by Edmunds found that the S6 takes 5.7-seconds to reach , a full second or so behind the

BMW M5 The BMW M5 is a high performance variant of the BMW 5 Series marketed under the BMW M sub-brand. It is considered an iconic vehicle in the sports sedan category. The majority of M5s have been produced in the sedan (saloon) body style, but in so ...

and

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a range of executive cars manufactured by German automaker Mercedes-Benz in various engine and body configurations. Produced since 1953, the E-Class falls midrange in the Mercedes line-up, and has been marketed worldwi ...

(which are the S6's closest competitors in North America, since the RS6 is not sold there), and that the 2009 Audi A6 3.0 TFSI (a supercharged 3.0L V6) has almost equivalent performance to the S6 5.2 FSI. Yet, in a 2007 track test b
''Road & Track''
the C6 S6 went from in 5.1 seconds, while it covered the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds. Despite its heft at 4,500 pounds, the S6 has quick reflexes and agility, with the assistance of Audi's quattro system.

C6 brakes, wheels and tyres

The brakes consist of radially ventilated discs front and rear. The fronts are sized at in diameter by thick, and are clamped by gloss black painted Continental Teves two-piston sliding calipers. The rear discs are by thick, and use gloss black Girling- TRW single piston sliding calipers with an integrated electro-mechanical parking brake. A Bosch ESP 8.0 Electronic Stability Programme, with

(ABS),

, and

(EBD) completed the brake system. Standard

alloy wheel In the automotive industry, alloy wheels are wheels that are made from an alloy of aluminium or magnesium. Alloys are mixtures of a metal and other elements. They generally provide greater strength over pure metals, which are usually much softe ...

s consist of 9Jx19" cast aluminium alloy "5-arm wing design", shod with

Continental Continental may refer to: Places * Continent, the major landmasses of Earth * Continental, Arizona, a small community in Pima County, Arizona, US * Continental, Ohio, a small town in Putnam County, US Arts and entertainment * ''Continental'' (al ...

SportContact2 265/35 ZR19

tyres A tire (American English) or tyre (British English) is a ring-shaped component that surrounds a Rim (wheel), wheel's rim to transfer a vehicle's load from the axle through the wheel to the ground and to provide Traction (engineering), t ...

. An optional 8½Jx18" cast alloy "S design" with 255/40 ZR18 tyres (either Continental SportContact2 or

Bridgestone is a Japanese multinational tire manufacturer founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi (1889–1976) in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of , meaning 'stone bridge' in Japan ...

Potenza RE050A) are also available. A direct-acting

Tyre Pressure Monitoring System A tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) monitors the air pressure inside the pneumatic tires on vehicles. A TPMS reports real-time tire-pressure information to the driver, using either a gauge, a pictogram display, or a simple low-pressure w ...

(TPMS) is also standard.

C6 other features

The S6 features two rows of five distinctive

LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor Electronics, device that Light#Light sources, emits light when Electric current, current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy i ...

daytime running lamp A daytime running lamp (DRL, also daytime running light) is an automotive lighting and bicycle lighting device on the front of a roadgoing motor vehicle or bicycle, automatically switched on when the vehicle's handbrake has been pulled down, wh ...

s (DRLs) along each side of the front bumper air intakes which indicates the 10-cylinder engine as a point of differentiation from other A6 models.

Bi-Xenon A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for ...

high-intensity discharge High-intensity discharge lamps (HID lamps) are a type of electrical gas-discharge lamp which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent fused quartz or fused alumina arc tu ...

(HID)

adaptive headlights A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for ...

which swivel around corners complement the LED DRLs. The S6 Was given to MTM Motoren Technik Mayer producing a very limited test number of Audi S6 V10 in 2006 to 2007 this Program was discontinued. The company moved over to the RS6 in producing a more powerful Audi.

Audi RS 6 (C6)

As with the previous generation, this C6 platform also generated an RS 6 version available for the model years 2008 to 2010, again developed and produced by quattro GmbH. This version of the RS6 included a 5.0-litre () 90° V10

charged ("biturbo"), Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) V10 engine, which produced and . Available in both Avant and saloon bodystyles, it was Audi's single most powerful car. Official performance figures for acceleration from 0- are 4.6 seconds for the Avant and 4.5 seconds for the saloon.

C7 (''Typ'' 4G, 2012–2018)

The Audi S6 4.0 TFSI quattro and its mechanical twin S7 were launched as a 2013 models, a year after the C7 Audi A6 and

Audi A7 The Audi A7 is an executive luxury four-door coupé produced by Audi since 2010. A five-door liftback (also available as a three-box, four-door saloon in China since 2021), it features a sloping roofline with a steeply raked rear window and inte ...

were released. The Audi S6 and S7 are powered by a 4.0L DOHC twin-turbo V8 engine mated to a 7-speed S-tronic Double Clutch Gearbox. This engine makes and of torque, plus there is a cylinder-on-demand system and a stop-start system for improved fuel economy. This was later upgraded to for 2016. The 2013 Audi A8 shares the same engine, while the 2012

has a variant of the powerplant in a higher state of tune making and of torque, both mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Higher output versions of this 4.0L DOHC twin-turbo V8 engine are found in the 2013 Audi RS6, 2013 Audi RS7, and 2016 Audi S8 Plus. The V8 performance option for the regular Audi A6, found in the 2004-11 Audi A6 4.2 FSI, has been discontinued and the S6 takes over as the engine upgrad

The S6 now compares more closely with the BMW 5 Series (F10), BMW 550i

and

Mercedes-Benz E550 The Mercedes-Benz W211 is the third generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class made from 2002 to 2009 in sedan/saloon and station wagon/estate configurations – replacing the W210 E-Class models and superseded by the Mercedes-Benz W212 in 2009. The C219 ...

, which also use twin-turbo V8 engines and have available all-wheel drive. The BMW with , and the E550 with . (The 2013 BMW 550i xDrive starts at US$65,595 while the 2013 Audi S6 has an MRSP of US$72,795). UK sales began in May, with a starting price of £53,995 for the saloon, and £56,050 for the Avant. File:Silver Audi S6 C7 fl IAA 2011.jpg, Audi S6 (C7) Front File:Silver Audi S6 C7 rr IAA 2011.jpg, Audi S6 (C7) Rear File:2014 Audi S6 Avant C7 Typ 4G V8 4.0 TFSI S tronic quattro Facelift Cockpit Interieur Innenraum Arrasrot.jpg, Interior File:2014 Audi S6 Avant C7 Typ 4G V8 4.0 TFSI S tronic quattro Facelift Motorraum.jpg, Engine bay File:2013 Audi S6 (8404415948).jpg, S6 with

Adaptive cruise control Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is an available cruise control Advanced driver-assistance systems, advanced driver-assistance system for road vehicles that automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles ahead. As ...

radars File:Audi S6 Avant (C7) – Heckansicht, 7. September 2013, Münster.jpg, Audi S6 Avant (C7)

C7.5 (2015 facelift)

Audi unveiled the 2015 S6 facelift in November 2014. Changes include: * Styling tweaks to the car's exterior, engine line-up, transmission. * Latest

Multi Media Interface The Multi Media Interface (MMI) system is an in-car user interface media system developed by Audi, and was launched at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show on the Audi Avantissimo concept car. Production MMI was introduced in the second generation Audi A8 ...

modular infotainment platform The Multi Media Interface (MMI) system is an in-car user interface media system developed by Audi, and was launched at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show on the Audi Avantissimo concept car. Production MMI was introduced in the second generation Audi A8 ...

(faster

Nvidia Nvidia CorporationOfficially written as NVIDIA and stylized in its logo as VIDIA with the lowercase "n" the same height as the uppercase "VIDIA"; formerly stylized as VIDIA with a large italicized lowercase "n" on products from the mid 1990s to ...

Tegra 3 Tegra is a system on a chip (SoC) series developed by Nvidia for mobile devices such as smartphones, personal digital assistants, and mobile Internet devices. The Tegra integrates an ARM architecture central processing unit (CPU), graphics proc ...

processor, improved graphics) including

handwriting recognition Handwriting recognition (HWR), also known as handwritten text recognition (HTR), is the ability of a computer to receive and interpret intelligible handwritten input from sources such as paper documents, photographs, touch-screens and other dev ...

. * Audi connect

telematics Telematics is an interdisciplinary field encompassing telecommunications, vehicular technologies ( road transport, road safety, etc.), electrical engineering (sensors, instrumentation, wireless communications, etc.), and computer science (multimedi ...

with 4G

mobile internet The mobile web refers to mobile browser-based World Wide Web services accessed from handheld mobile devices, such as smartphones or feature phones, through a mobile or other wireless network. History and development Traditionally, the World ...

(and mobile updates for the navigation map). * Adaptive glare-free

Matrix LED A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for ...

headlights. * Improved Night Vision Assistant can now recognize animals. * Both TFSI and all three TDI engines now meet the

Euro 6 The European emission standards are vehicle emission standards for pollution from the use of new land surface vehicles sold in the European Union and EEA member states and the UK, and ships in EU waters. The standards are defined in a seri ...

emission standard.

C8 (''Typ'' 4K, 2019–)

The Audi S6 C8 is powered by a 2.9 litre twin-turbo TFSI gasoline engine, producing and of torque, allowing the car to reach 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. The engine is boosted by a 48V belt alternator/starter mild-

hybrid system A hybrid system is a dynamical system that exhibits both continuous and discrete dynamic behavior – a system that can both ''flow'' (described by a differential equation) and ''jump'' (described by a state machine or automaton). Often, the te ...

, which can recover up to 9.4 bhp (7 kW). The engine also utilises a cylinder-on-demand system that can shut off half of its cylinders to boost fuel economy. European models went on sale in summer 2019 and feature a 3.0 litre turbo-diesel V6 producing and of torque, accelerating the car to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. The car has a drag coefficient of 0.29. File:Audi S6 C8 at IAA 2019 IMG 0305.jpg, Audi S6 front File:Audi S6 C8 at IAA 2019 IMG 0302.jpg, Audi S6 rear File:Audi S6 Avant Monrepos 2019 IMG 1874.jpg, Audi S6 Avant front File:Audi S6 Avant Monrepos 2019 IMG 1881.jpg, Audi S6 Avant rear

References

External links

Audi UK S6 official websiteAudi S6 Avant dimensions
{{Audi vehicles timeline (North America) Cars introduced in 1994 2000s cars 2010s cars S6 All-wheel-drive vehicles Euro NCAP executive cars Executive cars Mid-size cars Sports sedans Station wagons