The gas-powered Audi S6 is no longer being offered in the United States. Instead, the German manufacturer is taking the performance variant of the A6 electric. A bit like Toyota has just done with the Highlander, but with more pace and better handling.
According to Edmunds, which broke the story, Audi is keeping an internal combustion engine in the standard A6, which should be packing a 362-horsepower turbocharged V6, which offers 406 lb-ft of torque and can pop from 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. The S6’s hybrid powertrain, which upped the horsepower to 444 and added about 36 more lb-ft. of torque is being swapped out for a full BEV setup, which will undoubtedly be more powerful. There’s also the E-Tron if you just want a regular A6 with a fully electric powertrain.
It’s a bold move from Audi. Switching out a performance model for a hybrid variant usually elicits a mixed response from the customer base. German rivals BMW learned that with the M5, and Mercedes-AMG has just rectified their own issue by canning the C 63. Ditching a performance model and going full electric can have even more of a backlash, though Audi fans are less likely to recoil than Dodge enthusiasts were during the whole Charger Daytona fiasco.
The Audi S6 situation fits in with the current times
A few things seem to be happening in the automotive industry at present, and the S6’s death seems to have hit all of the current trends. First, some odd things are happening around EVs. OEMs either seem to be revising their EV strategy entirely like Nissan, or doubling down and pushing the EV concept a bit further, like Toyota. Audi is in the latter camp; it’s essentially making a well-known model electric.
Then there’s this weird trend for just killing off models that’s been going on for a few months now. Ignoring the losses we saw in late 2025, the first two months of 2026 have seen the end of the Tesla Model S, the demise of the Tesla Model X, the departure of the Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid, the death of the Dodge Hornet, and the RAM 1500 REV is no more.
If you do include announcements from last year (just a few months ago), you say goodbye to the Acura TLX and the Audi A4. Audi Q8 E-tron, BMW X4, Cadillac XT4, Cadillac XT6, Chevy Malibu, Ford Escape, Ford Edge, Ford F-150 Lightning, Infiniti QX50, Infiniti QX55, Jeep Wagoneer, Karma Revero, Kia Soul, Kia Telluride, Lexus RC, Nissan Ariya, Nissan Kicks Play, Nissan Versa, Polestar 2, Porsche 718, Subaru Legacy, Volkswagen ID Buzz, Volvo S60, and Volvo S90.
Admittedly, some of the vehicles on the list aren’t officially dead. The official line on the ID Buzz and F-150 Lightning is production has “paused,” so the door is open for a comeback. The Kia Telluride is, by all accounts, taking a bit of time out for a refresh. Which makes sense as ditching an award-winning, well-selling, 3-row SUV would be a touch unhinged. Apparently (and hopefully) reports of the Porsche 718’s death may also be overstated.
Then there’s the Audi S6. It’s not really gone, it’s just sold out as Dylan did in 1965. And he had a pretty good career afterwards, right? The Audi S6 is dead. Long live the Audi S6 (Sportback E-Tron).
