Ive just spent two cloudy, rain-sodden days in Sicily driving Audis new middleweight contender, the A6.
Despite growing a few fractions of an inch all the way round, Audi has managed that rare feat of containing the cars weight, shaving 180 lbs off its predecessor thanks to a clever amalgamation of aluminum and high strength steels.
Unlike Jaguars styling revolution, Audi believes in the Darwinian theory of design and evolves its looks. In the open the new car looks less bulky than it did on show stands, the front grille is a confident statement from a brand that continues to grow in global sales whilst its profile is enhanced by sweep swage lines that play with the light reducing any bulkiness that might otherwise be apparent in the flanks. Theres some tasty LED headlights as well that shape shift the beam patterns according to driving conditions.
The car pictured here is a three-liter TFSI with 295 bhp and 324 lb. -ft. , enough to sprint to 62 mph in 5. 5 seconds before being limited to the universal 155 mph.
The cabin is as you would expect from Audi, meticulously built although the veneer trim was a bit over the top and reminiscent of a 1930s speed boat. An S line version I drove later with satin finish and black upholstery was easier on the eye. The A6 can be fully loaded with everything from night vision assistant, head up display, automatic parking bay reversing and 1300 watts of amplifiers by Bang & Olufsen as well as an onboard WLAN hotspot that allowed me to view Road & Tracks website while sitting in the car by a Sicilian beach.
On the road the V6 is wonderfully smooth and possessed of strong torque delivery peaking at 2900 rpm whilst the seven-speed box readily kicks down when asked or, as I prefer, is perfectly suited to paddle shifts for added driver involvement. The model I drove had the optional air springs which give a balanced, controlled ride, but steel sprung models I later drove were less assured and I will await final judgment on the cars ride quality until I have driven the car on British roads in April.
On slippery Sicilian roads the handling, for the most part, was assured although the quattro system got caught out on a tightening downhill right hander when understeer on the way in converted to oversteer at the apex. Interesting and unexpected, as this sample also had the optional torque vectoring rear differential.
Diesels are a big factor in the UK and Europe and the base two-liter TDI with 174 bhp failed to impress with its, comparatively, coarse engine note – but it is likely to be a big company car seller as the four rings say a lot on your driveway at home.
When you have 369 lb. -ft. of torque to play with at just 1400 rpm then the three-liter TDI with quattro is a serious contender for your wallet, especially as it will return – on the European drive cycle – 39 miles per U. S. gallon and 7. 2 seconds to 62 mph.
So the new A6 is beautifully built, a technical triumph in many areas and very refined when eating up the highway miles. But, sometimes, not even that is quite enough to stir the passion within.
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