What car springs to mind when you think of the V10 engine? There are a few likely answers here, including some 80s and 90s concept cars, and numerous production vehicles with V10 power to follow, including the Dodge Viper, Porsche Carrera GT, E60 BMW M5, various spicy Lamborghinis and of course the Lexus LFA. May its shrieking little V10 and Yamaha-tuned vocals rest in peace.Sadly, this list leaves little hope for the shopper on a relatively modest budget looking to park something with V10 power in their garage, as the cars listed above can be difficult to find these days, extremely pricey to fix, prohibitively expensive to buy, and most don't even have a back seat or room for your family's luggage. If you've always dreamed of owning a car with a V10, don't fret: there's still a very affordable option to consider - even if it might not be a very good idea.Eligibility for this article is based on a vehicle featuring a V10 engine and being available in the US. Average secondhand prices were used to find the cheapest V10-powered car available. Meet The 2007 Audi S6 Audi Average Price In 2026: $12,000-$20,000 The year is 2006. Mercedes-AMG is starting to move its latest high-performing sedans and coupes with a 6.2-liter V8 engine that sounds like fireworks, and the M division at BMW is making a screaming 5.0-liter V10 engine the weapon of choice for its fastest sedans. With access to parts and engineering skills from Lamborghini, Audi was also taking the V10 route, with a 5.2-liter unit sourced from Lamborghini and bound for the incoming R8, but also finding a home under the hoods of the brand's largest sedans at the time: the A6 and A8.Audi With the V10 engine on board and a plethora of supporting upgrades, the resulting machines were called the S6 and S8. Today, almost 20 years later, the S6 is currently the cheapest way to park a V10 in your driveway, but there are a few things to consider aside from purchase price. More on that down the page.The Audi S6 featured a single configuration in the powertrain department: a 5.2-liter V10 tuned for 435 horsepower, a Torsen center differential, and a limited-slip axle between the rear wheels. The eight-speed paddle-shiftable automatic was snappy but slower to respond and shift than the much more powerful M5 of the day, which could also (eventually) be had with a V10 and manual transmission combination, but alas, no AWD, which was standard kit on the S6. With no drama, thanks to the all-wheel traction, it could dispatch the 0-60 dash in 5.5 seconds or less. This was the third-generation S6, replacing the second-generation car, which disappeared after 2003.Audi Though arguably more toned-down in execution than its competitors of the day, the S6 was rated well for its handling and performance, a big car ready to be a track-day menace with a comfortable drive home.The V10 featured FSI direct injection technology, now familiar from use in numerous other VW and Audi engines. This high-pressure fuel delivery system blasted pressurized gas straight into the combustion chambers, and while now virtually standard on most modern engines, Audi was pushing direct injection tech at the time as sort of silver-bullet technology that would boost power and save fuel - thanks in no small part to a cooling effect generated within each cylinder that allowed engineers to safely push compression ratios higher as the variable overhead cams kept the engine breathing strong to redline. Pricing Then And NowAudi When it originally went on sale, the S6 had a starting MSRP of around $72,000, with numerous options and packages allowing shoppers to easily jack the price up by $10,000 or more. Checking with an inflation calculator, that made the S6 a roughly $110,000 car back in 2006, using 2026 dollars. In 2026, you'll find S6s pop up for sale from time to time with asking prices between $12,000 and $20,000, excluding extreme high-mileage outliers. Buying A 20-Year-Old V10 Audi For $12,000 Could Be A Recipe For Disaster Audi Though the cylinders-per-dollar ratio is strong with a used Audi S6, there are numerous important factors to understand before you buy one: Expect major fuel costs, as this V10 drinks premium unleaded at a pretty alarming rate if you're having much fun with it, which you will be, since it loves to be flogged. Second, maintenance costs can be significant, especially if you're coming to an S6 out of something reasonable, like an Accord. The S6 uses specialized oil and fluids, which need to be replaced more frequently than a regular car for maximum longevity. Spark plugs, all 10 of them, should also get regular attention to help promote clean combustion and mitigate carbon buildup, which can dramatically affect this type of engine. Consumable parts like brakes and tires need to be replaced with high-performance parts that come with high-performance price tags. Some parts may be difficult to source and extremely expensive. It's absolutely possible to keep a 20-year-old V10 Audi ticking reliably for years to come, but you'll need a good technician, above-average car knowledge, and some money, time, dedication, and patience to make it happen.If all of that sounds like no sweat to you, or if you're not afraid to get a little greasy and learn how to maintain and repair an S6 yourself, then you might just find yourself transported back 15 or 20 years to the heyday of naturally aspirated V10 motoring. With a set of quality winter tires, an S6 is a heck of a thing to drive in the snow - just the ticket to spice up a boring winter commute. Remember, if the S6 isn't to your liking, you can find its big brother, the S8, for a few bucks more, ditto the V10-powered VW Touareg TDI, if you shop patiently. May We Recommend 2 Fewer Cylinders... Chrysler Having a V10 is cool, and so is cruising around in one of the most coveted rocket Audis of its era, 20 years on. But if the S6's exotic engine and potentially exotic running costs leave you with second thoughts, why not consider something a little more reasonable? That's not a word commonly used to describe the Chrysler 300 SRT8, but if you're looking for a big comfortable car with a big powerful engine that makes a great sound and delivers facelift-on-demand torque output, it makes perfect sense.Though not available with AWD, you'll find a 300 SRT8 and Audi S6 line up similarly when it comes to used model years, mileage and prices. The Chrysler lacks two cylinders, but its 6.1-liter V8 is a much simpler device that's much easier to maintain, just as powerful, even louder, and beats the S6 by about a half-second in the sprint to 60 mph. It's Dodge's punchiest V8 versus a crippled Lamborghini V10, and it's arguably more reliable too.
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