It’s the latest in a long line of fast, four-wheel-drive A6s that stretch back to the early '90s, and like its processors this new version is offered in both saloon and Avant estate forms.
What’s the 2012 Audi S6 like to drive?
It doesn’t look much different from a regular A6, but the S6 can rocket to 62mph as quickly as Audi’s R8 supercar. It’s all down to a new twin-turbocharged 4.0 V8 petrol engine, which dishes out a massive 414bhp.
In a straight line, then, the new S6 not only embarrasses similarly priced rivals, such as the BMW 550i, it can even outpace proper high-performance saloons, including the Jaguar XFR. Whatever the revs, whatever your speed, a prod of the throttle is all it takes to send you blasting towards the horizon.
The bad news is that the S6 doesn’t like corners as much as straight lines. Select the sportiest ‘dynamic’ settings from the Drive Select menu and body control is remarkably good for such a large car. However, the big Audi isn’t much fun, because the steering feels artificially weighted and the brake pedal is decidedly mushy.
The S6 is a fine cruiser, though. An intelligent Active Noise Cancellation system works in much the same way as noise-cancelling headphones, by suppressing unwanted external noise, keeping the cabin hushed even at motorway speeds. The high-speed ride is also comfortable, so long as you choose the ‘comfort’ suspension setting from the Drive Select menu.
To help keep fuel consumption reasonable (for a V8), the S6 has a clever function called Cylinder on Demand. This shuts off four of the eight cylinders when cruising to improve efficiency, helping achieve a very respectable average of 29.4 mpg and CO2 emissions of 225g/km.
What’s the 2012 Audi S6 like inside?
Little different from a regular A6, really, but that's the point of the S6. A big part of its appeal is that it can deliver Porsche performance in a package that’s as practical and understated as a run-of-the-mill executive saloon. Besides, the A6 has one of the finest cabins in the class, so it hardly needed sprucing up.
Choose the saloon version and you’ll get a vast, airy cabin with loads of head- and legroom in the front and back. The boot is slightly larger than a BMW 5 Series’ and split/folding rear seats come as standard.
The Avant estate version has a bigger boot than a 5 Series Touring, but trails the Mercedes E-Class Estate for outright space.
Whichever body shape you choose, you’ll get heaps of standard equipment, including sat-nav, air suspension, xenon headlights, 19-inch alloys and four-zone climate control.
Want to splash even more cash? You can add ceramic brakes, a 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system and an upgraded version of Audi's MMI infotainment system, which can sync with your mobile phone to create a wi-fi hotspot inside the car.
Should I buy one?
It might look rather plain compared with the sleek and sexy S7, but the new S6 is virtually identical mechanically and is £8000 cheaper to buy. Consider that alone and the S6 looks decent value for money.
However, since the S6 isn’t all that rewarding to drive, we can’t help thinking you’d be better off saving a fortune and instead choosing a well-specced V6 diesel version. You’ll get the same superb-quality cabin and still enjoy impressive real-world performance.
