[s-cars] New Audi S6

[Brian Armstead]

>From the Audi media site.

Enjoy,

Brian
93 S4



08 January 2006
2007 AUDI S6: REFINED POWER IN THE SPORTS LUXURY CLASS

  
A refined flow of power in conjunction with superlative comfort and an
elegantly understated appearance: this is the new Audi S6. It is the
sporty top model in the luxury-class family of models comprising the
Audi A6 sedan and A6 Avant, which took the market by storm following
their launch in 2004 and have since garnered countless accolades
worldwide from both customers and experts within the trade.


The S6, the latest product to result from the systematic application of
Audi's philosophy of sportiness, will go on sale in the fourth quarter
of 2006 (US and Canada market introductions).


In response to the challenge to deliver supreme performance that always
remains perfectly under control, the new Audi S6 will be powered by a
completely new ten-cylinder V-configuration engine. This engine, a
virtually identical version of which is likewise fitted in the new Audi
S8, makes maximum use of its resources: with a displacement of 5.2
liters, it mobilizes an output of 420 bhp at 6,800 rpm. It reaches its
peak torque of 540 Nm (approximately 397 ft.-lbs.) between 3,000 and
4,000 rpm. Between 2,500 and 5,500 rpm, torque of over 500 Nm (approx.
368 ft.-lbs.) is available. This engine, weighing only 220 kilograms
(approx. 485 lbs.), is thus able to guarantee superior pulling power in
every driving situation. 


FSI gasoline direct injection, a principle that has proved its worth in
the most successful racing car ever built, the Le Mans winning Audi R8,
plays an instrumental role in this model's refined flow of power. The S6
is capable of racing from 0 to 60mph in 5.1 seconds; the top speed is
electronically governed to 155 mph.


Both the driveline and the steering and suspension have been modified to
reflect the immense power potential of the new Audi S6. The six-speed
Tiptronic automatic transmission, supplied as standard, accomplishes
swifter gear changes; the steel-spring suspension is configured for
greater agility and a more direct response, as is the Servotronic
steering. The latest-generation quattro permanent four-wheel drive with
a 40:60 (f/r) torque split naturally ensures optimum propulsion in all
conditions. Thanks to this concept, the new Audi S6 sets itself apart as
the progressive alternative to all its competitors.


One of the key requirements in the development of the Audi S6 was to
provide a high standard of comfort in every situation, for all its
sporty emphasis. This vehicle consequently demonstrates that over long
distances there is no inherent contradiction between refined power and
the scope for the driver and passengers to enjoy a highly relaxing form
of travel.


The interior offers a luxurious atmosphere. It features, for instance,
new sports seats complete with integral head restraints, exclusive Silk
Nappa Leather upholstery on all five seats and deluxe automatic air
conditioning plus, with separate temperature distribution for the
driver's and front passenger's sides.


For all the uncompromising and methodical nature of the technical
concept, the external appearance of the Audi S6 is decidedly understated
and elegant. The 

S6 is characterized by such features as 19-inch wheels, subtly flared
front wheel arches, the striking single-frame grille with aluminum look
vertical double struts and a harmoniously integrated rear spoiler.


The two daytime running light strips, each comprising five LEDs, are
both a trendsetting safety element and an innovative masterstroke of
design; they are integrated into the front bumper and, when switched on,
serve as an unmistakable distinguishing feature of the S6.


Engine


Newly developed V10 with FSI technology and ample torque characteristic


Ten-cylinder gasoline engines have long been regarded as a particularly
sporty type of power unit. In the form of a V-engine they are short,
compact and correspondingly light. The number of moving parts required
for ten cylinders is moreover relatively low, bringing the added bonus
of low friction losses. It is no coincidence that the Gallardo super
sports car built by Lamborghini – an Audi subsidiary – is driven by a
widely acclaimed V10 engine. The V10 in the new Audi S6 is a completely
new engine which first appeared in the Audi S8 and has now been
specifically retuned for use in the top model of Audi's luxury class. 


Its ten cylinders are divided into two cylinder banks arranged at an
angle of 90 degrees to each other, and each with two overhead camshafts
(DOHC principle); the spacing between cylinder centers is 90 millimeters
– one of the reasons why this 220-kilogram (approx. 485 lbs.),
four-valve per cylinder engine is so compact. A special intermediate
frame reinforces the cast aluminum crankcase.


The bore is 84.5 millimeters and the stroke 92.8 millimeters, producing
a swept volume of 5,204 cc. With its crankpin offset of 18 degrees, the
V10 fires at an ideal spacing of 72 degrees crankshaft angle. A
balancing shaft located between the cylinder banks eliminates the free
inertial forces of the first degree and contributes equally towards the
engine's notable refinement. 


All four camshafts are adjusted continuously through 40 degrees
crankshaft angle depending on load and engine speed, thus optimizing
filling of the combustion chambers and consequently enhancing the power
output. The camshafts are driven by no-maintenance chains and actuate
the total of 40 valves via roller cam followers. The task of engine
management is handled by two separate control units.


The V10 in the new Audi S6 uses FSI gasoline direct injection. This
permits a high compression ratio of up to 12.5:1 and therefore a highly
efficient combustion process. The injection system delivers the fuel
directly into the combustion chambers in precisely metered amounts, at a
pressure of up to 100 bar.


The two-stage magnesium variable intake manifold incorporates
electronically controlled tumble flaps; these induce a swirling movement
in the air drawn in.


Innovative FSI technology has impressively demonstrated its potential in
motor sport – the R8 racing car equipped with it participated five times
in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Audi, winning the race on four of those
occasions. 


The powerful ten-cylinder engine is designed not simply with power in
mind, but to an even greater extent for impressive torque. It achieves
420 bhp at 6,800 rpm, but delivers the peak torque of 540 Nm (approx.
397 ft.-lbs.) at engine speeds ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 rpm. Over 500
Nm of torque (approx. 368 ft.-lbs.) is on tap between 2,500 and 5,500
rpm. The engine exhibits spontaneous throttle response and very refined
running, and under load it also produces sonorous acoustics, as befits
this dynamic car.


The engine gives the Audi S6 the road performance of a high-caliber
GT-class car. The Audi S6 is capable of racing from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1
seconds. The speed is not governed electronically until the needle
reaches 155 mph.


The S6 weighs 1,910 kilograms (approx. 4,210 lbs.), including the
dynamic, sure-footed quattro permanent four-wheel drive. Every
horsepower consequently has to propel just 4.55 kilograms (approx. 10
lbs.) – the power-to-weight ratio of a top-notch sports car. 


Drivetrain


More direct for even greater dynamism


The entire drivetrain of the Audi S6 has been designed from scratch. The
engine's power on the S6 is translated into motion by a six-speed
Tiptronic as standard, which adapts to the driver's style by means of an
intelligent feature. The software program that controls this automatic
transmission electronically has been optimized to deliver more dynamic
gear changes compared with other Audi models; the gear changes are
noticeably swifter.


The driver can call up the transmission's "S" sport mode via the
selector lever – it will perform upshifts even at relatively high engine
speeds. And it is possible to change gears manually in both modes by
means of the aluminum-look shift paddles mounted to the steering wheel.
The selector lever has an aluminum look and – like the steering wheel –
is trimmed in smooth leather.


The Servotronic steering with its variable ratio has a more direct
response than in the A6. This, too, results in even more agile handling.


Power and control


Typically for an Audi, the new Audi S6 likewise takes quattro permanent
four-wheel drive as its basis. Its virtues are already widely
acknowledged: superior traction in all driving conditions. More than a
quarter of a century of expertise acquired in this domain by the
Ingolstadt-based brand has led to the development of a new quattro
generation with asymmetric/dynamic torque split – further evidence of
Audi's guiding principle of "Vorsprung durch Technik".


A center differential, installed longitudinally in the driveline,
distributes power between the front and rear wheels, always according to
the prevailing situation. The split in the basic setting is 40 percent
to the front wheels and 60 percent to the rear. This slightly
rear-biased torque split has been chosen to place even greater emphasis
on the sporty, dynamic character of the Audi S6. 


If the surface conditions change – for instance if they are wet or
slippery, or if the car is driven onto a different type of road surface
– the purely mechanical differential responds without any delay;
depending on the road situation at any given moment, it can divert up to
85 percent of power to the rear wheels or as much as 65 percent to the
front wheels. If a wheel on one axle spins (wheel slip), it is moreover
brought under control by the Electronic Differential Lock EDL, which
applies the brakes.


The electronic stabilization program (ESP) shuts down in two stages:
when the ESP button is pressed once, only the ASR traction control
system is deactivated; ESP remains active, to stabilize the car if
needed. The instrument cluster briefly displays "ASR off" and the ESP
symbol remains permanently lit. This mode stays active in the S6 until
ASR is switched back on by pressing the ESP button a further time. On
the S6, ASR does not cut in automatically once a defined speed is
exceeded (as is the case on the A6 / A6 Avant). If the ESP button is
pressed for longer than three seconds, all ESP functions are switched
off. Only the electronic differential lock EDL and ABS remain active.
Pressing the ESP button a further time switches all ESP functions on
again. As a result, the desired degree of electronic assistance can be
determined by the driver via the ESP button. Without ASR traction
control, the degree of stability can, within certain limits, be
determined by the driver via the accelerator pedal. This permits a
decidedly sporty driving style if desired.


The drivetrain concept of the new S6 always ensures that the enormous
forces generated by the V10 engine can genuinely provide efficient,
minimal-loss propulsion, something that vehicles with one driven axle
only rarely achieve. It is consequently able to develop and use high
levels of power all the time. 


Chassis


Firmer and more spontaneous


The dynamic suspension layout of the new Audi S6 is based on a
technology that has already demonstrated its sports caliber in the most
challenging of conditions: the refined four-link front suspension
acknowledged as a typical Audi feature and the self-tracking
trapezoidal-link rear suspension carried over from the Audi A8. This
combination gives the S6 one of the most complex and efficient rear
suspension layouts currently available. In terms of its kinematic
behavior, this technical element already provides a foretaste of the
sporty, active characteristics of the Audi A8 – measures that enhance
directional stability, steering precision and handling convenience. The
entire layout is designed in such a way as to produce a neutral response
with a moderate tendency to understeer when the very high limits of
handling are approached. 


The principal components of the chassis feature lightweight aluminum
construction, resulting in decisively lower unsprung mass. The targeted
use of sheet steel, on the other hand, achieves optimum rigidity
wherever it is required. In selecting specific materials and
manufacturing methods for each individual suspension link, Audi's
engineers have been able to ensure that the chassis represents an
optimum blend of low weight, high rigidity and safety.


As a reflection of its explicitly sporty character, the suspension
settings of the S6 have been made firmer, even compared with the A6
sports suspension, and at the same time assures a high standard of
comfort for long-distance driving. As the elastokinematics have likewise
undergone comprehensive modifications, the 

Audi S6 is always noticeably more agile; meanwhile, driving stability
and traction have been further optimized.


The Audi S6 is equipped with 19-inch cast aluminum wheels of a 5-arm
wing design. The wide tires are of size 265/35 R19. 


An 18-inch brake system assures supreme braking performance and is
resistant to fading even under high loads. Its four large discs are
ventilated, the discs on the front wheels measuring 385 mm (approx.
15.1-in.) in diameter and those at the rear measuring 335 mm (approx.
13.1-in.). The brake calipers are painted black, and are adorned with an
exclusive S6 badge at the front.


Design


Supremely athletic presence


The models in Audi's S range have traditionally epitomized systematic
sports appeal. This applies in equal measure to the new S6, which now
dynamically hones the visual impact made by the A6. These models are
renowned for their inherently light and elegant character – their very
distinctive aesthetic appeal reflects their exceptional status as sports
models in the luxury class. 


The S6 cuts an even more supremely athletic figure out on the roads –
but without even the slightest hint of aggression. The most striking
differences are to be found at the front end. The eye-catching
single-frame grille displays the S6 emblem, and its vertical
aluminum-look struts are of a double design by way of further
differentiation. There is an air inlet beneath the grille. A spoiler lip
at the front end of the car provides an additional sporty highlight.


Another innovation in the front bumper is a pioneering development in
terms of both safety and style: the separate LED daytime running lights,
each of which consists of five white light-emitting diodes and consumes
only a minimal amount of energy. When these light strips are switched
on, the effect is utterly distinctive: they make it incredibly easy to
identify the new Audi S6, and the low-down position of the daytime
running lights gives the car a dynamically flat appearance. To
accommodate this concept, the fog lights have been incorporated into the
main headlights, the covers of which are tinted grey. Audi Bi Xenon
adaptive light with dynamic cornering light is standard. The rear light
units incorporate LED brake lights as standard.


The front wheel arches are flared by 14 mm (approximately .5-in.). The
door trim strips are likewise wider, to accentuate the “S”
characteristics, and are painted in the body color. Other striking
differentiating features are aluminum door sill trims bearing the S6
logo at all four doors, the rear spoiler integrated subtly into the
luggage compartment lid, aluminum-look exterior mirrors, the V10 emblem
at the front beneath the side turn indicators, and an S6 logo on the
rear end. The vehicle's tail end also displays a color-contrasting
diffuser in the bumper and the four ellipsoidal tailpipes of the exhaust
system, with its notably sporty acoustics.


Interior


Luxury and refinement in detail


In the same way as the body's styling, the interior of the new Audi S6,
too, reflects a character of dynamic elegance and high quality – from
the architecture of the driving area that surrounds the driver to the
Audi MMI user interface (Multi Media Interface), which remains
unequalled by any competitor thanks to its logical, intuitive operating
principle.


The luxurious interior of the S6 features specific highlights. For
instance, there is a new generation of sports seats. They have integral
head restraints and pronounced lateral supports, and are upholstered in
Silk Nappa leather. The front seats are electrically adjustable in
multiple directions as standard, and include a lumbar support. The three
rear seats, which display the same material, are equipped with L-shape
head restraints which afford a better view to the rear.


The three-spoke multifunction leather sports steering wheel with the S
logo is a typical example of the hand-crafted character that Audi so
often achieves in its attention to detail: it is trimmed in smooth
leather and displays a color-contrasting double seam with a special seam
pattern. 


The shift paddles, which are mounted to the steering wheel (in other
words, they move as it is turned), have an aluminum-look finish. The
selector lever, too, has an aluminum look and is trimmed in smooth
leather.


Birch Gray wood trim is used as the material for the applications, while
carbon fiber can be selected as an option. The material on the
instrument panel represents a further innovation in the S6: it goes by
the name of "Flexmetallic" and correspondingly exhibits an
anthracite-colored metallic surface characteristic. Anthracite is also
the predominant color featured on the other sections of the instrument
panel. The center console, on the other hand, is in black.


The instrument needles and numbers are in white, using characteristic
S-style italics; the dials are in dark grey.


The standard color Driver Information System (DIS) has an additional
digital speedometer in the new S6. The Audi MMI with 7-inch monitor in
the cockpit is likewise included as standard. There is a welcome screen
customized specifically to the S6. The MMI furthermore integrates the
controls for the standard Bose surround sound 13-speaker stereo system
with 6-disc changer. The optional tire pressure monitoring system
displays the pressure and temperature of each tire individually in the
S6.


Audi is likewise innovative when it comes to phoning in the car. All S6
models in the US and Canada will have universal phone preparation with
Bluetooth interface as standard equipment.  


Safety


Whereas the high standard of active safety of the new Audi S6 stems
principally from its superior engine power, pioneering quattro
four-wheel drive and ESP, the sporty range-topping model also boasts a
full complement of passive safety systems. This model comes complete
with a package of restraint systems that are perfectly matched to the
highly rigid aluminum body, including two full-size front airbags, side
airbags for the front seats and large-area Audi Sideguard curtain head
airbags. Side airbags for the rear seats are available as an optional
extra. All five three-point belts in the Audi S6 are of course fitted
with belt force limiters; belt tensioners are fitted on the front seats
as standard.


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