Compare the2023 BMW 8 Series Gran CoupeVS 2023 Audi A6

The 8 Series Gran Coupe’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A6 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the 8 Series Gran Coupe and the A6 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, 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, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 8 Series Gran Coupe for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the A6.

There are over 15 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the 8 Series Gran Coupe’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 74 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 2 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe has more powerful engines than the A6:

As tested in Motor Trend the 840i Gran Coupe 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder is faster than the A6 55 TFSI 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid:

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the A6.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe’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 A6 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the 8 Series Gran Coupe’s brake rotors are larger than those on the A6:

For better traction and acceleration, the 8 Series Gran Coupe has larger standard rear tires than the A6 (275/35R19 vs. 245/45R19). The Alpina B8 Gran Coupe’s rear tires are larger than the largest rear tires available on the A6 (285/30R21 vs. 255/40R20).

The 840i Gran Coupe’s standard 245/40R19 front and 275/35R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the A6’s standard 45 series tires. The 8 Series Gran Coupe’s optional 245/35R20 front and 275/30R20 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the A6’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Alpina B8 Gran Coupe has standard 21-inch wheels. The A6’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the 8 Series Gran Coupe can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The A6 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe M550i/Alpina B8 has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The A6 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe M550i/Alpina B8 offers an available active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Audi doesn’t offer an active suspension on the A6.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 8 Series Gran Coupe’s wheelbase is 3.9 inches longer than on the A6 (119 inches vs. 115.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the 8 Series Gran Coupe is 2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A6.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.8% to 49.2%) than the A6’s (55% to 45%). This gives the 8 Series Gran Coupe more stable handling and braking.

The front grille of the 8 Series Gran Coupe uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The A6 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe has 1.1 inches more front headroom and .8 inches more front legroom than the A6.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe has a much larger trunk than the A6 (15.5 vs. 13.7 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the 8 Series Gran Coupe’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The A6 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 1% lower rating, Audi is ranked 8th.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The A6 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the A6.

The BMW 8 Series comes in coupe, convertible and sedan bodystyles; the Audi A6 isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The A6 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The BMW 8 Series outsold the Audi A6/S6/RS 6 by 47% during the 2022 model year.