Compare the2025 BMW 8 Series Gran CoupeVS 2024 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, 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 A6.

There are over 14 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’ 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.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 10 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.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The A6’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

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.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the A6, the 8 Series Gran Coupe has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

Laser headlights, standard on the 8 Series Gran Coupe, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the A6’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

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.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW 8 Series has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging 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 8 Series Gran Coupe will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the 8 Series Gran Coupe will retain 42.41% to 44.47% of its original price after five years, while the A6 only retains 41.11% to 42.12%.