The Audi S6 Will Very Politely Punch You Square in the Face

"Andrew Fails" (fails)
07/30/2015 at 00:07 • Filed to: Audi, S6, review, German, euro, luxury, quattro, v8, twin turno, Cannonball, VAG, ze germans

100

In my line of work, it’s easy to become jaded. The mind will eventually get used to anything, given enough exposure. This applies to everything from noise, to speed, to narcotics. Even the irreverent Dr. Hunter S Thompson got used to his own warped reality, in which the violence and substance abuse eventually became uneventful. I always enjoy my work, but at some point, the novelty wears off, and a job is a job is a job. “Oh, another 500 horsepower sedan? I suppose that will do.”

But every once in a while, something cuts through the fog, and leaves you staggered. A wild haymaker of a punch that swings past your defenses, and sends you reeling. The last car that did this was the Porsche Cayenne, which I’ve written about in a few !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Recently, I encountered another one: a 2014 Audi S6. Whereas the Cayenne surprised me by being better than I expected for an SUV, the S6 surprised me by just being an astounding car in general.

It’s not the most visceral car I’ve ever driven. Or the most powerful. Or the fastest. Or even the most expensive. In almost every quantifiable metric, it is not the best. Certainly a podium finisher, but never taking the gold. But every time I pulled back in from doing a lap of our urban test circuit, I wanted to go out for another run. That in and of itself speaks volumes. There are certain cars where everything just seems right. The S6 is one of these.

Of course, the one I was in was fully loaded with the Prestige package, and all the bells and whistles. I tend to not spend much time fiddling with all the gadgets and gizmos. How is the seat heater? It heats your seat. How are the massaging seats? Massagey. While these things are fantastic to have, no sane human being is going to have an opinion on one heated seat versus another. But if you do, then you’re a robot, and you make me uncomfortable.

Going off of the cars I tend to enjoy, I really shouldn’t enjoy the S6 this much. I like my cars small, nimble, and nervous. The Audi is large, heavy, and reserved. It weighs over two tons, and doesn’t have a manual transmission. These two facts alone should steer me away. But the car belies its size. In motion it feels much more poised than it should. Unless you look behind you, you could easily forget how large the car is. The steering is nice and direct, but not twitchy or darty. Compared to the CLS 63 AMG I drove after, the Audi felt much more direct. On center, the steering is a bit soft, but it turns in with confidence. The wheels feel actually connected to the steering wheel, as opposed to the vagueness of the CLS.

Once you are in motion, the S6 feels much smaller than it is. It’s a heavyweight boxer. A mass of muscle and force, but light on its feet. Everything feels solid, and well connected, even in comfort mode. There is no learning curve, or adjustment period with this car. It is gentle, and easy going, with no intimidation at all. You could easily forget about the 4.0 liter twin turbocharged V8 up front. It is effortless to just putter around town in.

Left in comfort mode, it is the retirement years of that boxer. Still large, still frighteningly powerful, but a bit slow to react, and a bit squishy in the middle. The aggression is still there, but tempered by time and bulk. Stomp the gas pedal to the floor, and the S6 takes a deep breath, squats back on its haunches, and then lets that uppercut fly.

Once the S6 gets its dander up, it keeps at it without a break. The big beast keeps pulling, and pulling. You sail forwards on a buttery smooth wave of torque. Mmm…torque butter. The V8 up front never seems strained, or stressed. There is just a seamless surge of power. In most cars, there is a point at which you start to lose momentum, as the force of the air pushes you back. This never happens in the Audi heavyweights. As long as you are at quasi-legal speeds, you will never run out of power. There is an utter lack of drama as well. No screaming exhaust or shrieking tires. The Quattro system ensures that the S6 just grips and goes.

There is a downside to the immense capabilities of this car. Because the S6 performs such feats without distress, it is easy to forget that you are pushing the limits of the laws of nature. There is in fact a limit to how fast a two ton brick can negotiate a bend, and woe be to you when you find what that limit is. This isn’t to say that the Audi is dangerous. Far from it, in fact. Just keep in mind that the car weighs more than you think it does, and that you are going much faster than you realize.

So, is the S6 perfect? Well, not quite. It is difficult to discuss what I dislike, as some of it is just inherent to the purpose of the vehicle. Sure, I generally prefer a bit more induction/exhaust noise, and a manual transmission would be great, but neither of those fit with the design of the car. It’s not designed to be a nimble, visceral sports car. It is built to be a subtle, comfortable touring car. It is designed to cover vast swaths of highway at exceptional speeds, while still remaining comfortable and discreet.

My one serious complaint is the transmission. Not the lack of a manual, I can live with that for what the car is. Not even the speed of it, as the shifts seem to be much quicker than some of the AMG transmissions I’ve used. That’s the difference between a true dual clutch, and a more traditional automatic. My issue is that even in manual mode, the Audi will shift at redline. I know this is a safety feature, to prevent damage. I know that, and I accept it, but it still frustrates me. If the computers can decide when I shift, it almost makes the whole manual selection pointless. Silly quibble, but there it is.

My only other critique is the selection knob for the Audi MMI system. The control knob seems to always go the reverse of the direction I feel it should. You scroll the knob counter-clockwise, which feels unnatural every time. I’m sure this is just a quirk that you get used to quickly, just like how everyone hated the BMW i-Drive, but now it is just accepted. Again if these are the complaints I have, I’m certainly scraping the bottom of the barrel for issues to find. “Oh, sure, it will do 0-60 in under four seconds, but I just really don’t like the infotainment selector knob.” How pedantic is that?

These quibbles are meaningless. For what it is, the S6 is astonishing. It is a car that urges you to carry positively obscene speeds at all times, all the while staying under the literal and figurative radar. If the U.S. Express or !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! were to ever rise up again in some fashion, I think the big Audi might be a perfect candidate for high speed trans-continental racing. Monstrous power, discreet styling, immense comfort, and plenty of room for electronic countermeasures.

Save me a spot at the Portafino Inn, wir kommen.

(Full disclosure, Pure Pursuit Automotive was gracious enough to let me spend some time with their car, so the least you can do is go check them out at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )

DISCUSSION (100)

Herr Quattro - Has a 4-Motion > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 00:23

...just imagine if they added an R in front of that S on the U.S. models ;)

RyanFrew > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 00:38

I see that, like the S63, you will continue to tease us with a lack of interior photos.

Kevin Barrett > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 04:48

Kinja'd!!!

Excuse me, old friend, I’m very sorry. I do greatly value your good opinion of me, and I always shall, but at this moment, my closed fist needs to be about three inches behind where your nose is now.

Andrew Fails > Herr Quattro - Has a 4-Motion
07/30/2015 at 10:20

A man can dream, can't he?

AmericanWhalingLeague > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 11:50

I don’t care about this car. I might in six years when I can buy it for the price of a new Camry.

Xkjacob > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 11:54

When taking a picture of an engine..

Take the engine cover off?

Take both pictures! I don’t care..

But the cover is just the cover.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Herr Quattro - Has a 4-Motion
07/30/2015 at 11:55

and put Avant after the 6.

EggSaladKing > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 11:59

I passed on buying an S6 last year because it seemed so disconnected compared to the E39 M5 and even the Cayenne Turbo I used to own. It was a solidly built car that I liked but did not love. The RS6, on the other hand, I’d probably love to death.

MatthewHokie03 > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:00

I know the frustration with the transmission. I’ve got a B8 S4 and I love it for almost every purpose, but when I took it on track it tricked me a couple times. I would have it up near redline and go to shift up for another gear, only that the computer had just done it for me and I had effectively just gone up two gears and lost all the power I had. It happened a couple times each session. Not the biggest issue but once it did it right when I was getting a point-by and I lost all momentum and felt like a jagoff not being able to pass until almost the next corner after getting pointed by.

ZweiDeutschesAutos > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:01

I want this but an Avant. God that would be an epic wagon.

Andrew Fails > EggSaladKing
07/30/2015 at 12:02

Oh, I agree. It’s not a direct car. I should dislike it, but the S6 and the S8 both just made me want to keep driving. Impressive engineering, but they don’t stir the soul. But in terms of sheer capability.... Wow.

CalBearsFan99 > AmericanWhalingLeague
07/30/2015 at 12:02

I was thinking the same thing as my next car with a “cheap” CarMax warranty.

dal20402 > AmericanWhalingLeague
07/30/2015 at 12:03

*the price of a new Camry in purchase price, and the price of a new Corolla in annual maintenance

Andrew Fails > ZweiDeutschesAutos
07/30/2015 at 12:04

If it had been an Avant, they would have needed to use a crowbar to get me out of it.

ComradeSlow > AmericanWhalingLeague
07/30/2015 at 12:04

But by then will the maintenance costs be up near the price of a six year old Camry?

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:04

This beauty shows up at my work every day. It’s got an aftermarket exhaust that makes the sound oh so much better.

Kinja'd!!!

FrankStallone > AmericanWhalingLeague
07/30/2015 at 12:05

Start saving for repairs now.

/VAG cars are bastions of reliability

Vin > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:05

Or import illegally ;-)

DoctorNine > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:06

Let me translate, for brevity:

Kinja'd!!!

Seatballs > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:09

Well written. You should give some instruction to Doug Demuro...

CaptainBoss > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:10

Audi owner here, and you get used to the MMI knob almost immediately if you’re using the car every day. I’ve driven an S7 and I concur with everything you said about the performance; for the size and weight of the car they’re astonishingly good.

Moarless > Herr Quattro - Has a 4-Motion
07/30/2015 at 12:12

At least we can get the RS7.

ZweiDeutschesAutos > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:19

I was just driving my E46 Touring and saw a 3.0T A6 Avant. Even that!

55_mercury > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:20

One look at the under-the-hood-shot reminds me of how fun it will be for future mechanics to remove all that plastic stuff to get to the innards when it starts having problems, which they do frequently as this is an Audi....

MatlabNinja > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:24

Great review. A lot of what you said also applies to the 3.0T supercharged A6. It does not feel like a 2 ton sedan either. Lots of torque in much of the rev range with smooth shifts that are quick enough that the power loss during shift is barely perceptible. It has the ZF 8 speed instead of the DCT, though it shifts fast enough that I had to go back to look it up when a friend asked me about it. Burying your foot in it will put you in triple digits well before the end of most highway ramps. It handles itself pretty well in the bends too. With the AWD, you can get back on the power much sooner than you think. The only time this car really shows its weight is if you are quickly braking down to a stop from speeds above 70 or so. You can almost feel the brakes cooking themselves, and it takes a lot longer to bring to a stop than the power and steering response lead you to believe. And yes, the backwards MMI knob is super irritating.

the_wheelerZ > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:25

My Dad had a C6 generation A6 a few years back. It was his Third A6 after owning a 2.8 then 2.7T C5.

He let me have it for a weekend once and I went to see a friend 2 hours or so away. I came back after that weekend really thinking that this was a nearly perfect car. It wasnt a sports car, but did everything exactly how I imagine it was designed for. I was really impressed with it. Im sure the new S6 is more of the same plus some.

NorthernCarGuy > Herr Quattro - Has a 4-Motion
07/30/2015 at 12:28

Or just get the RS7, if you don’t mind the hatch instead of a trunk lid.

Autohaus Derp > Kevin Barrett
07/30/2015 at 12:30

Excuse me, old friend, I’m very sorry. I do greatly value your good opinion of me, and I always shall, but at this moment, my headlights need to be about three inches inside your trunk right now.

Shivering Volvo Fox > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:31

Will torque butter make my cholesterol go up?

Duhduhduhduh12 > AmericanWhalingLeague
07/30/2015 at 12:31

I don’t know if you would want to even do that, the interior usually looks like garbage after 6 7 years and the maintenence when something over engineered shits the bed. I like audis but they’re kinda boring looking and you have to spend over 60kto get a car that isn’t a total turd speedwise. Any of the lower base engines and your car will be as slow as corolla. Unless it’s a tarted up model I don’t even know if I’d drive an audi

Four-ring-circus > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 12:35

Just to clarify was the test drive in a 2014 or 2015? The ‘15 is a slight refresh to the front and rear but more importantly bumps up the HP by another 30 I believe. Also, the ‘15 has a sport package that includes both a sport diff and even better a sport exhaust. The new ‘15 S6 and S7 sound amazing, especially for a turbo engine. I have the S7 in my sights when my A8 warranty is up next year.

Eddie Brannan > MatthewHokie03
07/30/2015 at 12:57

Not a car designed for the track. Would be nice if there was a mode in which this could be overridden though.

MatthewHokie03 > Eddie Brannan
07/30/2015 at 12:58

Yeah...definitely not designed for the track so it’s a mute point. Number one on the list of things to change for the car to run at the track would be brakes...they do not hold up at all.

Doug Nash > MatthewHokie03
07/30/2015 at 13:00

Ugh...it’s so hard for makers to get this just right. Audi and ZF get close. We have an SQ5, and while it might still take over at fuel-cutoff, it at least is extremely conservative on the other end, with downshifts. So, when I’m driving in “M” then I at least know that when I want to dump down a gear or two or three, it’ll be fine.

Conversely, we had a G37s with the horrible 7AT. It would never upshift, even at fuel cut, while in “M”. However, it would downshift extremely early in that mode. But not when I would want to, so more than half the time, it would drop a gear a fraction of a second before I would manually drop one, thus resulting in a two-gear drop and a horrific racket and unsettling slow down. Utter crap.

Maybe some day, some amazing inventor will create some kind of “manual” transmission, whereby the driver will perform all the shift duties...

AspenRS > MatthewHokie03
07/30/2015 at 13:02

I adored that transmission when I was just driving around town but I can see how it would be annoying in a more spirited setting. Granted I’ve only driven an S4 but I assume they have the same transmission? It had a Stasis exhaust on it and some other modifications so it made the most glorious noise every time I shifted. I was literally putting around downshifting every chance I could because of that exhaust.

Longwolf > MatthewHokie03
07/30/2015 at 13:04

That is why you should have chosen the manual, which is available on the S4. I have a manual S5, and it is quite the lovely transmission. Always brings me joy.

Longwolf > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 13:07

I will agree about the MMI knob seemly to be installed backwards. For the first 2 weeks that I owned my S5, it made no sense. Then my mind finally accepted it, and now it seems natural to me.

Andrew Fails > DoctorNine
07/30/2015 at 13:09

Sadly, this one sold pretty quickly, but I’m sure if you hit up the guys at www.purepursuitauto.com they’ll find you another.

Blahlalala > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 13:11

The 2016s with sport exhaust sounds much better.

Andrew Fails > the_wheelerZ
07/30/2015 at 13:13

That’s exactly how I feel about the fast Audis. They may be the perfect “all rounder” cars out there.

Andrew Fails > Shivering Volvo Fox
07/30/2015 at 13:14

No, but it may cause some leakage.

Andrew Fails > Four-ring-circus
07/30/2015 at 13:16

I'm 99% sure it was a 2014.

Andrew Fails > Longwolf
07/30/2015 at 13:17

That’s what I assumed, that eventually you just get used to it and the muscle memory sinks in.

Enoch > CaptainBoss
07/30/2015 at 13:20

Yeah, first week or two it’s very weird but you get used to it.

MatthewHokie03 > Longwolf
07/30/2015 at 13:21

Another thing that would have made that a good choice...it has a real handbrake right? The DSG comes with an electronic parking brake, which I found out makes swapping brake pads a huge pain and I had to buy a VAGCOM tool to even do it.

philphil > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 13:21

Kinja'd!!!

Dorky fake grille has Very Poorly Hidden Bumper disease.

phobos512 > NorthernCarGuy
07/30/2015 at 13:23

Except it's hideous...

Andrew Fails > Seatballs
07/30/2015 at 13:25

Hah, in my S63 article, I was accused of acting like Tovarisch. I’m not used to being compared to the Jalopnik heavyweights.

sdmikev > MatlabNinja
07/30/2015 at 13:26

A couple years ago I had a brand new A6 3.0T as a loaner for a few days - it was awesome. I couldn’t believe how nimble and powerful this pretty big car felt. It was like a luxury muscle car in every way. Very refined but around town, especially on an empty entrance ramp to the freeway - wicked fast. Loved it, would own one or this in a heartbeat.

Warlord of Crud > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 13:26

Power be damned. They should have kept the 5.2 V10 screamer. Instead, they are in the same twin turbo v8 boring category as Mercedes and BMW; but with much less reliability.

Four-ring-circus > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 13:31

My bad. Meant to reference the refresh as a 2016, not 2015. I saw the archived page for the dealer and yes it looks like your test drive was a ‘14. So your comment about subtle exhaust note might not hold for the new 2016! Watch this for an idea of the amazing exhaust and engine tuning that the new sport exhaust gives you.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LHbJz6…

paulcsce > MatthewHokie03
07/30/2015 at 13:43

APR has an S-Tronic tune now that will disable auto up-shift.
http://www.goapr.com/products/tcu_u…

The kick-down switch, which is responsible for an automatic downshift in manual mode, is enabled by default but can be disabled at the time of install. Likewise, the auto upshift that occurs near the new 7,200 RPM redline can also be disabled if the end user chooses, allowing the engine to bounce off the limiter like a manual transmission. For safety’s sake, the first to second auto upshift is always enabled.

MikeATX > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 13:44

The reason I’ve always loved the Audi performance line over BMWs and MBs, is the understated look of them. I’m long past the days of wanting my car to look flashy, but I still like to have serious power. I would definitely take the S6 over the M5 or E63 for that very reason alone. There’s nothing I love more than surprising the shit out of other drivers or passengers with a car like the S6 and it’s hidden prowess.

I do yearn for the RS6 though — what a dream that would be to have here Stateside.

afterace > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 13:46

I really need some sequential blinkers in my life.

Kinja'd!!!

Maxaxle > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 13:49

Kinja'd!!!

Rip off the plastic crap and take another pic.

jhar31 > dal20402
07/30/2015 at 13:57

This is down slightly from the V10 C6 S6, which costs the price of a new Camry to buy, however costs the price of a Lexus GS350 in yearly maintenance.

Sully > 55_mercury
07/30/2015 at 14:15

fun fact: That cover snaps into place, no tools needed ;)

Robert S. > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 14:21

A new RS6 Avant is never going to get released in the US is it.

The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!) > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 14:33

Kinja'd!!!

Pictured: something you never want to change the spark plugs on.

dmcspeedy > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 14:39

Kinja'd!!!

Remember when these had V10s?

detailer4u > Robert S.
07/30/2015 at 14:40

I have some good connects within Audi, and all the begging and pleading in the world has not worked yet. I don’t think it will happen anytime soon............. :-(

55_mercury > Sully
07/30/2015 at 14:41

Its still sort of silly to have such covers anyway. In fact my truck nor any of my cars have these and thus unlike mister lucky Audi owner I’ll be well into the job while he’s busy un-snappin’ that snazzy plastic cover that is so very useful for the proper operation of the car.

Maxuel > MatthewHokie03
07/30/2015 at 15:00

If you don’t mind loosing your power train warranty, you can flash your ECU and TCU. That’ll give you more power, faster shifts and many configuration for shifting points and auto shifting. goapr.com has great software.

Morello > 55_mercury
07/30/2015 at 15:17

The plastic stuff isn’t what they’re worried about. It’s that every part replacement requires complete engine removal.

sm82 > MatthewHokie03
07/30/2015 at 15:18

I have the B8 S4 in 6pd and love it...mentioned this a few times. I love getting about 500 rpms above redline, its one of the few “crazy” things I do.

Love the article and have been looking at a 2013 S8 and love hearing about the S6...maybe a little lighter and a few $ cheaper 2nd hand.

Oh, you get over the MMI knob in about a week.

MatthewHokie03 > sm82
07/30/2015 at 15:20

Nice...I asked another person this but he didn’t answer. Does the 6spd have a real parking brake. I found out after buying mine that the electronic parking brake makes swapping rear pads out a pain in the ass.

unquattro > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 15:50

You get slightly less interior space from it, but the V8 S5 (the B8 coupes up to 2012) with a manual sounds like exactly what you’re looking for. Awful fuel mileage and the 4.2L is direct injected, requiring a $$ cleaning every 30-50k miles, but everything else about the car makes for a perfect road trip/canyons/GT sort of car. It feels like a rocketship inside. I’ve transported four tires in it, 6 large suitcases and two people to the airport, trips up and down I5 and to Tahoe, Mulholland and Muir Woods, you name it. A short shift kit and the 034 transmission mount shim and you’re good to go.

No one ever fails to mention the speedometer hitting 60mph.. at about a quarter revolution. It’s plenty quick without the maintenance work of the RS5.

Oh yeah, and the backwards Audi knobs.

Bob Zuercher > Eddie Brannan
07/30/2015 at 15:50

There are companies that provide a DSG tune (APR, Unitronic) so there are options.

Kenny Baese > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 15:52

The control knob in my wife’s Q5 works the same way, and it drives me nuts. She’s completely used to it now, but I drive it rarely enough that I have to relearn how it works every single time.

Herr Quattro - Has a 4-Motion > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
07/30/2015 at 16:08

I wouldn't push our luck THAT far

infinitespecter > Robert S.
07/30/2015 at 16:18

So that Audi can steal 8 of the 12 customers MB has for the E63 Wagon each year?

DoctorNine > Andrew Fails
07/30/2015 at 16:42

I was being a little coy... Iron Fist, Velvet Glove, Lots-o-Cash

Andrew Fails > DoctorNine
07/30/2015 at 16:49

Well... Damn. I am not a clever man. That’s a better analogy than mine.

Longwolf > MatthewHokie03
07/30/2015 at 16:53

Agreed! Give me an normal old fashioned handbrake. I see NO reason to have an electronic hand brake. No reason. And having to use a VAG Com to change the rear brakes is just stupid. Yet almost all manufacturers are switching to electronic hand brakes. WHY????

MatthewHokie03 > Longwolf
07/30/2015 at 17:00

To make you come in to the dealership to swap pads and pay out of the ass?! Electronic parking brakes ad no functional value to the car.

sonderklasse > Warlord of Crud
07/30/2015 at 17:14

Twin turbo V8 = boring.....interesting.

Zaxxon > MatthewHokie03
07/30/2015 at 17:35

Mine is a beast on the track. A few key suspension and brake upgrades make all the difference in the world. I agree on the rev limiter issue on the DSG, but that will be taken care of when I do the APR tune after my warranty runs out.

Eddie Brannan > Bob Zuercher
07/30/2015 at 17:44

Yes of course, makes sense.

Warlord of Crud > sonderklasse
07/30/2015 at 18:31

Comparatively speaking: to a Twin turbo V12 (Mercedes) or a Lambo sourced V10 (Audi) or a Hybrid V8 (Lexus) or F1 derived V10 (BMW).......yes, boring. Sure the TT V8s have better emissions and power and torque, but; the delivery, feel, and sound are not why I would desire when I am shelling out north of 100K.

I am glad turbos are finally making a comeback, but I feel like they are being overused to boost dyno numbers and not driver feelings. There is an excellent article by Road and Track about how Ferrari is not happy they essentially have to start turbocharging future designs. Replace Ferrari with “high powered GT car” and that is where I stand.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/ne…

bob and john > 55_mercury
07/30/2015 at 18:36

it a single panel held in place by grommets. literaly a second to take it off

signintoburnerlol > The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!)
07/30/2015 at 20:25

Spark plugs are stupid easy on the 4.0...

beekayjay > Warlord of Crud
07/30/2015 at 22:27

It’s an incredible testament to how entitled and privileged we are as enthusiasts when a twin turbo V8 is rudely and bluntly dismissed as boring.

Robert S. > detailer4u
07/31/2015 at 04:30

Other than the godamn coilpack connectors the previous S6 avant has been a great car. Just need to pull the cluster out to fix some dead lines in the dashboard display, and replace the O2 sensors at this point. (Please oh please don’t need new cats)

Ltdrev > Andrew Fails
07/31/2015 at 06:37

Can’t wait to see this engine swapped in smaller Audi's!

TeriakSun > 55_mercury
07/31/2015 at 07:50

fun fact : audi s are pretty reliable.

AmericanWhalingLeague > AmericanWhalingLeague
07/31/2015 at 07:58

It looks like 14 of you got the joke, while six did not.

torque > Andrew Fails
07/31/2015 at 08:09

I liked the aging heavyweight boxer analogy, really nice post, definitely above average writing.

The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!) > signintoburnerlol
07/31/2015 at 08:20

Spark plugs are representative - that’s a crowded engine bay. I can’t imagine anything would be easy to get at in there.

Andrew Fails > torque
07/31/2015 at 08:56

Thank you! I’ll take “above average”.

REX2RS > The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!)
07/31/2015 at 10:05

TBF if you're buying this car, you also plan to pay someone to do it for you anyway.

Warlord of Crud > beekayjay
07/31/2015 at 10:37

I will agree with that. I will say however, it has taken me many years to get to this point including serving in the Navy (enlisted), having a 95% travel job working on wind turbines, a couple years selling cars, a 4yr degree, and now, a full time job at a software company. I know I am incredibly lucky to have spent time around some of the best engineered machines in history and even driven and owned a few of them.

When I call a TT V8 boring, I am comparing it to other (former) engines that are in the same class as it. Frankly, if someone handed me the keys to a new S6, I would be ecstatic.

beekayjay > Warlord of Crud
07/31/2015 at 13:54

We live in odd times where the ICE as a technology seems to be singing its swan song really really aggressively :-)

As a younger man, 300 horsepower was considered to be massive. I now run 315 in my tuned TTS with as much torque and it is considered today “spunky” at best. Today’s engines are ridiculous in the best way possible. The choice in performance cars is enormous and as consumers and enthusiasts we have an unprecedented capacity to be choosy and discriminating.

I didn’t mean to be snide in my comment to you as much as I wanted to underscore how mind-boggling it is that we have a twin turbo V8 in a relatively affordable road car to consider and judge. It still makes me reel a bit.

Warlord of Crud > beekayjay
07/31/2015 at 14:04

It is so amazing how far we have come just since the 90s! :)

beekayjay > Warlord of Crud
07/31/2015 at 14:15

Dude! We used to be in awe of the twin turbo Supra that made 320 hp! I couldn’t imagine anything more powerful at the price point of that car. 300 hp or more was the holy grail for tuners back then. And nowadays I am forced to consider another trip to the garage for more mods just to keep up with the Ford Focus RS. A BLOODY FOCUS. Not to mention there are regular people (albeit, crazy) driving around in Hellcats. My god.....

EggSaladKing > Andrew Fails
07/31/2015 at 15:00

Yup, they’re highly capable cars and I appreciate what they bring to the party. They’ve definitely made the other manufactures step up their games.

MatthewHokie03 > Zaxxon
08/03/2015 at 09:17

I’m ok with the suspension for now, but the brakes badly need an ugrade. Who decided single piston calipers would be good enough for the front brakes in this car? Not only did run through pads, but they were worn very unevenly.

Your car sounds awesome...Love the sound of the supercharger after the pulley upgrade.

sm82 > MatthewHokie03
08/04/2015 at 18:18

Nope...(sorry for the delayed response) electronic parking brake which feels so odd. A few other things like that make it a little too “techy” like the keyless start. I’ve been at a light a couple times and not been paying attention, stalled and then when I try to quickly restart forget my options are to push the key in (not turn) or hit the silver “start” button. Just different from other manuals I’ve owned in the past where you’re used to a key turn.

MatthewHokie03 > sm82
08/05/2015 at 09:02

Oh damn...that would be one of my main selling points for the manual. I had to buy a Rosstech dongle for about $300 just to change the rear brake pads by myself. I hate that car companies are constantly adding needless technology that doesn’t add any value and just makes things more complicated for the sake of complication. Might have to just start buying older cars again.

Andrew T. Maness > Andrew Fails
08/19/2015 at 12:58

This one punched me in the face and stole my girl. I didn’t care, it was worth it.

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madmax > Andrew Fails
09/30/2015 at 19:22

2016 S6. For those who want the RS6 performance, find your nearest APR tuner shop and buy the Stage 1 tune. $1500. 563hp, 625b-ft. Completely compatible with Stronic; designed not to overstress the clutch packs. Noticeable increase in thrust, particularly at triple digits. No change in smoothness. Even or even slightly better MPG, though you’ll probably wind up pushing it harder and end up even. Either way, 2016 S6 looks better up front and behind, and sounds way better.