2013 Audi S6 4.0T Official Photos and Info - Auto Shows - News

Car enthusiasts are an impatient lot. No sooner had we first seen Audi’s all-new A6 than we and many “Audisti” worldwide began speculating about the S6 variant. We had a pretty good idea of what it would look like—Audi’s S models tend to be pretty conservative—and what it would have underhood. (We also tortured ourselves dreaming of the sedan’s inevitable accompanist, the not-for-the-U.S. S6 Avant.) Finally, as it unveils the 2013 S6 at the 2011 Frankfurt auto show, Audi has provided all the details, if not fulfilled our wagon dream.
Will It Be Quick? Ja!
Both S6 models (as well as the S7) are powered by Audi’s new twin-turbocharged, direct-injected 4.0-liter V-8, which produces 420 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, the latter from just 1400 rpm. That’s a little less horsepower and a little more torque than the 435 hp and 398 lb-ft produced by the detuned Lamborghini-sourced 5.2-liter V-10 in the previous S6. It is also a full 100 hp and 173 lb-ft down on the output of the same engine in the S8 that is also being introduced in Frankfurt. The S6’s dual-clutch transmission features seven forward ratios, which the driver can select manually via aluminum paddle shifters. Quattro all-wheel drive will again be standard, this time with an optional torque vectoring differential between the rear wheels.
At a relatively dainty 4177 pounds (4299 for the Avant), the 2013 S6 is roughly 300 pounds lighter than the outgoing car, and the new A6’s architecture achieves a more-optimal front/rear weight distribution to boot. We could never break the five-second mark to 60 mph in the outgoing S6—the best we managed was 5.4 seconds—but Audi says that the new one should be able to do the trick in 4.8 seconds.
In addition to being lighter and achieving max twist at lower revs, the V-8 is said to be a whopping 25 percent more fuel-efficient than the old V-10. This is thanks to cylinder deactivation, smaller individual cylinders, and the fact that, well, that there are two fewer of them. When all eight are lit, Audi boasts of a sonorous, carefully tuned engine note that we can’t wait to hear for ourselves.
We expect that the new S6 will not only be quicker in a straight line, but will be dynamically superior in part due to upgraded brakes and the standard Audi Drive Select system, which allows the customization of various chassis and powertrain settings. The ride height is dropped by 0.4 inch from the A6, but we don’t expect it to be as skateboard-stiff as the previous S6. Just how much smoother it is may depend on which of the seven available 19- or 20-inch wheel designs one chooses—or which ones Audi decides to offer in the U.S.
Subtle on the Outside, Sportier on the Inside
The 20s, of course, will probably look best, especially if the optional carbon-ceramic brakes are sitting behind them. Frankly, the exterior could use some added sass, as indistinguishable as it is from workaday A6s except in the most subtle of ways. The key differentiators up front are the double-bar slats in the grille and chrome spears bisecting the outboard intakes; in back, a lip spoiler sits on the trunk and the rear bumper accommodates the S-signature quad exhaust tips. The S6 will get two exclusive color choices: Estoril Blue and Prism Silver.
The interior contains a few subtle upgrades to add a measure of sportiness to the A6’s otherwise elegant furnishings, including aluminum shift paddles, metallic pedals and MMI controls, unique gauges, an aluminum shift lever, and a smattering of S6 badges. Audi says that all of the A6’s premium options will be offered on the S6 as well. Three styles of seats will be available, including two sport varieties, and the standard upholstery is a mix of leather and Alcantara. As for pricing, Audi hasn’t said yet. Expect that—as well as how much of this kit will be made available to Americans—to be revealed closer to the start of sales in fall of 2012.
The biggest question mark now surrounds just how well the new S6 drives, and that we hope to find out soon. Of course, we’re also looking forward to full details on the RS6—you see, we’re never satisfied.