Audi has
pressed the refresh button on its A6 range, so the muscle-bound S6 saloon and
Avant estate get the same (tiny) makeover as the regular saloon we reviewed a
couple of months ago.
The
grille now has twin bars running across it instead of single, thicker ones, and
the headlights, bumper and air inlets have been slightly reshaped.
Don some
X-ray specs and you’ll see adaptive air suspension set to 20mm lower than the
standard A6, while the brake callipers are now matte black, the rear diffuser
has an aluminium-look blade and the full-LED headlights are ever-so-slightly
slimmer.
The
wider changes to the base car have made it a better-looking platform for the S
— and in 2015, the RS — development teams to deal with.
Side
skirts that jut out more prominently, 19in twin-spoke alloy wheels and those
flashy headlights give it the kind of window shopping appeal that half of
Amsterdam could scarcely dream of.
But the
S6’s civility is stuffed deep down inside its bag of tricks and there’s no
getting rid of it. At first glance this could just be an S-line spec A6, and
its relative understatement is one of the qualities that help it to sell so
well.
In
finest fast Audi tradition you can choose an estate model as well as the
saloon. The wagon is a bit heavier, not that you’ll notice unless you take it
on a track day, but it’s prettier and as roomy as an empty shed.
The
question marks have to come further forward, in the passenger zone. With such
shapely seats and high-quality leathers cocooning you like royalty, the S6 is
better for luxuriating than it is for folding the seats down and throwing a
load of planks into. It’s just too well-appointed for that.
Turbocharging
a V8 gets you lots of things; power and speed being two. The S6 is as rapid as
the people who take used plates away at all-you-can-eat buffets, and it doesn’t
feel particularly like a turbocharged engine.
It pulls
harder and harder with a barrel-chested bellow as the revs rise, a lot like the
engines of S-car generations past.
Grip and
traction are beyond what you’d ever be able to exploit on the road. It’s
uncanny how it drags itself so violently but so steadily out of tight corners.
G-force has never been so unthreatening.
Most
roads simply aren’t big enough for the S6 to stretch its legs, but at normal speeds
it’s as stable as Ayres Rock. Sure, it’s firm over bumps on its huge (optional)
21in wheels, but if history has taught us anything it’s that Audi buyers don’t
tend to mind sacrificing ride quality for aesthetics.
The S6
is not a cheap car, and Audi kindly leaves a lot of the technology and luxury
that you’re likely to want on the options list, so the price will tot up
quicker than you think.
It’s
big, hugely capable and prestigious, but smaller premium-brand cars that will
do the job just as well could offer a much better-value alternative.
The S6
is a gentleman’s express; a large, powerful and long-legged car with the
ability to cross continents at speed without breaking a sweat. It’s not
particularly affordable or cheap to run, but it is very lovely.
If money
is no problem and the new looks light your fire more than ever, this is a solid
choice that won’t leave you disappointed.
This
story first appeared on wheels in January 2015
Specs and
rating
Model: S6
Engine:
4.0-litre V8 turbo
Transmission:
Seven-speed auto, AWD
Max
power: 444bhp @ 5,800rpm
Max
torque: 550Nm @ 6,400rpm
Top
speed: 250kph
0-100kph:
4.6sec
Length:
4,931mm
Width:
1,874mm
Height:
1,440mm
Wheelbase:
2,912mm
Weight:
1,970kg
On sale
:TBC
Price:
NA
Overall
rating: 8.5
Highs:
Performance, handling, well-appointed cabin
Lows:
Pricey options
THÔNG TIN THANH TOÁN & DỊCH VỤ:
- Tên tài khoản: Nguyễn Anh Tuấn
- Số tài khoản: 0501000058467
- Ngân hàng TMCP Ngoại thương Việt Nam (Vietcombank) - Chi nhánh Bắc Sài Gòn
- Hỗ trợ cài đặt: fb.com/kequaduongvodanh
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