New car question: 2017 S5 or 2016 S6?

[YetiS62016]

Happy New Year to all of you!

My lease is coming up in July 2016. I will leave the Infiniti brand to try an Audi this time around (coming from a 2012 FX50s SUV and a 2011 G37xS Coupe). I loved the big V8 in the FX50s and the sport brakes (tracked the SUV 3 times for a total of 21 30 minutes sessions).

Now, I am longing to return to a much smaller and more tossable car as I miss the feeling on driving a car. My 3 choices are:

1) Lease a S6 for 4 years and add: sway bars,AWE exhaust and lightweight wider 20 inches wheels. The car will be tracked 1 or 2 times a year for fun.
Pros: big V8/ more practical (I do not need the back seats but anyway...)/ quite a rare sight
Cons: Will feel heavy or boaty/ not as efficient + more expensive than S5.

2) Wait for a 2017 S5
Pros: I get the car I really want (lighter, new engine and tranny, seats looks amazing)/ cheaper/ more efficient
Cons: have to wait another 18 months or so/ 1st year issues (engine-tranny)/ not as practical

3) Buy a CPO 2005 or so S6 and trade it in in 24 months or so for a 2018 S5.
Pros: Get to try both an enjoy both.

Money is no real concern but I only want 1 car therefore I want a great all-rounder. I like option 3 but I would try to find a CPO 2016 to get the power bump.

So what is your opinion on the subject? Feel free to give me yor complete thoughts on the subject.

Best Regards,
-LP

[VeryBadman]

No one knows how the 2017 S5 is going to be but if you are looking for a big V8 in a small package, you may want to check RS5 instead.


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[Kevin1]

Another vote for a RS

[13allroad]

For what you are looking for sounds like a used RS5 and then see what develops in terms of new models/engines down the line with Audi.

[El Jefe Libano]

Like the guys have said, it sounds like a used/CPO RS5 will have what you need; and will give you a chance to see what develops with the brand. Best of luck!


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[gk1]

Usually best to avoid first year teething issues on German models. (Unless you don't keep very long anyway)
However I don't think the S6 will fill your need. While it is a great car in it's own right, it is not best described as "tossable".
My vote would be similar to others...RS5.

[yeuchau]

Or if you want to mod, you can also get the S5 and drive for few years and upgrade to newer model S5.
Or RS3 that is suppose to come out

[PKmode]

A few things to note.
#1- Any C7, RS or not, is not "tossable". That said, they can be competent track weapons on a bigger course where you can use big power.
#2- The S5 is a nice choice but we really wont know for sure until we start to see how they perform. The current S5 with the 3.0T responds very well to mods. Good for ~450awhp if you want to do all the standard bolt-obs and a good tune. Personally, I would choose that engine over the NA V8, even the RS5s. Having flogged an RS5 and many modded 3.0Ts and variants of old 2.7Ts with big turbos, the RS's 4.2 is just so low on Tq, it's a big let down for the premium. I might get some heat for saying that but it's undeniable that they're low on Tq.
#3- An old V10 C6S6 is not comparable in any way to a modern 4.0T C7S6. Maybe OK stock but as soon as you tune the C7S6, it's gone. I wouldn't bother with the C6 due to the high service costs associated with the V10 as well.

[SunDevil]

If you like to track .... get a used, inexpensive Miata or FRS/BRZ and learn to track with momentum.

Buy the Audi for daily use.

[YetiS62016]

Wow, thank you so much for your opinions, it is truly appreciated!

[mc52]

Ya, c7 will not be tossable. Speaking to an rs5 owner he said the lack of low end torque made it not that fun to drive compared to his previous car, s4.


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[Rusty G.]

I think the RS5's engine is more of a high revving V8, while the S6's engine has way more low end torque. The rumble from the back is intoxicating.

I agree with the above posters that the S6 will not be "tossable", however, it is considerably smaller than the SUV's he stated that he tracked before.

My question to the OP. . .Are you really buying a car to track, and basing your decision upon the few times a year you'll actually track the vehicle?

[yas]

Ya, c7 will not be tossable. Speaking to an rs5 owner he said the lack of low end torque made it not that fun to drive compared to his previous car, s4.


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The low end torque (or lack thereof) makes it a bit boring in stop and go traffic, but above 3000rpm it's a blast -- and a great DD for the track.

[VeryBadman]

Ya, c7 will not be tossable. Speaking to an rs5 owner he said the lack of low end torque made it not that fun to drive compared to his previous car, s4.


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That's mainly a problem for people who are so used to force induction engine. I drove RS5 back in August last year right after I had driven my RS7 to the place and the lack of low end torque was the first thing I noticed. However, once you rev the engine to high RPM and keep it there, it's pretty fun to drive.

[PKmode]

RS5: It's fun, sounds great, looks sexy and is a more balanced car for the track. Still, it is not a track car and will be out performed by lesser models with a few basic bolt-ons that didn't cost x2 the price of a similarly equipped S4/S5. What I mean is an S4/S5 with Stg2 software, competent brakes and suspension will walk all over an RS5 on the track or from the stoplight on the street.

All that said, when you buy an RS, you aren't buying it because it's the ultimate in performance, you buy it because it is "special" in ways the standard cars are not. You are mostly paying for R&D, balance of the parts designed for the car and actually working together, and of course, exclusivity.