C6 S6 Avant - 3,000 mile review
Discussion
I bought my one owner 2007 C6 S6 (V10) Avant in March this year. It's Phantom Black with black nappa leather and carbon in-lays. It does have tinted privacy glass from the B pillar back so yes, it does look mildly hearse like but I didn't fancy alacantra or light seats as they are a pain to keep clean. At the time I didn't know about keyless entry but luckily it has this specced as well as the Bose sound system and DAB plus the usual goodies.
Having just returned from a 2,000 mile road trip to France, I thought I'd share my thoughts.
Looks 9/10
I've always liked the C6 platform and the S6 with its flared wheelarches, LED lights, fat tyres, unique alloys and quad exhausts looks rather good. It's not flashy like the RS6 but its understated muscularity marks it out from usual run of the mill machinery. Black is a nightmare to keep clean but really suits the car especially at night when you use the key to open the car and all the LED lights come on - very Death Star. I've also noticed lots of people staring in traffic when they see the little V10 decals behind the front fenders, which is nice.
Practicality 10/10
Very practical indeed - loads of space for a 58cm race bike, bags, spare wheels, tennis kit and everything else we needed for a two-up 16 day trip. I only had to split the nearside folding seat down to accommodate all of that too. When I go to road races I can fold both seats down and the bike goes in with wheels still attached as well as rollers and spare wheels, which is very convenient. Good storage although the lack of pockets behind the front seats due to the hardback design might annoy some people with kids.
Comfort 8/10
Recaro make the seats as they did in the S3 I had a few years ago. In both cars I have the same problem - the nappa leather is too soft and the bolsters too large so it makes getting in and out a pain. Although I'm careful and not fat, it's easy to scuff the bolsters and if you have buttons on the back of your trousers/shorts they can scratch. It just makes the seats wear faster and it's unnecessary IMHO. Luckily, mine is in good condition and has only just touched 70,000 miles but it's worth pointing out.
On the plus side, they are very comfy and it's easy to find a decent driving position with lots of electrical adjustment. They also look great with the embossed S6 logo and hardbacks as well as being very supportive with all that bolstering!
The controls are well thought out and positioned. It's a very nice place to sit and I stepped out after 1,000 miles in the driver's seat with no aches or pains, well apart from a significantly lighter wallet - more later. I love the blue ambient light at night in the doors, under your feet and throughout the cabin - very cool. The dashboard needles are also very attractively lit - has my review come to this?! The Satnav is brilliant and although it suffers from lack of full postcode search, the automatic traffic reports and re-routing work very well plus the estimated time of arrival is spookily accurate. The BOSE stereo has very rich bass and is louder than you'll ever need.
Performance 7/10
It grips like a limpet – phenomenal traction in any scenario, which means you can use all of that power all the time, which is a problem because here’s the thing:
It really doesn't feel as fast as it should. Of course, it is fast in the general scheme of things but it's just not what you expect from a 5.2 litre V10 that's supposed (well we know all the stories about coking) to generate 430bhp. I know it's heavy, I know it has four wheel drive and an auto-box, which are all parasitic but it feels strangled somewhere. I mean I expected to be thrown into the backseats as I nailed the throttle to the floor but I've learnt to accept that it's just not how this motor works.
The power is so linear that speed is built majestically rather than manically. Going from a powerful turbo diesel to an NA motor is often a disappointment for this very reason. Certainly, once you get above 2k rpm and then above 4.5k rpm things start happening and above this, they happen very quickly and very pleasingly acoustically - it is a V10 after all.
As the engine never appears to feel laboured, the torque is prodigious, there is an almost endless reserve of power to tap into but I get the feeling that it's just not being extracted as well as it could. The lovely, unique V10 noise does not translate into particularly momentous acceleration but check the speedometer and it's clear that you're moving quickly and that speed is irrepressible.
It disappoints me in some ways, like a talented child who squanders their talents by being lazy. They could be great but ultimately end up just ‘above average’ without putting any effort in. Shame.
Costs 3/10
Without beating around the bush - 8.3mpg in slow London town driving, moving up to 14.5mpg on a very good day if it involves a bit more suburban roads; smooth driving with no sudden accelerations or heavy braking. Over the course of our 2,000 mile road trip we returned 21.5 mpg with the air conditioning being used for about 75% of the time. I still can’t believe that MPG is affected by the AC in a V10 but it is. Sat around 85-95mph on the motorway.
I knew it was going to be bad but I thought I might just scrape 26mpg average. Best I saw was 25mpg briefly at 75mph otherwise no chance.
Haven’t had to buy anything else other than wipers all round and a new rear Continental Sport Contact 5P, which picked up a nail.
Overall 7/10
I love the space, the design and the overall objective – it’s comfortable, rare and easy on the eye. But the V10, which is probably the main reason you’d buy an S6, is frustrating. The quad exhausts and V10 emblems hint at the performance lurking under the bonnet, it even sounds gruff and burbly on start-up and emits a very sonorous bellow under load but actually, you feel a little robbed when you have to live with its insatiable appetite for fuel.
It’s good but it really could have been better.
Having just returned from a 2,000 mile road trip to France, I thought I'd share my thoughts.
Looks 9/10
I've always liked the C6 platform and the S6 with its flared wheelarches, LED lights, fat tyres, unique alloys and quad exhausts looks rather good. It's not flashy like the RS6 but its understated muscularity marks it out from usual run of the mill machinery. Black is a nightmare to keep clean but really suits the car especially at night when you use the key to open the car and all the LED lights come on - very Death Star. I've also noticed lots of people staring in traffic when they see the little V10 decals behind the front fenders, which is nice.
Practicality 10/10
Very practical indeed - loads of space for a 58cm race bike, bags, spare wheels, tennis kit and everything else we needed for a two-up 16 day trip. I only had to split the nearside folding seat down to accommodate all of that too. When I go to road races I can fold both seats down and the bike goes in with wheels still attached as well as rollers and spare wheels, which is very convenient. Good storage although the lack of pockets behind the front seats due to the hardback design might annoy some people with kids.
Comfort 8/10
Recaro make the seats as they did in the S3 I had a few years ago. In both cars I have the same problem - the nappa leather is too soft and the bolsters too large so it makes getting in and out a pain. Although I'm careful and not fat, it's easy to scuff the bolsters and if you have buttons on the back of your trousers/shorts they can scratch. It just makes the seats wear faster and it's unnecessary IMHO. Luckily, mine is in good condition and has only just touched 70,000 miles but it's worth pointing out.
On the plus side, they are very comfy and it's easy to find a decent driving position with lots of electrical adjustment. They also look great with the embossed S6 logo and hardbacks as well as being very supportive with all that bolstering!
The controls are well thought out and positioned. It's a very nice place to sit and I stepped out after 1,000 miles in the driver's seat with no aches or pains, well apart from a significantly lighter wallet - more later. I love the blue ambient light at night in the doors, under your feet and throughout the cabin - very cool. The dashboard needles are also very attractively lit - has my review come to this?! The Satnav is brilliant and although it suffers from lack of full postcode search, the automatic traffic reports and re-routing work very well plus the estimated time of arrival is spookily accurate. The BOSE stereo has very rich bass and is louder than you'll ever need.
Performance 7/10
It grips like a limpet – phenomenal traction in any scenario, which means you can use all of that power all the time, which is a problem because here’s the thing:
It really doesn't feel as fast as it should. Of course, it is fast in the general scheme of things but it's just not what you expect from a 5.2 litre V10 that's supposed (well we know all the stories about coking) to generate 430bhp. I know it's heavy, I know it has four wheel drive and an auto-box, which are all parasitic but it feels strangled somewhere. I mean I expected to be thrown into the backseats as I nailed the throttle to the floor but I've learnt to accept that it's just not how this motor works.
The power is so linear that speed is built majestically rather than manically. Going from a powerful turbo diesel to an NA motor is often a disappointment for this very reason. Certainly, once you get above 2k rpm and then above 4.5k rpm things start happening and above this, they happen very quickly and very pleasingly acoustically - it is a V10 after all.
As the engine never appears to feel laboured, the torque is prodigious, there is an almost endless reserve of power to tap into but I get the feeling that it's just not being extracted as well as it could. The lovely, unique V10 noise does not translate into particularly momentous acceleration but check the speedometer and it's clear that you're moving quickly and that speed is irrepressible.
It disappoints me in some ways, like a talented child who squanders their talents by being lazy. They could be great but ultimately end up just ‘above average’ without putting any effort in. Shame.
Costs 3/10
Without beating around the bush - 8.3mpg in slow London town driving, moving up to 14.5mpg on a very good day if it involves a bit more suburban roads; smooth driving with no sudden accelerations or heavy braking. Over the course of our 2,000 mile road trip we returned 21.5 mpg with the air conditioning being used for about 75% of the time. I still can’t believe that MPG is affected by the AC in a V10 but it is. Sat around 85-95mph on the motorway.
I knew it was going to be bad but I thought I might just scrape 26mpg average. Best I saw was 25mpg briefly at 75mph otherwise no chance.
Haven’t had to buy anything else other than wipers all round and a new rear Continental Sport Contact 5P, which picked up a nail.
Overall 7/10
I love the space, the design and the overall objective – it’s comfortable, rare and easy on the eye. But the V10, which is probably the main reason you’d buy an S6, is frustrating. The quad exhausts and V10 emblems hint at the performance lurking under the bonnet, it even sounds gruff and burbly on start-up and emits a very sonorous bellow under load but actually, you feel a little robbed when you have to live with its insatiable appetite for fuel.
It’s good but it really could have been better.
Edited by The Stiglet on Monday 8th September 18:52
ChrisRS6 said:
RS6 for the win.
Don't these carbon up too due to direct injection.
DRC and turbos put me off the RS6 plus it's also a higher priced vehicle. By all accounts they are reliable but when something goes wrong it is very expensive.Don't these carbon up too due to direct injection.
Conversely, no one seems to report serious problems on the S6. Reduced power due to coking is mentioned though. I've read reports of dynos reading 320-340bhp, which is a significant drop from the factory rated output of 430bhp. I believe it is around £500-700 to decoke the motor depending on who you use. I'm tempted, just to see if there's a difference but it does worry me living in London that it will smoke itself silly within 1,000 miles and it will all be worthless!
For the moment, I make sure I redline it a couple of times during each journey especially if I've been sitting in traffic as I pretend it will 'self heal'... Oh the hardship
jfbrin said:
Does the C6 Avant come in 4.2tdi guise or is that just confined to the A8?
That would be a possible contender if you could live with the diesel.
No it didn't. But I have a 3.0Tdi and I did wonder if anyone has swapped out the engine from an A8 just as an exercise in diesel tuning.That would be a possible contender if you could live with the diesel.
I did some research on this a while back and the general consensus was that the extra weight of the V8 diesel over the V6 would make the car even more nose heavy than it already is. Great for straight line speed, but not much else.
Nice review by the way. I do wonder with S models whether they're really worth all the extra expense. I know most people (myself included) can't just stump up the extra cash for an RS, but the trade off of performance v cost seems to be better balanced in an RS model. This may only apply when the S model is a detuned version of the RS model's engine though.
Other models like the S4/RS4 feature different engines and very different characteristics and from what I've read, the s4 is an good ownership experience.
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