Car and Driver - USA (2019-10)

61

Acura — Audi

works, although it may be far
enough off that it won’t appear
until 2021.
—
A8: Returning for 2020, the S8
stretches out, moving from the
not-for-the-U.S. short-wheel-
base A8 to the same long-
wheelbase kit as every other
A8 sold here. To help the
embiggened sedan two-step,

Audi A 6 : We can’t believe it, either: Audi is bringing a nearly 600-hp wagon to

the states. The RS6 Avant’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 is good for 591 horsepower

and 590 pound-feet of torque and also features a 48-volt motor-generator. Torque

reaches all four tires through an eight-speed automatic with a new launch-control

function that should slingshot the RS6 to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds. The new

S6, back after a one-year hiatus, trades the old model’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8

for a six-cylinder with two turbochargers, an electric supercharger, and a 48-volt

motor-generator. Oh, and there’s another gear, too: An eight-speed automatic

replaces the seven-speed dual-clutch auto. Relative to the old eight-cylinder, the V-6

loses six horsepower but gains 37 pound-feet of torque, for totals of 444 horses and

443 pound-feet. All-wheel drive and air springs are included in the starting price of

$74,895. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the 248-hp A6 45 joined the 335-hp A6

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Audi includes rear-wheel

steering, a torque-vectoring

rear differential, and an active

suspension that skips over

large road irregularities and

reduces body roll in corners.

The twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8

makes 563 horsepower and

590 pound-feet of torque and

drives all four wheels through

an eight-speed automatic.

e-tron: The first mass-

produced electric Audi,

introduced as a 2019 model,

will feel instantly familiar to

anyone who has driven one of

the company’s gas-powered

vehicles in the last five years.

The five-passenger all-wheel-

drive crossover rides comfort-

ably, handles competently,

and accelerates nonchalantly

on a gust of electric torque.

The spacious cabin is quiet,

beautifully tailored, and chock-

full of tech. Those traits make

the e-tron entirely likable,

assuming you’re a fan of

electric vehicles. A base price

of about $76,000 and

an EPA-estimated 204-mile

range will constrain its main-

stream appeal.

—

Q3: See review, page 57.

—

Q5: The Q5 plug-in hybrid

cranks out a combined 367

horsepower from a turbo-

charged inline-four and a

single electric motor, making it

more powerful than the sporty

INSIGNIFICANT

FIGURES

Audi has recognized that

engine size and perform-

ance no longer move in

lockstep in the age of

turbos and electrifica-

tion. Last year, it stripped

the engine badges from

its A and Q models and

replaced them with

two-digit numbers

that correlate with the

powertrain’s output. The

scheme starts with 40

for its least powerful

four-banger in the A3 and

A4 and scales to 60 for

the 460-hp twin-turbo

V-8 in the A8. S and RS

vehicles are exempt from

the tomfoolery.

Late in the 2019 model year,

Audi augmented the A8 lineup,

offering the A8 60 in addition

to the existing six-cylinder A8

55. The new car uses a 460-hp
    variant of the S8’s V-8. An
    upcoming plug-in-hybrid A8
    will blend power from a turbo
    3.0-liter V-6 and an electric
    motor fed by a 14.1-kWh
    battery pack.

AUDI RS6 AVANT