First look: New S6 breaks cover at Motown

FRESH from confirming its R8 Le Mans racer for production and revealing the V10-powered S8 at the Tokyo show in October, Audi has used the 2006 Detroit show to unveil its all-new S6 sedan and Avant high-performance twins.

Due on sale here some time after this year’s 313kW V8-powered RS4 (April) and 335kW V10-powered S8 (October), the redesigned S6 is powered by a version of the S8’s Lamborghini-sourced 220kg 5.2-litre V10.

The all-new S6 may be slightly less powerful than the S8 at 309kW but offers the same beefy 540Nm of torque from just 3000rpm.

The S6's V10 also makes the previous model's 4.2-litre V8 seem downright pedestrian with just 250kW/420Nm on tap - or around the same output as the current S4, Audi's answer to the M3.

But it's no match for direct rival, BMW's rear-drive M5, which offers 373kW from its 5.0-litre V10 - or the Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG, which offers 350kW from its supercharged 5.5-litre V8.

Audi says the FSI direct petrol injection engine propels the new S6 sedan to 100km/h in 5.3 seconds, with its wagon derivative just a tenth of a second slower.

The top-shelf performance of Audi’s M5 and E55 rival comes despite a standard six-speed Tiptronic auto and the latest-generation quattro permanent four-wheel drivetrain with 40:60 torque split.