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Posted on: Jun 08 2007

Audi-A6 : 3.0 V6

Our Import Car of the Year 2006, has recently been making headway into territory held exclusively by Mercedes for more than a decade. Is the A6 the better all-rounder when compared to the E-class? :

Design, Engineering and Interiors: 
The A6 is a bold design, especially around the large Auto Union grille and the sharp head lamps. While it uses a large front overhang to accentuate its length, the rest of the design is full of clean cut Audi lines. The A6 uses plenty aluminium in it's construction to keep weight down. However at nearly five-metres long it does feel overbuilt due to modern crash test norms. The flip side of the stiff chassis is good ride quality.

The suspension system has been raised to deal with Indian road conditions. The Audi’s interiors are sporty and have a cockpit-like feel to them, with dials, knobs and switches all in black, with the digital readout in red. The A6 we tested didn’t have the multi-function steering wheel, but the cars imported into India will come equipped with it. The A6 does have a button-activated handbrake and a screen and control knob-based feature interface known as MMI, which is pretty easy to use. But then again, the central console is full of the buttons it was designed to displace. It is also built with levels of quality comparable to a Merc and the plastic quality is also very impressive.

There is sufficient leg room at the rear, while the seats are well-bolstered and supportive. They are also ergonomically inclined, offering better support overall. The blower has insufficient airflow, is very difficult to adjust and overall, this means an unacceptably long time to cool down a hot cabin — a big shortcoming.

Performance, Fuel Economy and Handling: 
Audi’s V6 motor uses a variable length inlet manifold and variable valve timing, as well as five valves per cylinder making it very responsive to throttle inputs. The A6 powers past the 100kph mark in 9.41 seconds and touches 160 in just 24.21 seconds.

In sport mode, Audi’s Multitronic CVT gearbox uses seven predefined ratios. However, driven as a normal CVT in ‘D’ mode, the A6 feels distinctly slower. You also take a while to get used to the motor holding on to a certain engine speed, as the steel belt and pulley system lengthen the ‘gearing’ as speed increases. It’s also not as quick off the blocks, as it lacks the start-up punch delivered by a torque converter-equipped automatic gearbox. This mode, however, is meant for efficient crusing and does deliver the goods, with the A6 taking in a litre of fuel every 7.8 kilometres in urban driving conditions. On the highway, 10.3kpl is what the Audi gave us. If these figures do not appear special, remember this car weighs in at 1.5 tons and has a large 3000cc engine.

The level of noise is unexpectedly high in the A6, with everything from the snarl of high engine speeds to the thumps of the suspension being audible. The Audi’s idle, however, is so vibration-free that we attempted starting it while it was running on more than one ocassion. The A6 has agility on its side. The direct steering may be light, but turns enthusiastically into corners with just a hint of lock on the steering wheel. The light steering is also very relaxing to use in traffic. Balance and composure are also first-rate, and body roll is well controlled.

The nose of the front-wheel-drive A6, however, washes wide when you push harder; the brakes are grabby and over-servoed and the rear wheels aren’t well anchored either. And of course, you do miss Audi’s Quattro or four-wheel-drive system, especially when you’re driving aggressively.

Verdict:
With the new A6, Audi is well into Mercedes territory. A handsome car with a distinct identity, the Audi today has a good amount of street-cred. The quality of its interiors is good, while seat comfort is top class and its suspension rides over our poor roads very easily. The 3.0-litre V6 ensures good performance, the Multitronic box is well-suited for sporty driving or cruising and good efficiency, and the A6 enjoys being driven enthusiastically too. Its genuine shortcomings are few. It is even competitively priced and well equipped.
Source: autocarindia.com