The 2026 Audi A6 Has S6 Power, But Is That Enough?

What’s this about a turbo V6?

It’s an interesting strategy. Where competitors like the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class use four-cylinder engines in their base trims, Audi makes a V6 standard from the get-go — and for roughly the same price as the four-cylinder competition. 

A 2026 Audi A6 starts at $65,395 including destination, compared to $64,250 for a BMW 530i xDrive or $67,750 for a Mercedes-Benz E 350 4Matic. If you want six-cylinder power in the BMW or Audi, you’ll be paying $69,150 or $73,650, respectively. Of course, if fuel economy is a priority, the four-cylinder BMW and Merc have the Audi beat by several miles per gallon.

Audi’s turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 makes 362 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque, increases of 27 hp and 37 lb-ft compared to the outgoing six-cylinder A6. A seven-speed automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels — Audi’s Quattro is one of the world’s best all-wheel-drive systems — and the company estimates the new A6 can hit 60 mph from a dead stop in 4.5 seconds.

Here’s where things get interesting: That 4.5-second 0-to-60 time is a skosh quicker than the last S6 we tested, despite the older model having 444 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque from a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6. Of course, the new A6 is estimated to be about 200 pounds lighter than the old S6, which certainly helps.