2008 Audi S6 Test Drive

The Six Gets Serious

The Audi S6's huge engine, well-appointed interior and understated appearance make for an ideal high-speed cruiser.

Exterior

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The S6 sits lower to the ground, with a more aggressive stance. Tweaks to the bodywork include wider front fenders and an outward flourish at the doors’ lower edges.

Poking out the back are four healthy exhaust pipes, as opposed to just two on the A6. Brushed aluminum side-view mirror housings are present, as on all of Audi’s S models. Huge brake calipers adorned with S6 logos peek out from behind 19-inch wheels that look like slicer attachments for a food processor owned by a wealthy giant.

Another S-specific touch is the LED daytime running lights that appear in a horizontal line beneath the headlights. They reminded me of misplaced electric eyebrows. And besides looking really cool, they kindly let the person driving in front of you know that they had better move over, or else.

A fun game to play with the S6 is to pretend you are driving a shark, and instead of passing cars, you devour them whole. The large grille is practically big enough to swallow lesser vehicles.

There are the obligatory S6 emblems front and rear, and V10 badges placed just ahead of the front doors to telegraph how many cylinders the engine has and what letter their arrangement resembles.

The vehicle I tested was painted in a vibrant electric blue that Audi calls Sprint Blue Pearl Effect. It’s a $750 option that makes the car further stand out from the legions of bland mid-size sedans crowding the roadways.