2020 Audi S6 Sedan With V6 Engine Sounds Relatively Muted Near Nurburgring

The S6 is like the halfway point between the 300+ horsepower versions of the A6 and the mighty RS6. In the past, Audi tried to bridge that gap with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, a de-tuned version which started at 420 and eventually jumped to 450 HP.

However, this all-new S6 is clearly being motivated by a V6 engine, just like its sexier big sister, the S7 Sportback. The change is unlikely to go well with performance exhaust fans, because as you can hear from the latest Nurburgring gas station spy video, the 2020 S6 sedan is a little shy.

Though never confirmed, every rumor says a 2.9-liter twin-turbo resides under this hood. It's the same unit you find in the RS4 and should match its 450 HP, 600 Nm output. Unfortunately, the S6 doesn't shout its intentions like the smaller car.

In place of crackles and pops, the S6 sedan has a deep burble. Of course, we kind of expected this, since the Porsche Panamera S, which is also powered by the 2.9L engine, doesn't sound like the RS4 either. But at least they used a de-tuned V8 for the GTS, which we think was a smart choice.

The S6 should be at least 200 kg heavier than the RS4 because the base model has been burdened with new technology. If it's an enjoyable thing to drive, why would you ever want a system that allows you to let go of the steering wheel or make it handle acceleration on the highway?

Audi has been inconsistent with the size and type of engine its S6 had. The model started out with a 2.2-liter 5-cylinder turbo and eventually even reached a massive 5.2-liter V10 producing 425 HP. Meanwhile, the top BMW 5 Series has almost always had a 4.4 or 4.0-liter V8, turbocharged or not.