Following the turbo diesel versions of the Audi S6 and S7 that premiered in Europe this spring, a gasoline turbo version of the S6 has been announced for Asia, USA and Middle East regions.
As you probably remember, the previous generation shipped with a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine rated at 450 hp (336 kW) and 550 Nm (406 pound-feet) of torque, mated to an S-tronic Double Clutch gearbox. The new one gets an enhanced version of the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 mill jointly designed by Audi and Porsche. The same unit can be found on the latest RS4, RS5, Cayenne and Panamera, but there is a major difference. While the above four models rely solely on dual exhaust-powered turbochargers, the new S6 benefits from an added electrical supercharger. Volkswagen AG had previously only implemented this turbo setup in its high-end diesel models.
At 450 hp (336 kW) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft), the performance of the new unit is almost identical to that of its departing eight-cylinder predecessor. As an added bonus, the V6 revs up to maximum torque much earlier than the V8 did.
Both the gasoline and the diesel S6 come equipped with the same Quattro AWD system and limited-slip center differential. By default, the system sends 40% of the torque to the front axle and 60% to the rear axle, but you can override it to prioritize FWD (max. 70/30) or RWD (max. 15/85).
Active rear differential is available as an option. Customers in the USA also need to pay extra for adaptive suspension and four-wheel steering (The Europe version lists both under standard equipment).
The wheels can be 20 or 21 inches in diameter, and the standard sprint to 97 km/h (60 mph) still takes the same 4.4 seconds. The diesel-powered S6 lags behind just a little with 5.0 seconds.
The S7 Sportback will also begin shipping soon, unlike the S6 Avant, which the company may or may not greenlight into production. Apparently, the estate/wagon car body style is not popular in the target markets of the new S6.