Audi, veteran of turbocharging, likes the two-turbo approach. Both also offer manual transmissions, which the A6 4.2 does not. The 2.8 offers a station wagon version. But don't avoid the screamer mode, either. Nail the gas and the A6 4.2 flings itself forward on an acceleration curve that seems more ferocious the faster the car goes.
Most vehicles peter out sooner.
Further, front and rear differentials electronically lock in demanding situations to enhance traction by keeping power flowing. The V-8's torque is distributed among the four tires and applied to rapid forward motion instead of dissipated in smoke and burned rubber. The Tiptronic in automatic mode does a commendable job of slicing through its ratios crisply, keeping the engine in full-throated cry. Downshifts likewise are smart, precise, agreeable. But that transmission also is among gripes that undermine an otherwise delightful car.