Audi S6 Avant: Driving impressions

4Car is reporting about their driving impressions with the Audi S6 Avant.

Which all seems at odds with what sits beneath the S6's sheetmetal - a 5.2-litre all-alloy V10 derived from the Lamborghini Gallardo, that's also put into service in the S8. Except its not the flame-throwing, blood-spitting maniac you expect it to be. At idle it sounds bassy and muted and at low urban speeds it never ventures beyond a very faint offbeat growl. It's only as the rev-counter needle swings towards 7,000rpm that a crisp wail filters into the cabin. And even then it's hardly exciting enough to seek out tunnels for an open-window aural treat.

It may be muted but the engine is a bit of a technical wonder. The advanced FSI direct injection 5.2- long-stroke litre V10 engine is fitted with continuously adjustable camshafts and twin engine management systems to produce 435bhp at 6,800rpm and 398lb-ft of torque at 3,000rpm. Flex that muscle and the S6 will hit 62mph in a mere 5.3seconds and not stop until it's electronically tagged at 155mph. That's Porsche 911 quick.

It sounds mean-spirited to describe the S6 as merely brisk, but so smooth and velvety is the power delivery that the S6 never feels cor blimey quick. You know you're moving at a fair old lick, but you'll need to glance down to the teardrop speedometer to realise just how quickly and relentlessly the S6 accumulates speed.

The engine's urbane demeanour is perfectly matched by the clean-shifting Tiptronic gearbox, which slips quickly and unobtrusively between its six gears. The gear ratios themselves are shorter and the change times quicker, so tapping the chrome gearshift paddles results in instant gear changes.

Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, Audi S6

Source: 4Car

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