A tradition of expertise: Audi S models
Sports appeal, elegance and luxury
The S models' forte has traditionally been to blend outstandingly dynamic performance with extraordinary standards of comfort and attention to detail. They guarantee agile handling and nimble reflexes. But the suspension must never be so hard that your back starts to complain, nor the engine need be revved up so high that your ears are left ringing. This combination of advanced technology, dynamic performance and stylish sophistication in the S models traditionally appeals to younger customers of a more dynamic, sporty outlook who want to discover for themselves the absolute nature of the Audi brand.
The forefather of all Audi S models was the 1985 S1, the last and technically most advanced evolution model of the revolutionary rally competition car. 224 of its road-going version, the Sport quattro with Kevlar body and an output of over 300 bhp, were built. 1991 saw the first S model purely for use on public roads enter the showrooms - the Coupe S2, the designated successor to the "Ur-quattro" (original quattro).
In characteristic Audi style, the S2 was equipped with permanent four-wheel drive. It blended sportiness with refinement, the net effect of which was more than the sum total of these character traits. Inspired by the success of the S2, a self-contained family of S models grew over the years, from the S3 to the S4 and the S6, all the way up to the S8.
More or less in parallel with the S2, Audi brought out the first S6, though it was initially built as the S4 and was based on the Audi 100; it remained in production continuously from 1991 to 1997. This first S6 model - available as both a saloon and an Avant, and equipped originally with a 2.2-litre turbo engine, then also with a 4.2-litre V8 engine - was a bestseller with over 27,000 units sold worldwide.
The previous Audi S6 put in its first appearance at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show. It was notable among other things for a 4.2-litre V8 engine tuned up to 340 bhp, with five-valve technology, aluminium suspension and of course quattro permanent four-wheel drive, and remained in production until the end of 2004.
Sales of all S models together up to the present day amount to some 150,000 units.
Like its predecessors, the new Audi S6 has been developed for people wishing to express their individuality through the car they drive. Many of these are businesspeople or successful freelancers who have opted for a prestigious sports car with high suitability for everyday use and which is intended to encapsulate their personal success and communicate their outlook as top performers.
The most important sales markets for the new Audi S6 are Germany, the USA and Switzerland.
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