There’s something to be said for sleeper cars, ones that appear ordinary, but offer performance that far exceeds their looks.

It’s the sort of car I grew up with. Specifically, my family’s first second car, a 1977 Pontiac Bonneville. Being that my mother would use it most of the time, she picked it out. Seafoam green with a beige vinyl top, stand-up ornament and rear fender skirts, it’s clearly a car not meant for those with Y-chromosomes. Until, that is, you peaked under the hood. That’s where a 6.6-liter V-8 with four-barrel carburetor resided, rated at 170 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. Mom didn’t tolerate a lack of power in her cars.

And by the time I drove it with regularity, it would outgun any Mustang GT or modern muscle cars of similar ilk, its feminine looks belying its underlying power. You know, just like women.

That’s what makes the 2024 Audi S6 so sublime, a handsome car that looks pretty much like an Audi A6 to the initiated. And it is, sorta. But this one has been to the gym, a sportier iteration of the Audi’s luxury midsize sedan.

Credit its 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 mated to a 48-volt hybrid system and electric supercharger that provides additional boost. Through an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. It funnels 444 horsepower and 443 foot-pounds of torque through quattro all-wheel drive to all four corners. Reaching 60 mph takes 5.1 seconds, which seems conservative having driven it. Top track speed is 155 mph.

This might seem like a step back, considering the Audi S6 no longer sports the twin-turbocharged V-8 it did from 2014 through 2018, nor the V-10 that powered it from 2007 until 2011. Yet it does possess the prowess buyers in this class look for. Is it fast? Yes, about as fast as the less-expensive Audi A5 55 quattro sedan at 5.1 seconds, but not as quick as the A6 Allroad wagon at 4.4 seconds or RS6 Avant wagon at 3.5 seconds, according to Audi.

Thanks to its adaptive air suspension and rear-wheel steering, the Audi S6 has a nimbleness above and beyond that of its lesser A6 siblings. It mocks rough pavement, serenely delivering a smooth, refined ride no matter what’s going on underneath the car. And should the roads turn slick, the S6 has standard quattro all-wheel drive, which lend peace of mind – something I never had on the rear-wheel-drive Bonneville; It liked to dance. Steering is quick and direct, which makes its ferocious acceleration manageable. As its sped builds and it releases an aural symphony that rewards you for choosing the Audi S6 over something.

But what’s particularly remarkable is what it feels compared to its German rivals. Its supercharged hybrid driveline and efficient 8-speed automatic transmission make for a smoothness and civility you’ll appreciate. It’s not a juvenile car, having a manner that rewards being an adult, albeit one who likes to drive fast. There’s a balance to its performance that rewards those who appreciate speed and refinement. Yet as with many German vehicles, the ride can be firm at times, which come may find uncomfortable for a car that starts at $75,500. The flip side is its athletic prowess, which makes tackling your favorite twisting mountain road an exercise in pure pleasure.

Best of all was its mileage, a wallet-pleasing 25.5 mpg, although the Audi S6 does require premium fuel. But if you can afford the car, you afford to fill it.

Performance aside, the 2024 Audi S6 receives a host of updates for the new model year, including a revised front grille with standard LED headlights. There are new exterior paint choices, although seafoam green is not among them. It also gets redesigned wheels, red brakes calipers, new instrument panel inlay options, as well as enhanced infotainment offerings and more standard equipment. And buyers get a six-month trial subscription to Audi Connect Plus, which comes with an Audi app store. This facilitates seamless integration of your digital life, as well as parking & charging, productivity, weather, and news apps into Audi’s Multi Media Interface, or MMI for short.

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