Audi S6 Sportback e-tron vs Mercedes S 580 e 4MATIC W223: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the S6 Sportback e-tron hits 100 km/h in 4.08 s versus 4.87 s for the S 580 e 4MATIC. At this point, the S6 Sportback e-tron leads by 0.79 s and sits roughly 9 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the S6 Sportback e-tron is doing 146 km/h against 144 km/h for the S 580 e 4MATIC. The gap is 0.50 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the S6 Sportback e-tron crosses the line in 12.52 s versus 12.95 s. The 0.43 s gap represents roughly 22 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The S6 Sportback e-tron maxes out at 233 km/h while the S 580 e 4MATIC keeps accelerating towards 250 (i.e. 155 mph - industry threshold) km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.21 s.

Around 745 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the S 580 e 4MATIC overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 17 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the S 580 e 4MATIC finishes in 23.10 s versus 23.58 s. The 0.47 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the S6 Sportback e-tron is capped at 240 km/h, the S 580 e 4MATIC at 250 (i.e. 155 mph - industry threshold) km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

With two plug-in hybrid powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (4.28 kg/hp vs 4.84 kg/hp) and transmission (Unknown vs Unknown).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 7.15 seconds. The 0.79 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.