2001_S15

Hello everyone,

I am a current lessee of a 2014 Audi S6. My lease is up in October this year and so I'm in the hunt for a replacement. I'm looking for a balance of sharp handling, comfort, and modern tech.

In brief: If I loved the S6 3 years ago because of how it delivered on that balance, will I similarly love an E43?

Some comments:

I have a commute that consists of about 10 minutes of twisty roads with no traffic followed by 10-15 minutes of sitting in traffic, so handling is important.
I used to drive a 2011 (F10) BMW 550i. The car was fast, but lifeless.
After I got rid of that car I switched to the S6 which I found to be more like a sports car by comparison - felt lighter, faster, less isolation in sound and feel. Really, the S6 is the best all-round sedan I've had.

Options I've considered:

BMW 540i:

Drove one of these. Great engine. I really like the styling and the tech. Probably my favorite car from an aesthetic perspective. From a driving feel perspective, far too isolated. I stepped out of this test drive back into my 3 year old S6 and immediately felt more energized. M550i - very similar car, just more power and money.

E43:

My only data point here is the C&D review which has it beat everyone else, including an A6 Competition (which is probably most like my S6, minus the air suspension). The interior looks good, but the general theme is elegant vs. modern. I can live with that. My main complaint here is I have not been able to find one to drive. I drove an E400 wagon, and it drove similarly to my recollection of E-classes of old - i.e. "Sport" setting equivalent to "Comfort" in my S6, lots of roll, steering precise but loose, isolated, etc. I did like the seats - the thick bolsters were great in corners and very much like my S6 sport seats.

Buy out my lease/Just lease another S6:

I love the way this car drives. Not the world's best gas mileage, but the V8 sounds fantastic. CHEAP.
The main drawback at this point is the age of the tech - the industry has moved on and many of the features while they work OK are not up to the current par level.

So my questions to people who have had both a S6 and now an E43:

1. How do you compare the two? And how is the E43 different from the E400 in practice? Because the E400 was underwhelming.
2. The E43 beat a 6-7 year old design A6 3.0T Competition in Car & Driver. Would it beat a 6-7 year old design S6? (I don't care about a few tenths of a second in 0-60 or a few horsepower. I am mostly focused on driving dynamics.)

As an aside, I've driven regular A6s (2.0 and 3.0) and they do feel a lot different to my S6. The S6 is more than just a V8 engine, the whole car is holistically reworked and it feels more "special" - really a completely different car from a driving perspective. By comparison, the 550 BMW is just an engine transplant into the same car as the 540. So faster but doesn't change much about the handling/character of the car. I'm trying to figure out where on this spectrum the E43 sits vs. the E400.

petee1997

You appear to love the S6. Why reinvent the wheel. Buy or lease another S6. It's the sure bet for you.

2001_S15

I love the way it drives, but I'll point out I was ambivalent about its tech back in 2014 when I got it - it was a little dated then. It's definitely dated now not just in terms of looks but functionality/features. Back then I decided I could get past that given how well it drove compared to the BMW. I don't know if I can justify a new 3 year commitment to another Audi especially at the end of its life cycle. I'm trying to understand better the extent to which I am making a compromise with the E43 in drivability to get a nicer interior/sharper graphics/more screens. I am hoping there is someone here who has spent time in both cars and can comment.

petee1997

The E43 is an AMG light. Certainly the tech in this car is probably the most advanced of anything out there. The air suspension will make it a better ride than the E400. If the price point doesn't scare you, the E63 would do it for you, but it may be overkill.

TMC M5

I can't imagine an E43 is going to be as satisfying as your S6. The S6 is a great car. It was the runner up to my E63 S. But you should test drive the E43 to find out for yourself. You might as well try the M550. The price is right there with the E43.

2012 merc amg

How about a S7 or RS7, those are nice. Ya I dunno if the E43 is gonna cut it for you especially after owning a S6, you may have to jump up to the E63 AMG if you want to go that route.

PeterUbers

Get the S6, e43 is a downgrade in performance

Amg63-

Would the m550i be closer to the performance of the s6 than the e43?

TMC M5

I would bet that the M550 will be as quick, if not quicker than the S6.

Amg63-

then I suggest that the OP take a look into this car. I don't see why not

Munich77

Yeah....I think that the M550 is a more natural comparison to the S6. The E43 is an awesome car - but a V8 is a V8.

MTV10

M550 is definitely quicker than C7 S6. OP is more concerned with driving dynamics rather than straight line speed, though.

Amg63-

i would of thought the m550i also handles better and has amazing grip with its awd vs the s6

waisoserious

Its been half a year, What did you end up getting? I am very curious.

2001_S15

I have an E63S on order. I decided in the end I couldn't live without the V8 noise, having driven V8 sedans since 2006. Also figured that these things were going the way of the dinosaur so wanted to hold on for as long as possible. The unexplained order delays however are making me ponder a M5....

dguth

Robert Ritchie

I am making a similar decision right now between an '18 E43 and a '16 S6... is the tech an interior of the E43 just that much better?

Also, what about reliability of the two? I would plan on keeping the car for 5+ years.

mmmamg

I traded in 2016 S6 for 2018 E63s Wagon.
Had S6 for 1 year. Had problem with E92m3 and wanted to get something else to avoid huge repair bills.
It was perfect car to drive around, good tech but so boring for me.

Now I drive E63 everywhere I go and enjoying every minute of driving. Personally I dont think you will notice big difference between S6 and E43 (or 550).
If you are looking to upgrade your driving experience and really feel the difference you need to go with M5 or E63 or may be RS7/6.