Critics have been driving and making comparisons of the Audi S6 high performance four door sedan and the Audi S7 high performance luxury five door hatchback to try to determine which one is the best choice for enthusiast drivers. Both Audi models have a twin turbocharged 4.0 liter V8 engine that hosts an aggressive 420 horsepower. They both also have a seven speed dual clutch automatic gearbox setup and permanent all wheel drive. With this in mind the power is identical across the board whether you are driving the four door S6 or five door S7. You would think that would boil the choice down to which bodystyle you prefer, or would it?
One considerable difference to keep in mind between the Audi S6 and Audi S7 is the S6 is 100 pounds lighter than the S7. This could have a bearing on driving performance, especially in cold weather driving where weight is helpful in trudging through the ice and snow. But that would probably depend on how the weight is distributed. The assumption is the S7 is heavier over the axles due to the hatchback construction.
Along with being heavier, the S7 is also wider by about 1.4 inches overall. The S6 is taller than the S7, almost 2 inches taller. Gravity height has not been released at this point either, and while we are only talking inches, the inches and weight differences could have a direct bearing on how each one of them handles the same power.
Both the Audi S6 and Audi S7 have the same electromechanical servotronic speed sensitive steering. The S6 seems to offer a more connected feel and seems heavier. The S7 feels as if it drives lighter with less accuracy, perhaps due to the size differences. This leaves the Audi S6 feeling more balanced while cornering even though it is taller. The additional weight does cause some tiny oscillation during the same cornering, but really not that much.
What the critics ended up with is that unless you need the additional trunk space that the S7 offers, you should pick the S6. The Audio S6 has a base price of $71,900 while the S7 starts at $78,800.
Source Autoblog