Tuning the A6, S6 and RS6 models

"It is big and it is clever."

The big daddy of the Audi range. The car comes in saloon and estate versions and despite its large size is actually very agile particularly with the Quattro setup. The absolute tuners dream has to be the early S6 turbo or the later RS6. Both engines perform well out of the factory but with a few simple modificaitons can be utterly transformed.

The weakspots, if you can call it that on a car producing over 450 bhp is the turbo. For serious power gains you should upgrade the turbo. The options are a rebuilt turbo with high performance internals or a larger turbo conversion. In either case go with a turbo which has ball bearings rather that the thrust bearings. With a remap and turbo upgrade on the RS6 you are looking at phenomenal power gains to around something in the order of 520bhp. With cylinder head work and more extensive work an additional 150bhp can be achieved over and above the cars standard taking power upto a heady 600bhp. This puts the RS6 firmly into supercar territory.

The early S6 appeared in 1994 upto the model revision in 1997 and had a 2.2 litre engine putting out around 230bhp. This can be upped once again with a turbo conversion and remap to 270bhp. Wheras the 1997 s6 had a larger 4.2 engine 340bhp and this can only be raised slightly to 360bhp with a full remap and new sports exhaust system fitted. The turbo models are therefore the models to go for if you want to see large powergains and get more for you money.

When upping the power on turbo engines TorqueCars recommend that you upgrade the diverter valve for a stronger version as the standard ones start to complain with these power levels.

Brake conversion kits are also a good idea, and although the standard quattro handling is excellent a bit of suspension tweaking will firm up the ride and turn the car into a track day weapon.

The A6 range are very heavy cars, even the bonnet and panels are substantial. Fitting carbon fibre parts will help to reduce the weight and therefore increase the performance. Lighter flywheels will also free up some power and allow better accelleration (although this will not help your fuel economy when cruising).

We shouldn't overlook the diesel engines as these too are very tunable. Remaps are the way to go with these and you will see really silly Torque figures and still retain much of the fuel economy you bought is for in the first place.

See our full and detailed tuning articles for more information on the many modifications open you and join our forum to chat with other A6/S6/RS6 owners and compare notes with them. Be warned though there is a big difference of opinion on the many remaps available.