AUDI S6 Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

When it comes to performance premium medium size vehicles, Audi is always on the podium with its very well known S6. This time, they did a different job, proposing a turbodiesel version for Europe and a gasoline one for the U.S. market. Yeah, we know the word diesels are for trucks. But trust us, you could love this kind of “truck”.

Spacious inside, with a kind of mean look on the outside, the S6 is what the Germans would call an “autobahn cruiser”. The kind of vehicle that some could set the adaptive cruise control on the highway at 155 MPH (250 kph) and keep it on the left lane.

The 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine is fed via a system comprising an electric supercharger and a turbocharger that boosts the maximum torque from as low as 2.500 rpm and keeps it up until 3.100 rpm. This might seem as a low torque range for a gasoline engine, but for a turbodiesel is more than enough. This flat curve torque sits at 700 Nm (516.3 lb-ft), helping the big sedan to stop the 0 to 62 mph (100 kph) timer in 5 seconds flat. To achieve this performance, Audi installed an electric supercharger that spins at around 70.000 rpm and compensates the air-flow when the turbocharger doesn't have enough air to spin. This set-up cuts the turbo-lag.

Audi engineers installed the Quattro all-wheel-drive system and also an all-wheel steering system. On top of that, the suspension is enhanced with an electronic adaptive system. Last but not least, as an option, it can be fitted with a sport differential for the rear axle.

For outside Europe, the S6 is offered with a twin-turbo V6-gasoline engine developing 450 HP and 600 Nm (442.5). This version is also fitted with the electric supercharger (EPC).

An Audi A6 with a more powerful engine? Well… not exactly.

The Audi S6 released in 2014 was one of the most refined sports sedans. Besides the powerful engine, the S6 came with other features that were not available with the regular sibling.

The S6 brought a new 7-speed automated manual transmission and an exclusive sport-tuned air suspension that enhanced the ride compared to the regular A6.

The midsize super sport sedan was available with a single trim that offered lots of modern and useful and sporty features.

The S6 ran on 19-inch wheels and was equipped with adaptive xenon headlights with LED running lights, a sport differential that transferred the power from one rear wheel to the other, a sunroof, front and rear parking sensors.

The driver could select the desired driving mode by adjusting the steering, the suspension and the transmission calibrations.

The luxury inside the cabin was given by the diamond-stitched leather upholstery, as well as increased comfort with the 8-way power heated front sport seats. Driver memory settings, a 4-zone automatic climate control, an 6-inch display and a rearview camera, along with a navigation system and bluetooth for the phone and media streaming were features to come standard with the S6.

Additional packages were available for the S6: Innovation package, Driver Assistance Package, Comfort seating package , Cold Weather package and the Black Optic package.

Stand-alone options were also available with 20-inch wheels, LED headlights, rear side airbags and a premium 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system.

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.

The 2008Audi S6 was more like a four-door Lamborghini than an Audi A6 with a big engine, transforming it into a sports sedan.

Audi owned the Lamborghini and tried to transfer some parts and technologies from one brand to another. That's why you may see some Audi parts inside a Gallardo. But while the German carmaker couldn't transfer a TDI into a Lamborghini, it took a different approach. It installed an Italian engine into an A6 sedan, and that's how the sportiest A6 was born.

Audi refreshed the A6 lineup in 2008 and introduced a bigger single-frame grille with silver rim and wider air-intakes in the lower apron. For the S6 version, the designers installed a supplementary lip-spoiler. From the sides, the silver caps on the door-mirrors revealed that the S6 was not one of its less-powered siblings. From the back, the four oval exhausts tried to remain subtle under the apron.

When Audi made the S6, it didn't think to install the same interior as on the rest of the range. It featured sport bucket seats with high bolstering on the sides. Inside the tachometer, the designers placed the S6 logo, which was embroiled at the bottom of the steering wheel. For the center console, a special carbon-fiber trim was applied.

Under the hood, there was a 5.2-liter V10 engine carried-over from the Lamborghini Gallardo. It offered slightly lower power than that since the S6 was a heavier vehicle, and there was more need for torque in the mid-range. The engine was paired as standard to a 6-speed automatic transmission that sent the power to all corners via a Torsen limited-slip differential.

The S6 was always a badge to be considered when talking about fast Audis, and the 2006 model was no exception from that rule. It was a supercar with a regular, taxi-like, bodywork.

When Audi bought the Lamborghini, the new management thought to do something more than selling steering wheels and buttons for the Italian sports-car company. So, they took the V10 engine from the Gallardo and installed it into an A6. And that's a part of how the Audi S6 was born.

From the outside, the Audi S6 was very similar in its look to a regular A6 turbodiesel, which was used by a lot of taxi-drivers in Germany, but with a different color. There was another difference on the front, where the S6 featured a big, single-frame silver grille. At the back, four oval exhausts were shown under the rear apron.

The interior was luxurious, with sport-bucket seats in the front and a comfortable bench seat in the back. The rest of the features found in a well-equipped Audi A6 were fitted as standard in the S6. But the magic was underneath the skin.

The 5.2-liter V10 engine was taken from the Gallardo and it developed 440 hp. It was mated to a specially developed 6-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox. It wasn't a double-clutch system, but a torque-converter based one. As usual for all the Audi S models, it featured an all-wheel-drive system with e Torsen center differential and a limited-slip differential in the back. As for the performances, the Audi gentleman agreement made with Mercedes-Benz and BMW forced them to limit the car to 250 kph (155 mph), which was enough for most of the world.

Following the launch of the second generation of the A6 sedan in 1997, Audi introduced the more powerful version S6 two years later. It was not only a badge on the trunk and a new set of wheels. It was a sedan that could run a heist.

The first generation of the Audi S6 was based on the C4 platform, which was the platform used for the last generation of the Audi 100. When it was launched, it featured a 2.2-liter turbocharged engine and it won many hearts around the world.

There were some differences between the sporty S6 and a regular A6. The light-alloy wheels had the design inspired by the Audi TT. The front fenders and the sills were slightly wider. The lowered and stiffened suspension was engineered especially for the S6. A dual exhaust with chromed tips in the back allowed was fitted as standard on the car. A badge on the grille and one in the back were completing the exterior differences.

Inside, the S6 featured high bolstered seats for the front passengers, which ensured better side support on cornering. A set of sport-bucket seats designed by Recaro was on the options list.

On the engineering side, the S6 was a completely different car than the rest of the A6 range. The all-wheel-drive system was tuned for performance, with Torsen center differential, and electronic differential locks both front and rear (EDL) managed by the Bosch ESP system. The engine was a 4.2-liter V8 with 340 hp, 40 more than the standard Audi A6 4.2-liter. The car was available with either a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed auto, with manual override for changing gears (Tiptronic).

In the mid-'90s, Audi started to rename its cars from the former 80, 100 or 200 into A4, A6 or A8. In 1994, the top performance model for the newly A6 range was named S6.

The first generation of the A6 was, actually, a facelift for the last generation of the Audi 100. It was already a modern car for its times, and one of the few vehicles on the market to offer permanent all-wheel-drive in a sedan. But the German car-maker pushed the things further and added a sport version: the S6.

There was the same base from the Audi 100, but there were plenty of upgrades to be done to the car. The S6 was available as a sedan or as a station-wagon. From the outside, there were minor changes when compared to the standard Audi A6 Only a few badges on the front grille and in the rear would tell the difference.

Inside, the car featured sport seats and leather upholstery. The standard features also included electronic climate control, on-board computer and a premium sound system. It offered enough room for the passengers, but the center tunnel needed for the all-wheel-drive transmission limited the leg-room for the passenger in the middle in the rear bench seat.

Under the hood, there was an inline-five engine, the same as the original Audi S1 rally-car. The turbocharged gasoline unit was replaced later with a naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 unit. While the 2.2-liter was available with a 6-speed manual (5-speed for the U.S. market) only, the V8 was fitted as standard with a four-speed automatic, and a 6-speed manual was offered as an option.