When it comes to cars, American roads lack two things – diesel engines and wagons. Both have left a bad taste in the mouths of American consumers for a generation, and neither have clawed back any respect since. Our overseas friends are far luckier, enjoying both the powertrain and body style wrapped in one desirable package. Diesel-powered wagons are common in Europe, and a new video pits two German luxury competitors against one another – the 2020 Audi S6 and 2020 BMW M550d xDrive.

If you look at the specs, the two German luxury saloons are quite similar. The BMW sports a quad-turbocharged straight-six diesel engine producing 400 horsepower (298 kilowatts) and 1,030 pound-feet (760 Newton-meters) of torque. A turbocharged V6 diesel powers the Audi, making 350 hp (260 kW) and 949 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. The extra oomph gives BMW the performance edge. During testing, the BMW outperformed the Audi. 

The M550d hit 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 4.81 seconds compared to the S6’s 5.3-second time. However, the Audi was able to close the gap before crossing the quarter-mile distance, completing the run in 13.41 seconds, a smidge longer than the BMW’s 13.01-second time. The BMW’s performance prowess shines again, though, when the two cross the 124-mph (200-kph) barrier. It took the BMW 18.71 seconds to reach it while it took the BMW 21.13 seconds. 

It’s easy to see how similar the two models are when watching the video. Yes, the BMW’s extra performance gives it an edge, but it’s not enough to leave the Audi in the dust. Both are capable performance wagons that should put smiles on the faces of both drivers and passengers. Just not American ones. 

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