The 2020 Audi S6 and S7 Come to America With a 444-HP Twin-Turbo V-6
The Euro-market S6 and S7 get a diesel engine and a mild hybrid system. Here in the US, we get the hybrid, but now it's attached to a 2.9-liter gasser.
In April 2019, Audi launched the 2020 Audi S6 and S7 for the European market. The twin-turbo V-8 engine from the previous cars were dropped in favor of a turbo-diesel V-6 engine combined with a 48-volt mild hybrid system. But because Americans don't really buy diesels, Audi announced today that we're getting a different powertrain: A 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 gas motor making 444 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque.
Note: This article was originally published on July 25th, when the S6 was announced for the US market. On July 29th, Audi announced the new S7; we have updated this article with info on the S7.
Like the European cars, America's S6 and S7 will be equipped with a 48-volt mild hybrid system meant to counteract turbo lag, improving responsiveness. The engine is mated to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, sending power to all four wheels via Audi's famous Quattro all-wheel drive system. In normal driving situations, 60 percent of the torque is sent to the rear wheels; when needed, up to 85 percent of the torque can be sent to the rear, while up to 70 percent can be sent to the front, based on traction conditions. There's also brake-controlled torque vectoring that can adjust the speed of each individual wheel for maximum cornering ability. Buyer can also option a sport differential that can actively split torque between the rear axle. Audi claims the 0-60 sprint happens in just 4.4 seconds for the S6, and 4.5 seconds for the S7.
