2011 Audi A6 : First Drive

Audi (and its parent Volkswagen Group) has been suffering from plenty. All its plants have been working 24/7 and supply just can’t keep pace with worldwide demand. It is a problem many other car makers would love to have on their hands but it is a problem nonetheless and that should worry the marketing men as well as the product planners but how does one tackle it without having to invest in mega bucks production facilities? Well that is not the ambit of this feature but Audi has decided to tackle this with yet another interesting take. After its stunning A8 and A7 models have established its top down quality and performance approach to its technology and luxury perch, Audi has decided to compound the problem (of plenty and not enough to go around!) and confound the skeptics by ushering in yet another all new model!

However, it will be too trivial a detail to think of this as Audi humouring its customer base but the advent of the latest, seventh generation, A6 is in sync with the company’s product development timelines and it can’t have come a day too soon. Especially given the fact that this sort of an executive saloon is so very important to fit in the portfolio of any decent global luxury brand! Having also seen the rapid introductions from Mercedes-Benz and BMW of their latest generation E-class and 5-series models in 2009 and 2010 respectively, Audi’s challenger to these two rival nameplates was always on the cards for 2011. In so many respects the previous generation A6 and its Audi 100 original flattered only to deceive, never having taken the fight to the 5-series or the E-class with as much determination as Audi’s other models have. Sure it was a competent car but it didn’t have that zeitgeist or the soul to stamp its authority on the minds of the enthusiast driver executive and while luxury and craftsmanship was never in doubt, the A6, even with Quattro all-wheel drive was always a degree or so behind in perception and appeal when it came to delivering an involving drive experience.

Speaking of size and proportions, the latest A6 breaks new ground in that it is slightly shorter in length compared to its predecessor but an all new thought in front suspension design has seen the front axle being kicked out to the tune of almost 71mm and this increase in the wheelbase has brought about not just more space for cabin and boot but also helped the surefootedness of the A6 when on the move. And from here on the details to enhance the dynamics of the car while building on classic A6 strengths just keep on adding up. Take weight for example, the new A6 even with Quattro all-wheel drive weighs nearly 80 kilos lesser than its predecessor and is the lightest when compared to equal spec rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. All this has come about thanks to ample use of aluminum, not just in body panels but also in many of the suspension components now being crafted out of this light but strong material. In fact, aluminum accounts for almost 20 per cent of the bodywork of the A6 and this has massive repercussions – for the better – in terms of handling, performance, fuel efficiency and overall emissions! 

This creed to set an all new aesthetic standard hasn’t meant a compromise on ergonomics and in fact the A6 goes on to deliver a great driver’s environ while enhancing the luxury and comfort of the other occupants like no other car in its class. Sure Jaguar comes close in this regard but with the new A6, Audi has moved the goalposts a bit further. There is tremendous space, even at the rear when I was slouched low and there was enough of leg room for me to stretch out comfortably. The view out from the infinitely adjustable driver’s seat (heated, cooled and with massage functions incorporated in it as well) is perfect and the controls fall well to hand for the involved driver intent on rapid motoring.

At any other point in time I would not have bet on the Audi but after my drive in Sicily it is clear that the 530d and the E350CDI are in for a torrid time. The manner in which the A6 soaks up the terrain while maintaining body poise through corners slow and fast is terrific to say the least. Apart from the wheelbase getting a 69mm hike in length, the wider front track helps, as does the all-new five-link front suspension. An all new electromechanical steering system is precise and just quick enough to direct the car with almost telepathic intent and there is a bit of feel in it as well, maybe not as much as one would expect from a hydraulic system but then the overall efficiency of this new type of assist is what drives car makers these days. The A6 is also available with optional air spring suspension, another feature moved down from the A8 and it delivers a firm and a very controlled but well damped ride which should be mighty pleasing for many in India where ride quality reigns paramount, as it should. The good thing is that this ride quality is of a supreme order and now comes with terrific handling ability without the front end washing out in fast sweepers.

I have made a point of mention about Audi building two of the world’s great engines, for the A8 in the form of the 4.2-litre TDI as well as the large W12. What many have missed in the glare of well-deserved hype for these two motors is the fact that there is a third and just as impressive motor in Audi’s armoury and this is the engine, which will be the range topper for India. This 2967cc V6 TDI is not about absolute power (242bhp at 4000-4500rpm) or torque (500Nm) but for the way in which its output flows out so smoothly in any cog. And speaking of cogs, lets get enmeshed in the all new 7-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox which is perfection personified, be it when getting this 1715kg car off from rest or when tackling steep gradients or even when going up the box when rapid motoring is permissible. The massive torque of 500Nm is one major ingredient but just as significant is the fact that this entire torque thrust is on call over a very wide band, from as low as 1400rpm to 3250rpm! Now wonder then that the car felt not just light and quick when tripping through the Sicilian countryside but was punchy when coming out of corners and rocketing through.

Absolute speeds mean nothing these days when everything is electronically limited to 250km/h but the drive through the ’box is truly exhilarating. And this brings me to another delightful facet of the new A6. The new 7-speed S-tronic gearbox and the Quattro drive with its new sporty rear differential is rated by its maker to consume just 6.0-litres of diesel for every 100km (works out to 16.6 kmpl) while emitting a low 158 g/km of carbon dioxide! Not bad for a car which can sizzle from rest to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds without ruffling the collars or the composure of its occupants. However the other slightly lower output version of this very engine, with 204bhp on call can go 100km sipping just 5.2-litres of diesel and it is just as effective in its delivery. The A6 with this engine though will not make it to India but what will be is the base A6 model powered by the 2.0-litre four-cylinder TDI and driving the front wheels using a 6-speed manual gearbox. This engine has been tweaked massively and like the others features start-stop and is easily the most frugal of all in the A6 range, delivering over 20kmpl in the EU cycle.

The gasoline-fuelled A6 models employ the 2.8-litre FSI and 3.0-litre TFSI engines and the larger of the two will be there at launch in India around August-September 2011. The TFSI mills are very smooth and creamy in their delivery and in fact run the diesels close on efficiency. 

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Another area where Audi stands out over the rest is in its innate ability to get the driver hooked up to the digital world in a most safe and intuitive manner. Connectivity seems to be the key word here and with active co-operation from Google it has built in WiFi capability to run eight laptops on the go (now whoever would want to do that many and why is another question altogether!). The driver can also get on the World Wide Web via the large motorized flat screen which pops out of the dashboard using the MMI interface. The Google Earth Maps in the sat nav, which I experienced during the drive in Sicily, was an interesting though gimmicky bit but I am sure the kids would love it.

Delving into its large repertoire of techno-tricks, the A6 features an integrated camera system, which with the help of parking sensors and night vision is a mighty useful driver aid. In fact with the AAC (adaptive cruise control), amazingly one can also be informed of oncoming speed limit changes via the heads-up display.

Overall the new A6 has much to offer and in fact it will all depend on how Audi really emphasizes its strength plus also delivers the brand experience to many who yet are under the magic spell of the three-pointed star as well as the blue and white propeller logos. Given that the new A6 has the ability to run with the best of them and also in most cases run rings around them, this is a car to be watched because it could be the gamechanger this class always needed.