Compare the2025 BMW M5VS 2025 Audi S6

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the M5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The S6 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The M5 has standard Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The S6 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The M5 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the S6’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the M5 has standard Cross Traffic Warning, helping the driver avoid collisions. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the S6.

Both the M5 and the S6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The BMW M5 weighs 904 to 1044 pounds more than the Audi S6. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the M5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the S6.

There are over 14 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the M5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 36 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 85 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

The M5’s 4.4 turbo V8 hybrid produces 273 more horsepower (717 vs. 444) and 296 lbs.-ft. more torque (738 vs. 442) than the S6’s 2.9 turbo V6 hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the BMW M5 is faster than the Audi S6:

The M5 can travel with zero emissions for 25 miles. The S6 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The M5’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The S6 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the M5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the S6:

The M5 offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The S6 doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

For better traction, the M5 has larger standard tires than the S6 (285/40R20 vs. 255/35R21). The M5’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the S6 (F:285/40R20 & R:295/35R21 vs. 255/35R21).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the M5’s wheelbase is 3 inches longer than on the S6 (118.3 inches vs. 115.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the M5 is 2 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than on the S6.

The M5 Sedan handles at .98 G’s, while the S6 Premium Plus pulls only .90 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The front grille of the M5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The S6 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The M5 has 2.6 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the S6.

The M5 Sedan has a much larger trunk than the S6 (16.5 vs. 13.7 cubic feet).

The M5 has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the S6 (17.7 vs. 13.7 cubic feet).

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW M5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the S6.

The BMW M5 comes in sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Audi S6 isn’t available as a station wagon.

The BMW 5 Series outsold the Audi A6/S6/RS 6 by over two to one during 2024.