Published: Wednesday, 22nd July, 2009 12:00pm

Audi A6 evolves into a superb luxury car

There is no doubt that Audi have chosen the conservative route in their evolution of the new A6. A passing glance might leave one wondering if they had changed anything at all, but rest assured they have.

And in typical Audi fashion the changes are more than skin deep. The new A6 range boasts some detail cosmetic changes, particularly at the rear of the car, but more importantly technical under the skin revisions have made what was already a good car even better.

As before the range includes petrol and diesel engines with manual or optional automatic gearboxes.

Both petrol and diesel engines start at 2.0 litre capacity.

Also as before there is an extensive options list which be warned can quickly add up to a tidy sum. On the test car, for example, the options alone came to a whopping €7,152; items such as a CD changer cost €648, metallic paint €1,398 and the SE line pack, which includes among other items, Milano Leather, seat heating, Bluetooth, chrome pack and a driver information centre.

The test car this week was the new Audi A6 2.7 TDi, with the SE Line pack.

First Impressions

The new style is great; it's bold enough to be distinctive yet conservative enough not to alienate buyers in this segment. It is an imposing car that simply oozes understated class.

The deep front grille and revised tail section now look similar to the new A4 range, while overall the sleek lines of the new car give it a purposeful profile. It is a classy looking machine.

Behind The Wheel

The cabin is beautifully crafted and is now the best in this class, beating both Mercedes and BMW. The materials are of the highest quality and the fit and finish are beyond reproach. It is of a higher quality than that of the BMW 5 Series and matches even the recently launched all-new E-Class Mercedes.

All the new A6 models are comprehensively equipped with 16-inch alloys, multiple front, side and curtain airbags, ABS, ESP, EBD, ASR and EDL, a first aid kit and warning triangle, air conditioning, walk me home lights, front and rear armrests, glasses compartment, leather steering wheel, a superb sound system with CD player, MMI (Multi Media Interface), rain sensors, remote locking, a full size spare wheel, immobilser, drivers info system with fuel range, radio frequency and outside temp display, and the usual electric windows and mirrors.

As well as the SE Line pack, this car came equipped with other options - auto boot opening, €45, electric lumbar support for front seats €402, trim inlays in fine grain ash €887, automatic air conditioning €772.

Performance

The 2.7 V6 turbo diesel is a fine power unit, delivering a winning combination of smooth, refined performance, good fuel economy and loads of torque. With power going to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox (or optional multitronic auto) it proves a nice set-up.

Power output is 190bhp giving the new A6 a top speed of 232kmh and a 0 to 100kmh time of just 7.9 seconds. This is a really superb diesel; it delivers excellent performance with huge reserves of power available in each gear. It is a refined motorway cruiser and even under hard acceleration never sounds gruff or strained. Over a week-long test it returned an average fuel consumption of 8.4 litres per 100km. On along trip with less mixed traffic conditions expect to do even better at around 6.9 litres per 100km.

Road Behaviour

The ride and handling of the new A6 are equally impressive. The suspension set-up is a good blend between comfort and rewarding handling, making the new A6 an enjoyable and involving car to drive. I suppose the inevitable comparison with the BMW must be made and in this area the 5 Series has the edge, but only just - it is a slightly more sporting drive.

The new A6 also proves to be refined with wind, road and engine noise all well suppressed. Accommodation is vast with plenty of leg and headroom both front and rear along with a decent sized boot. All in all this is a well rounded car that never fails to impress in any area.

Verdict

The new A6 has evolved into what is a fine car. It is beautifully crafted so much so that unlike some rivals you really do feel as though you are travelling in a car that is a cut above the rest.

The styling is superb, distinctive yet maintaining an element of conservatism that is needed to appeal to buyers in this segment. The new A6 has a character that was maybe lacking a little in its predecessor. It is truly a driver's car; it is rewarding to take the wheel, it involves you from the way the centre console is gently turned towards the driver to the snarl from the specially tuned exhaust.

The doors shut with a reassuring clunk, and the body insulation and fine tolerances mean that the noisy outside world is barely audible.

This is a classy car, one that you will throw a glance back at with pride as you walk away. All of the new A6 models are available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or multitronic and some models are also available with Audi's legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive system..

The new A6 range starts at €42,310 while the model tested costs €59,930 but with the options mentioned above the tally comes to €67,082, hardly inexpensive but if in these more lean times you still have that to spend on a car, then the new A6 comes highly recommended.

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