Test drive Audi S6 Avant: let the power be with you
Test Drive

Test drive Audi S6 Avant: let the power be with you

Test drive Audi S6 Avant: let the power be with you

A powerful sports model and a large all-rounder in one - how does it look in everyday life?

Die-hard fans will appreciate this Audi S6 because of the naturally aspirated V10 engine. Today, however, a V8 is under the hood, with turbochargers running between cylinder banks at high heat loads. As a station wagon model with a capacity of 450 hp. Can you cope with the daily stress of 100 km?

Whatever lies ahead, one thing is certain: a long night. A long night in the police barracks in Arad, on the Hungarian-Romanian border. Where is the green card to insure our Audi S6 Avant, a stern law enforcement officer asked. Well... We can't find the document at the moment. And so far, everything has been going so smoothly, especially the S6 itself with its 450-horsepower V8 engine. From the very beginning of the marathon tests, the biturbo unit towed an almost two-ton station wagon on business trips around Europe with a gentle bass. On highways, it rarely had to exceed a comfortable 3000 rpm, and half of its cylinders would often silently shut off. You can only see this if you call up the consumption data on the screen between the speedometer and tachometer - there is an indication that this method is active.

In such cases, consumption ranges from 10 to 11 l / 100 km, and at the end of the test we still reported a good for a similar power class and weight of 13,1 l / 100 km. However, compared to its diesel counterparts, the total cost per kilometer is quite high at 23,1 cents. And where does this sound come from, even with a restrained driving style - emotional, but never stressful? It is created artificially through the speakers in the exhaust system, but at least the imitation is perfect. Therefore, most colleagues prefer to choose a mode for personalization, tune the sound sharper, the steering system for sporty characteristics and leave the drive and chassis to act on their own. “A first-class long-distance car,” says editor Michael von Meidel, “fast, quiet and comfortable.” Colleague Jörn Thomas doesn't mind: "The S6 rides very well, it moves precisely and without jolts, the suspension works comfortably."

And the facts confirm this - both at the beginning and at the end of the marathon test, the S6 accelerates loudly to 100 km / h in almost the same time (4,5 / 4,6 s). And everything is going smoothly - really. Although: “Very quiet humming frequencies are heard from the driveway when maneuvering in a car park with the steering wheel fully turned,” notes editor Peter Wolkenstein in a test diary. Is this the Ackermann effect, which often occurs in sports cars, as a result of different steering angles of the front wheels? “The A6's quattro transmission has been tuned for optimal road dynamics and traction. For this reason, depending on the surface and the coefficient of friction, slight stresses can be felt when maneuvering in a car park at a large steering angle,” explains Audi.

Excellent suspension

There were other difficult moments as well. For example, the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission surprises on the one hand with its short shift times at full throttle, and on the other hand with the surprising jolts that accompany gear shifts in slow motion. Unlike the transmission, the chassis shifts more flexibly between comfort and performance: “The levels of the adaptive dampers are very well chosen and match perfectly with the air suspension,” says editor Heinrich Lingner. It practically does not matter whether the car will be equipped with 19-inch summer tires or 20-inch winter tires with matching rims. The size difference is due to Audi's test vehicle logistics, which only allow for wheels of the same size from the same performance class and up.

In addition, it should be noted that the ability to adjust the suspension is included as standard on the model; the only extra charge is a sports differential for variable torque distribution between the rear wheels – it helps the S6 confidently overcome even narrow winding roads in mountain passes. The car rarely understeers and most often negotiates corners in a steady, neutral manner. But even when the Audi model isn't so caught up and just cruising the back roads, the engine design clearly defines reaching extremely high temperatures. “The demand for cooling air seems to be extremely high, which is why the fan runs for a long time and is noisy after being stopped on site,” said Jochen Albic, head of testing. However, the unit performs well, and the replacement of the spark plugs after 58 km is included in the standard service program - and this alone costs 581 euros.

Much more annoying and costly was the search for the cause of the front axle rattling, where the service replaced the coaxial springs and shock absorbers, as well as the hydraulic supports of the driving beams in the amount of 3577,88 euros. The manufacturer swears that this was an isolated incident and the buyer won't pay anything. Readers' emails lead us to assume this is unlikely. And yes, the wheel bearing had to be replaced. It turns out another 608 euros.

A bit moody, but bright

The test car didn't suffer from the many electronics antics that some S6 owners complained about. Only the infotainment system has resented from time to time, registering familiar cell phones after a long wait or ignoring them altogether, and sometimes delaying route calculation. Despite the updates, these shortcomings persisted, however, the flawless operation of the driver assistance systems (cruise control with distance adjustment, gear shift assistant and lane keep assist) continued. Matrix LED lights illuminate even the darkest night, while the densely shaped seat upholstery provides good support for the driver and passengers.

Only the built-in and overly short head restraints of the optional S sports seats are no longer used – a strange design gimmick. So, the S6 made it to the Hungarian-Romanian border without any problems. To which he was threatened with a long stay - until they found green insurance. Someone was playing origami and folded it down to a very small size. The journey could continue.

This is how readers rate a powerful Audi

Our S6 Avant, delivered in January 2013, is the fifth Audi we drive. The power and build quality of the engine are on top, the average consumption is 11,5 l / 100 km. However, there were many defects, for example, in the gas line, in the AKF filter hose, thermostat and protective grill in the engine compartment, oil leakage from the transmission case, replacement of the compressed air cooler fluid pump. The driver failed to open the passenger door, the control lamps sometimes went out. In addition, annoying aerodynamic noises were observed (despite special equipment with insulating/soundproof glass) and often unpleasant braking, gas cuts at walking speed and occasional bumps when shifting gears. In a word - Audi, which will abandon the brand.

Thomas Schroeder, Nürtingen

The road holding and driving characteristics of my S6 Avant are excellent. With longer and more vigorous driving on the motorway (with four passengers and a full load), consumption of less than 10 l / 100 km can be achieved. On the topic of MMI - activating the system after starting the car sometimes takes a long time, but more often than not all functions (radio, rear view camera, etc.) are available after a short time. So far, the following problems have arisen: The control by the sensors on the back cover has stopped working, things have gone better with the adjustment of the sensor. Then he abandoned the adaptive speed control. Two days later, the indication of this defect disappeared, but remained in the system's memory. A week after starting the engine, all control lights came on, reporting numerous malfunctions. Finally, the message "Movement can continue" appeared. After the defect memory was read, we received a 36 page defect report. However, I would buy this car again.

Karl-Heinz Schefner, Yegeschine

I am currently driving my seventh S6 - the second of the current generation - and, as before, I believe that this is the best car on the market for me. However, running noise seems to be a problem across the entire series; in both my cars they appeared after about 20 km of run and could not be removed completely. However, the S000 is a great long-distance car overall. The sensational overclocking capabilities are great fun. In addition, a consumption of around 6 l/11,5 km according to the on-board computer – an average of 100 km per year on Swiss roads – is very good in terms of power.

Henrik Maas, Archeno

Advantages and disadvantages

+ Extremely powerful and smooth turbo V8

+ Interesting dynamic indicators

+ Emotional, pleasant sound

+ Low cost

+ Comfortable soft seats

+ Functional ergonomics

+ Quality materials

+ Impeccable workmanship

+ Successfully wide working range of adaptive dampers

+ Excellent lighting

+ Plenty of space for small items

+ Convenient cargo space

+ Efficient automatic air conditioning

– When driving slowly, the dual-clutch transmission sometimes shifts with jerks

– Tires scratch the asphalt when maneuvering

– Connecting a mobile phone is not always a problem

– The cooling fan runs for a long time and is noisy after the vehicle is stopped.

Advantages and disadvantages

The S6's strength is mainly in its strength. Everyone who has handled its three-spoke steering wheel was delighted with the incredible power and smoothness of the V8 engine. Only the dual-clutch transmission creates a feeling of insecurity, especially when driving slowly. But the materials, workmanship, and chassis setup are fantastic.

Conclusion

Power is incompatible with perfectionThe most frequently asked question at the beginning of the marathon test was - how will the V8 engine, whose "hot" side is inside between the cylinder banks, cope? Nobody doubted the excellent quality of the S6 itself. Indeed, after more than 100 kilometers, the fast wagon still looks fresh, perfect and impeccably made. The drive continues to provide impressive dynamic performance with acceptable fuel consumption, expressing difficult temperature management with long and noisy operation of the cooling fan after the vehicle has stopped. However, we were surprised by annoying chassis sounds and their costly removal, tires scraping on asphalt during parking maneuvers, and a mediocre infotainment system.

Text: Jens Drale

Photo: Achim Hartmann, Dino Eisele, Peter Wolkenstein, Jonas Grenier, Jens Kateman, Jens Drale, Jochen Albich

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