Audi’s decision to offer a Sport Plus package for the new 2026 A6 sedan seemed to suggest the end of the high-performance S6 version, and that is true—for now, at least.
A company spokesperson confirmed to Car and Driver that the S6 wouldn’t return to Audi’s U.S. lineup for the 2026 model year, and we predict that it won’t return anytime soon. But not all hope is lost for more powerful derivatives of the A6 lineup in the future.
For one thing, Audi is still technically offering an S6 in the form of the electric S6 e-tron. That model has a 543-hp dual-motor powertrain and raced to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds in our testing, which beats the old 444-hp gas-powered S6 by more than half a second.
Rumors also continue to swirl around an eventual replacement for the RS6 Avant, a high-performance wagon, which continues with the old A6 body style for the 2026 model year and uses a 621-hp twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8. We wouldn’t be surprised if the new RS6 ends up being a plug-in hybrid, following its closest competitors, the Mercedes-AMG E53 and BMW M5 Touring.