With enough power to have some real fun, the 2008 S6 fills the Audi mid-size performance slot. That 435-hp, 5.2-liter V-10 from Lamborghini lays out a consistently high torque plateau throughout the rpm spectrum. All this performance is mediated through a 6-speed automatic with overdrive while the essence of the car is unchanged for 2008.

With classy yet understated elegance, the interior of the S6 is a strongly masculine domain, accented with leather and rare wood. Equipped with up market AM/FM stereo and CD changer, the only sound sweeter than the V10's exhaust note is the concert-quality sound track you'll be hearing. The gray headliner is a perfect match for the muted tone of the wood accents. S6's instrumentation is easy to read and logically organized.

Powerful as the S6 is, its virility is tempered with state-of-the-art safety features such as: front and rear curtain airbags, front and rear seat torso airbags, and Quattro all-wheel drive. As a testament to that point, the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) chose the Audi S6 as a Top Pick for frontal, side, and rear crash test safety.

Looking as solid as stone, the exterior of the 2008 Audi S6 is pulsing with dynamic style, from its Xenon headlamps with eye-catching LED running lights to its quad tailpipes. Riding on 19 inch wheels, the S6 is a statement of quiet domination over all other mid-size luxury performance cars. The only downside to owning the S6 is the penalty the US government imposes in the form of a $1300 tax, levied against vehicles that guzzle, not sip gasoline.