You know how it is; you wait for one new Audi S6 to appear and then a pair turn up at the same time. Not only will the S6 saloon take its bow at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but so too will its slightly larger twin brother, the S6 Avant.

Like its four-door brother the Avant does without the Lamborghini derived 5.2-litre V10 engine of old in favour of a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 that produces 414bhp and 405lb.ft of torque. All of that torque is available from as low down as 1,400rpm and goes some way to explaining a 0-62mph time of 4.9 second (0.1 slower than the saloon variant) and like the S6 saloon the estate has to be electronically restrained at 155mph.

Engine power is transmitted through a seven-speed S-tronic transmission and the quattro all-wheel drive system that uses a self-locking centre differential. If you are so inclined Audi will sell you a sport differential, which distributes power between the rear wheels.

Stop-start technology and a cylinder-on-demand feature that deactivates four of the eight cylinders under part load contribute to a fuel economy figure of 28.8mpg, a figure Audi claims is not only 25 per cent better than the old V10 engine but also well above that of the competition.

Both the S6 saloon and Avant feature Audi's S series signature styling traits including aluminium-look mirrors, custom bumpers, side sills, larger alloy wheels (19-inch standard, 20-inch optional) along with sport seats and steering wheel and bespoke trim in the cabin.

Paul Healy - 31 Aug 2011