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2008 Audi S6 Bottom Line

November 7, 2008

By Marty Padgett's avatar Marty Padgett, Executive EditorMarty Padgett

TheCarConnection.com’s editors read the latest reviews on the new 2008 Audi S6 to write this comprehensive review. Our car experts also drove the 2008 Audi S6 in Germany and in the United States, to be able to deliver our definitive opinion on the car, to compare it with other cars in the class and to help you decide which reviews to trust.

Likes:

  • The V-10 heart of a Lamborghini
  • Sharp reflexes
  • Mean stance
  • Four-door functionality

Dislikes:

  • Love-it-or-leave-it grille
  • Interior not as handsome as previous edition
  • Shiny carbon-fiber trim
  • Breathtaking price tag

Buying Tips:

The 2008 Audi S6 is a rare car with rare capability. It's also an instant classic and collector car, so don't expect any discounts at the Audi showroom. You might have the best luck cross-shopping in larger metro areas, but with a mere thousand or so copies coming to the United States, it's more likely the only way to find one will be through eBay.

The 2008 Audi S6 is a Frankenstein car, in the best sense of the word. Its capable chassis mates a V-10 engine bred for Lamborghinis with the hallmark of Audi cars past and present, quattro all-wheel drive.

The Audi S6 spits out 435 horsepower through a six-speed automatic transmission and pushes it to all four wheels through the quattro system. There's no manual transmission available, but the hard-edged engine and the sport-tuned suspension will give drivers plenty to play with, regardless. There's even a "sport" mode in the automatic that holds gears at redline, for the true racer, so you can hear that glorious, throaty, muffled roar.

Transmission, steering, chassis, and brakes are appropriately upgraded for such prodigious power. The steering is perfectly weighted and responsive, the brakes powerful and sure, the ride motions beautifully damped as the big tires grip, the suspension takes a set, and your thumbs call up exactly the right gear to power through each corner, whether slow, fast, or ruggedly rough.

The 2008 Audi S6 bears the lines of the lesser A6 sedans, down to the wide-mouth grille, which we think takes away from its dramatic silhouette--but the lower ride height and details give it a more menacing look. The interior's typically Audi, with fine function, but it's not as appealing as the dash in older Audis--and in the S6, it wears a shiny carbon-fiber trim that's not very rich-looking. Audi's Multi-Media Interface (MMI) system controls most major and lesser functions. We prefer individual switches and buttons, however many it takes, but find MMI less annoying and more user-friendly then BMW's infernal iDrive.

Elsewhere, the S6 wears fine leather and gray birch trim. A Bose Surround Sound audio system with a glove-box-mounted six-disc CD changer is standard, along with Bluetooth and Sirius Satellite Radio.

Other Choices:

If you like the 2008 Audi S6, also consider:

Reason Why:

Each of Audi’s prime competitors offers a hotted-up large sedan. The BMW M5 is the closest competitor in specs, as it’s also powered by a V-10 engine. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG has brilliant V-8 power, while both the Cadillac STS-V and Jaguar XF Supercharged add supercharger boost to get to these stratospheric levels of power.

The Bottom Line:

The 2008 Audi S6 offers driving thrills that few sedans can match -- and a V-10 heart that would be right at home in a Lamborghini.

TheCarConnection.com’s editors read the latest reviews on the new 2008 Audi S6 to write this comprehensive review. Our car experts also drove the 2008 Audi S6 in Germany and in the United States, to be able to deliver our definitive opinion on the car, to compare it with other cars in the class and to help you decide which reviews to trust. Likes:The V-10 heart of a LamborghiniSharp reflexesMean stanceFour-door functionalityDislikes:Love-it-or-leave-it grilleInterior not as handsome as previous editionShiny carbon-fiber trimBreathtaking price tagBuying Tips:The 2008 Audi S6 is a rare car with rare capability. It's also an instant classic and collector car, so don't expect any discounts at the Audi showroom. You might have the best luck cross-shopping in larger metro areas, but with a mere thousand or so copies coming to the United States, it's more likely the only way to find one will be through eBay. The 2008 Audi S6 is a Frankenstein car, in the best sense of the word. Its capable chassis mates a V-10 engine bred for Lamborghinis with the hallmark of Audi cars past and present, quattro all-wheel drive. The Audi S6 spits out 435 horsepower through a six-speed automatic transmission and pushes it to all four wheels through the quattro system. There's no manual transmission available, but the hard-edged engine and the sport-tuned suspension will give drivers plenty to play with, regardless. There's even a "sport" mode in the automatic that holds gears at redline, for the true racer, so you can hear that glorious, throaty, muffled roar. Transmission, steering, chassis, and brakes are appropriately upgraded for such prodigious power. The steering is perfectly weighted and responsive, the brakes powerful and sure, the ride motions beautifully damped as the big tires grip, the suspension takes a set, and your thumbs call up exactly the right gear to power through each corner, whether slow, fast, or ruggedly rough. The 2008 Audi S6 bears the lines of the lesser A6 sedans, down to the wide-mouth grille, which we think takes away from its dramatic silhouette--but the lower ride height and details give it a more menacing look. The interior's typically Audi, with fine function, but it's not as appealing as the dash in older Audis--and in the S6, it wears a shiny carbon-fiber trim that's not very rich-looking. Audi's Multi-Media Interface (MMI) system controls most major and lesser functions. We prefer individual switches and buttons, however many it takes, but find MMI less annoying and more user-friendly then BMW's infernal iDrive. Elsewhere, the S6 wears fine leather and gray birch trim. A Bose Surround Sound audio system with a glove-box-mounted six-disc CD changer is standard, along with Bluetooth and Sirius Satellite Radio. Other Choices:If you like the 2008 Audi S6, also consider:BMW M5Mercedes-Benz E63 AMGJaguar XF SuperchargedCadillac STS-VReason Why:Each of Audi’s prime competitors offers a hotted-up large sedan. The BMW M5 is the closest competitor in specs, as it’s also powered by a V-10 engine. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG has brilliant V-8 power, while both the Cadillac STS-V and Jaguar XF Supercharged add supercharger boost to get to these stratospheric levels of power. The Bottom Line:The 2008 Audi S6 offers driving thrills that few sedans can match -- and a V-10 heart that would be right at home in a Lamborghini. TheCarConnection.com’s editors read the latest reviews on the new 2008 Audi S6 to write this comprehensive review. Our car experts also drove the 2008 Audi S6 in Germany and in the United States, to be able to deliver our definitive opinion on the car, to compare it with other cars in the ...

Other Choices:

Each of Audi’s prime competitors offers a hotted-up large sedan. The BMW M5 is the closest competitor in specs, as it’s also powered by a V-10 engine. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG has brilliant V-8 power, while both the Cadillac STS-V and Jaguar XF Supercharged add supercharger boost to get to these stratospheric levels of power.

Next Steps:

Check Insurance Rates

for the 2008 Audi S6

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for the 2008 Audi S6

Check Local Classifieds

for a 2008 Audi S6 near you

See the Audi S6 in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2003 | 2002

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