2022 Audi S6

The 2022 Audi S6 has not received any major updates or changes from the previous model year. It goes to say the trims should be carried over from 2021 as well, with the new additional options being chargeable in the form of alloys and appearance packages, not to mention the new interior appearance option. It will be sold in Premium Plus and Prestige trim only.

We Recommend

The Premium Plus trim in Audi cars is more often than not equipped with the best they have to offer. While the statement holds some truth, it is very different for the Audi S6, which offers the best features available in the Prestige trim. We recommend the Prestige trim for the additional features and luxury it brings in the form of leather upholstery everywhere and the super cool night vision feature.

Release Date

Considering the manufacturers of the luxury segments have begun rolling out their updated versions of cars, the S6 should follow suit and be launched by July 2021. It will be a refreshing release when most manufacturers are going all-electric for some of their cars and trucks.

The pride of the Audi S6 does not lie in its ample luxury or sophisticatedly sporty styling but the vicious twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 under its hood. The high revving engine has a potential output of 444 horses at 6,700 rpm, while it has 434 lb-ft of torque available after the 1,900 rpm mark, due to the two turbochargers that spool and release in complete harmony with one another.

Mated to an 8-speed automatic and the renowned Quattro AWD system, the Audi S6 is blisteringly fast off the line, completing a 0 to 60 sprint in 4.4 seconds. This time is achievable through a mild hybrid system that supports an additional electric supercharger as well. It is a competitive figure, matching the acceleration of the Mercedes-Benz and beating the rear-wheel-drive Maserati Ghibli S. The BMW M550i is superbly engineered to do the same sprint in 3.6 seconds. 

The Audi S6 has an incredibly powerful engine, better than the likes of the Benz and Maserati engines when it comes to figures. Nevertheless, it gets beaten by the significantly larger engine used in the BMW M550i. The smaller 2.9L engine in the Audi helps it complete a standing quarter-mile in 12.5 seconds, just four-tenths of a second slower than the BMW, and quicker than the more sedate Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 and the sonorous but flashy Maserati Ghibli S. The top speed is governed by a limiter at 155 miles per hour, while the Italian sedan has nothing pulling it back, allowing it to reach a top speed of 178 miles per hour. 

Sport sedans don’t go well together with fuel consumption and the economy of it, choosing to be less efficient than their road-suited counterparts for a more exciting driving experience. However, since these sedans are also track-ready, they have some semblance of efficiency so they can perform for longer on a less filled fuel tank too. The Audi S6 manages 18 mpg in the city and 28 out on the highway. The combined figure is 22 miles per gallon as the powertrain tends to be more revvy than you’d expect from a German manufacturer. 

The Audi S6 is clearly not the most fuel-efficient in its class, although it comes surprisingly close to doing so. It loses out to the Benz and its laid-back nature for an AMG, offering sedate and hindered acceleration to maintain levels of comfort within the cabin. The larger engine in the BMW is perplexingly economy friendly, with its combined figure of 20 miles per gallon. The larger fuel tanks in the Maserati and Mercedes-Benz allow for long-distance touring.

The cabin is probably the most worked on space as Audi jumped the S6 from 2021 to 2022. The interior is a nice place to be with the amount of tech and leather on offer. While it may not be as visually appealing as the cabin of a Benz, the opulence in the cabin is felt as soon as you enter, with diamond-pattern stitched leather seats, leather-upholstered dashboard & trims, and the touchscreen as large as the dash. The cockpit-inspired design is again apparent in the latest S6 and is a valuable purchase for the cost when you see what the interior has to offer. 

Audi's build quality leaves no room for complaints, and plenty of room for occupants is available throughout the cabin. The similarities to the A6 improve upon the sedan's practicality, which is totally forgotten in the RS models of yesteryear. The interior room is comparable to that of the road-going A6, and the cargo room is similar too due to no additions or changes to affect the storage space available.

The Audi S6 has a low-slung structure that supports its sporty nature. The whole segment offers that kind of seating for that matter, and it is evident in the limited headroom all the cars have to offer, with the 38.8 inches in the BMW M550i topping the segment. The S6 has competitive amounts of interior room as its interior dimensions don’t fall short of the segment leader by more than half an inch, and it leads the segment in terms of legroom in the rear row of seating.

The trunk is fairly voluminous too, offering 13.7 cubic feet of storage. The Maserati Ghibli S blows the competition out of the water with a practical trunk that offers 17.7 cubic feet of storage capacity. Standout features in the Audi S6’ interior include:

• Diamond-stitched leather seats
• Dashboard length touchscreen setup
• Cockpit inspired design 
• Multicolor ambient lighting
• Heated front and rear seats
• Extended Leather package - leather-upholstered dashboard, armrest, door trim, etc

How intuitive is the 2022 Audi S6 infotainment?

Vorsprung durch Technik is a symbol of Audi’s commitment towards advancement through the means of technology. They have time and time again upheld that statement with the use of refined technology throughout their cars, from the infotainment system to the electronics that work behind the scenes. The infotainment in the 2022 Audi S6 is infallible once again, offering a vivid touch screen and user interface and thoughtfully put together software that can actually be used on the move, although to some extent only. Infotainment features in the 2022 Audi S6 include:

• 10.1” touchscreen on the dashboard
• 8.6” secondary display under the main touchscreen
• 19-speaker Bang and Olufsen audio system (optional)
• Audi Digital Cockpit
• Apple CarPlay 
• Android Auto

Performance-minded individuals and car enthusiasts must have thought about a ruthless sleeper car at least once in their lives, whether it be owning one, building one, or even coming across one on the road. The idea of a manufacturer offering a sleeper car felt like a fantasy that wouldn’t necessarily come true as the main motive behind designing these cars is to sell them. Despite having high hopes for a sedate-looking sleeper car straight from the factory, the Audi S6 disappoints. 

Weirdly enough, there isn’t much to complain about with the S6. It shares the same general silhouette but has a few sporty elements that help differentiate it from the standard A6. Larger alloy wheels, a lowered chassis, and a quad-exit exhaust system are just some of these sporty elements. The desire for a sleeper car is far too hopeful to be quelled by a car rolling off the assembly line like that. The Audi S6 may look like the ultimate sleeper car but comes across as a shortcut to owning one and nothing more.

The Audi S6 is more stanced for performance than any of its rivals, boasting a low ground clearance of 4.2”. It is also the shortest car of the four, and that does affect ingress a fair bit, although getting out of the car is surprisingly easy when you’re that close to the ground. Despite a smaller wheelbase than its competitors, it offers better rear legroom, a testament to its ingenuity in design. It is also the heaviest sedan in its segment but has more than enough grunt to carry itself with aplomb. Exterior features that highlight the S6 include:

• S6 badging
• Quad-pipe exhaust system
• Lowered stance
• 21” alloys
• Matrix design LED headlamps
• Rear-wheel steering

Since the S6 shares so many similarities with the A6, from the platform to the looks to the overall build itself, it is only natural that Audi would include the same safety features that it does in the outgoing A6 sedan. The S6 makes use of multiple sensors, including optical cameras, infrared sensors, and radars to ensure the correct inputs are provided to its driver assistance programs, which help avoid or mitigate the risk of accidents and collisions greatly.

The Audi A6 receives 5-stars for overall safety from the NHTSA, and since the same platform is shared by the S6, we can expect similar levels of safety, security, and occupant protection. Nevertheless, the S6 is clearly more performance-oriented than the A6 and should be driven with the utmost care as safety features aren’t all that helpful around the 155 mph mark. Notable safety features in the 2022 Audi S6 include:

• Emergency braking assist
• Front Collision Assist
• Lane-departure warning
• Adaptive Cruise Assist
• Road sign identification
• Top-view camera system (360 Degree)

2022 Audi S6 vs BMW M550i

The BMW M550i is a new breed of offering from the Bavarian manufacturer. Borrowing parts from the M performance division, the M550i provides a deadly combination of performance-oriented mechanicals and road-focused comfort. The results are evident in the insane 3.6 second 0 to 60 timings, not to mention the 12.1-second standing quarter mile. Both the M550i and Audi S6 are offerings of similar quality and nature. The differentiator between the two will most likely boil down to how familiar you are with the amount of technology around you.

2022 Audi S6 vs Mercedes-AMG E53

Mercedes-Benz needs to be able to compete with the best of vehicles out there. It is the competitive energy that takes them to the top of every segment of vehicles in which they have an offering. The AMG E 53 is an option that finds a healthy balance between speed and comfort, although the traditional Mercedes-Benz levels of comfort are nowhere to be found in their tightly sprung AMG models. The E 53 sedan offers toned-down performance for its figures but is also an opulent vehicle, capable of giving the Audi S6 sedan interior a run for its money, even with the additional cost packages included.

2022 Audi S6 vs Maserati Ghibli S

The Maserati Ghibli S is probably the least tampered sedan in its segment. While other manufacturers have tried their hand at revolutionizing the current body styles of cars, Maserati has stuck to their conventional basics, offering sportier but more simple-minded vehicles that can be reduced down to four tires and a powertrain. The same cannot be said for the technologically advanced sedans like the Audi S6, which use background electronics to truly improve the performance on offer. 

The Audi S6 is a brilliant purchase for someone looking for an ordinary-looking car that offers extraordinary features and performance. At its cost, the S6 is a valuable purchase as well, but the hindered practicality brought about by its stance and low ground clearance will prevent it from being the popularly sold sedan that it resembles. Moreover, rivals offer flashier and better-looking options and packages than Audi does in the S6. It remains a car for those who know exactly what they want as it doesn’t look like much at first glance.