Audi recently unleashed a whole new generation of performance S-cars at the Hampton Downs race track. It was an invitation we couldn’t say no to…
What are they?
The S versions of Audis have traditionally been strong sellers in New Zealand, so it should come as no surprise that when they become available, Audi NZ is keen to get them here.
And so it is that the company chose to launch not one, but three new S-cars at the same time – the mechanically identical S6 and S7 Sportback, as well as the Big Daddy of the S-car line up, the S8.
The S6 comes in two guises – sedan and wagon, or Avant in Audi-speak – while the S7 is available only in Sportback – or five-door hatch – form. The S8, unsurprisingly, is only available in sedan form, because that is all the A8 comes in…
Under the bonnet, all three share the same 4.0-litre, twin-turbo petrol V8 engine that replaces the V10 in Audi’s line up. In the S6 and S7 it pumps out an impressive 309kW of power and 550Nm of torque and is hooked up to a seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic transmission, while in the S8 the wick is wound up to a massive 382kW and 650Nm, driven through an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission.
All cars come standard with Audi’s quattro AWD system and trick rear sports differential to ensure maximum anger is distributed to the road at all times.
Audi claims the S6 sedan will sprint from a standing start to the legal limit in 4.6 seconds, while the Avant and S7 will do it in 4.7 seconds. The S8, however, will knock it over in 4.2 seconds. For those of you not paying attention, that makes the S8 quicker than the original Audi R8 V8 and only half a second slower than the V10…
All the while, being far more economical than the cars they replace. Audi claims 9.6L/100km for the S6 sedan and S7, while the S6 Avant will drink 9.7L/100km and the S8 10.2L/100km.
As usual these days, pricing has reduced while spec has increased, but the level with which it has been done here is particularly impressive. The S6 sedan drops in at $154,600, while the Avant adds $5,000 to that figure. The S7 comes in at $167,400 and the S8 rounds things off at $218,000. That last figure, by the way, is a staggering $40,000 (give or take a few hundreds…) less than the previous model…
Spec, needless to say, is impressive. In fact so much is jammed into these machines that listing it here would be a pointless exercise in taking up space. Click on the following links to download S6 specs, S7 specs and S8 specs.
What are they like?
Quite remarkable. The new V8 engine is extremely flexible and happy to rev, while still having considerable low-down punch.
None of these cars could ever be considered particularly lightweight, but the incredible amount of weight-saving technology used in their construction still means that they are remarkably nimble for their respective sizes.
I had previously spent time in the S6 Avant for a Top Gear story and came away mighty impressed with almost everything about it, but especially its power delivery and responsive handling when you really climbed up it. And nothing changed when we got a chance to thrash them around the Hampton Downs track.
Strangely, the Avant was my personal favourite in terms of handling. The extra weight of the wagon body seemed to make it more willing to let you play with the rear end, where the sedan and S7 felt a bit less willing.
The S8 was, of course, massively impressive, with blistering acceleration and a remarkable;e sense of poise for what is essentially a large limousine being thrashed around an undulating race track.
The day was, perhaps fortunately in hindsight, very wet, which was the perfect opportunity to experience Audi’s quattro AWD system at its best. And deeply impressive it was too… A full-throttle standing start had the S8 absolutely blasting off the line with not a hint of wheelspin, nor even a flicker from the traction control light.
Everything else about all three cars was equally impressive as their performance and handling. Interior quality was possibly even a notch above Audi’s normally hugely high standards, with the quilted leather seats being a particular interior standout.
What’s good about them?
Performance and handling for a start. All three cars were particularly good around the initially wet, but rapidly drying race track. The mix of huge refinement and massive performance is deeply impressive, while the noise the twin-turbo V8 makes under heavy acceleration is nicely aggressive, but perhaps slightly too muted.
Interiors, equipment and driver comfort are also high on the list of likes, while the stereos were also very decent bits of kit. Although it was always a toss-up between listening to the sound system or turning it off and soaking up the lovely V8 burble…
What’s not so good?
As mentioned, while they were all nicely refined and civilised, they were also perhaps a tad too quiet. A bit of angry mongrel never goes astray…
The dual-clutch transmission in the S6 and S7 could occasionally be a bit clunky around town and at low speeds and was particularly grumpy during parking maneuvers, occasionally lurching forwards (or worse, backwards) while you feed in slightly more throttle to get it moving…
And, of course, the usual Audi whinge about steering. But not TOO much this time, because it is nowhere near as dull and distant as a lot of hot Audis have been recently.
It does feel artificial and muted, but there is a sense of placement and position that was lacking from the likes of the last RS6 and the TTRS. Distant, but not completely dead, the steering in the S6, S7 and S8 was actually quite good when in “luxury” mode and was precise enough when you cranked things up a bit, just not that talkative. Still, it could have been a LOT worse, as Audi have proven in the past…
First impressions?
The S6, S7 and S8 are deeply impressive cars. Luxurious and comfortable cruisers with supercar-like acceleration and sharp handling to match.
The S6 Avant stands out as my personal favorite, although the S8 runs it a close second. But either of the three would make a deeply satisfying companion to have tucked down the driveway. Extremely capable of effortlessly handling the daily commute, they also make a wonderful partner to blow out the cobwebs on a winding road in the weekend. Or after work. Or during lunch. Hell… forget work and just go for a blast any time!
Specifications
Models/prices
S6 sedan – $154,600
S6 Avant – $159,600
S7 Sportback – $167,400
S8 – $218,000
Powertrain
4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol producing 309kW/550Nm; 7-speed dual-clutch transmission; all-wheel drive (S6 and S7) or 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol producing 381kW/650Nm; 8-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive (S8)
Fuel consumption: 9.6L/100km (S6 sedan and S7), 9.6L/100km (S6 Avant), 10.2L/100km (S8)
CO2 emissions: 225g/km (S6 sedan and S7), 226g/km (S6 Avant), 237g/km (S8)
Safety
ANCAP/EuroNCAP rating: 5 star
Air bags: 6
Stability control: yes
Lap/diagonal belts: 5
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