2012 AUDI S6 4.0L TFSI Quattro 7AT (420 HP)

Vehicle Overview

While the RS6 was available only as a station wagon, the S6 remained the fastest production A6, and it was subtle enough to be overlooked but hardly overtaken.

Audi introduced the fourth generation of the A6 in 2011, and it took another year to prepare and get ready for the introduction of the S6 sedan. There were more modifications to make than just another set of wheels and a tuned engine. It was almost a completely different car, but with the same bodywork and platform. Audi changed the engine, the transmission, the suspension, and the interior.

Audi had a special package named S-line, which the customer could add on any less-powered version of the A6, while the S6 was the real deal. It sported silver door mirror caps and a red and gray logo on the massive, singleframe grille. On the sides, Audi installed V8T badges on the front fenders, while at the back, it installed an aluminum-like shield under the bumper, flanked by two twin elliptical pipes. On the trunk lid, the carmaker added a lip spoiler.

Inside, the S6 Avant featured an elegant yet sporty interior. Audi placed an S6 badge on the steering wheel and embroidered it on the seatbacks of the front seats. The same logo appeared on the instrument panel on the center TFT display between the tachometer and the speedometer. A few carbon-fiber trims adorned the door panels and the center console.

But the S6 was about what was under the bodywork. Audi installed a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 under the car’s hood. It paired it with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It sent the 420 hp to all corners via a Torsen center differential, not a Haldex system.