Sedan, estate and fastback models receive V6 diesel power and 48V mild hybrid tech.
Why diesel?
For the first time, Audi has given its S-badged cars diesel power for the A6 sedan (seen here in blue), A6 Avant estate (red) and A7 Sportback (grey).
Following the SQ5 and SQ7 SUVs, the new S6 and S7 highlights 350hp 3.0-litre diesel-turbo and 48V mild hybrid tech.
Transmission is via eight-speed torque-converter automatic and Quattro all-wheel drive.
While previous generations of the S6 and S7 relied solely on petrol power, people at Audi believe that diesel can attract another set of car enthusiasts needing highly tractable real-world punch.
BMW currently offers diesel and petrol choices in the M Performance models of the 5 Series (although neither is available in the Thai market at the moment).
Apart from the M550i, there’s the M550d highlighting 400hp and 760Nm of torque. It’s the most direct competitor for the four-door S6.
The Bimmer seems the quicker car…
That’s because it is. The M550d (with X-Drive all-wheel drive and eight-speed auto, too) is more powerful and quicker from 0-100kph. Timed at 5.0sec (5.1sec for S6 Avant and S7 Sportback), the S6 sedan is 0.6sec slower than this particular Bimmer.
However, Audi is keen to point out that the electric motor of the mild hybrid setup helps eradicate turbo lag by becoming active at 1,650rpm; the combustion engine delivers 700Nm of torque between 2,500-3,000rpm.
Audi says this helps make performance in the S6 and S7 highly responsive in real-world driving. Apparently, numbers are not always everything for this particular German luxury carmaker now.
To improve the driving characteristics of the S6 and S7, there’s a lowered suspension (20mm in the S6 and 10mm in the S7), four-wheel steering, torque-vectoring control (capable of selecting wheels and not just axles) and optional carbon disc brakes (measuring bigger in size at the rear, too).
Will there petrol power in the future?
Sources at Audi haven’t ruled this out. In fact, the SQ5 in Europe had both kinds of fuel power to choose from in previous-generation form (today’s model had only been redesigned last year).
The previous generation of the S6 had 450hp twin-turbo V8. In order to make a potentially petrol-powered S6 or S7 compatible with today’s emission requirements, electrification may come into play here, as well.
Apart from all these technical highlights, the new S6 and S7 receive the traditional styling upgrades like sportier exterior and interior trim, as well as the signature quad exhaust design.
But don’t expect the S6 and S7 to fall on the radar screen of the Thai Audi office. Aside from being priced on the wrong side of five million baht, their body styles aren’t that popular in Thailand with this kind of performance in mind.
