Audi hits A6

The all new Audi A6 has arrived and it is dramatically different from its predecessor, both, in the way it looks and the way it drives

Dec 13, 2019 RACHNA TYAGI No Comments Like

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MUMBAI :

Preferred by those who like to be chauffeured around, the Audi A6, always enjoyed the image of a sedan where most of the times it was the backseat occupants who waxed eloquent about its virtues more than its drivers did. However, all that is about to change with the arrival of the all new Audi A6. This is a sedan that implores you to drive it from the minute you set your eyes on it.

For starters, the A6, is now, all grown up. Not only is it slightly wider (1886mm) but it is also both, longer (4939mm) as well as taller (1457mm) and that is evident at first glance itself. The rounded curves that graced its predecessors have now been replaced by slightly more angular and squared off dimensions and there are a few more new lines as well as creases that really accentuate the sedan’s look from the front as well as the rear. The roofline looks familiar however, the rear now sports more of a notchback look, and gives the impression of a small rear and thereby a smaller boot but don’t let that design element fool you. (More on this later.) The headlamps with DRLs also have become more angular and the tail lamps also have grown in size and blend in beautifully with the boot. I quite liked the way the chrome strip passes through the tail lamps… adds a regal touch to the sedan. One thing that must be mentioned though is that Audi hasn’t gone all chrome despite excessive usage of chrome being a big fad on automobiles these days, and that is a good thing.  Sure, Audi, has its fair share of chrome elements in the car, in the front, at the rear, and even inside the cabin but I’m happy to report that the use of chrome has been restrained and that Audi designers have certainly not gone overboard with it… just as most Audi owners, would prefer it.

On the inside, the dashboard design just took my breath away. All the cuts and the angular shapes accorded to bring out the beauty of this futuristic dashboard truly deserves a trophy for Audi’s designers who have clearly shown us what a fertile imagination can do! What they have conceived and produced is undoubtedly an outstanding dashboard design that is not just uncommon but also good looking and functional. Using a mix of leather, wood, brushed aluminum as well as black trims, the dashboard of the A6, looks like a great blend of elegant and sporty and feels right at home.

 

The infotainment system is provided through two proportionately sized screens and unlike several carmakers who have just taken, what looks like an iPad, and plastered it on their dashboards, Audi, has crafted something so exquisite that all you want to do is keep playing with the infotainment system all day long. Even the way you press the large glass buttons, it has such a rich feel to it, thanks to the excellent haptic feedback from them, but yes, be warned, it is a fingerprint magnet. Time to bring out those driving gloves maybe. Then there are other frills such as a wireless phone charger, an excellent B&O audio system, powered front seats and even a hands-free parking assist feature, many of which, though available in other cars even across different segments don’t feel anything like what they do in the A6, giving you the feeling of being seated in a German luxury car. 

The A6 boasts a beautiful cabin with ivory coloured seats and carpet mats dominating the colour scheme.  The sedan though it can seat five, is ideal for four people, thanks to a rather wide transmission tunnel. The occupants at the back, can make the most of the sun roof, play around with their own climate control settings and also use USB ports for charging their favourite devices. Just above the transmission tunnel sits a small boxy leather-wrapped compartment that houses all of these creature comforts in the form of beautifully integrated buttons and displays for the backseat passengers, lending the car an air of luxuriousness and splendor. The A6, from the outside, may not seem like a sedan with a lot of boot space but in fact, it has a massive 530-liter boot that can easily house your entire family’s luggage for that holiday in the hills.

 

The Audi A6 45 TFSI, a 6.8 second car, which comes with a turbo-charged, 4-cylinder, 2.0L (1984cc) petrol engine that has been mated to a 7-speed S-Tronic automatic dual clutch gearbox (S-Tronic) and which belts out 245 bhp of power @ 5000-6500 rpm and 370 Nm of torque @1600-4300 rpm is a sheer pleasure to drive. This beautifully tuned, super smooth engine, doing duty under the hood, is barely audible, can only be really “heard,” ever so slightly, when the power build-up happens, which is rapid in the A6, and also when you shift to a different driving mode… it becomes more prominent then. Neither does the A6, at any point in time, make you feel its bulk whether you’re driving through slow traffic or racing on the highways, nor is it menacingly difficult to park. One big change on the new A6 is that it doesn’t get the air suspension that the earlier generation Audi A6 came with and that does take away one of the big technological advancements that you’ve come to expect on a luxury car such as this one but having said that the new A6 which continues to glide over our pock-marked roads effortlessly, and you can barely feel the bumps, whilst seated inside this sedan. The new variable ratio steering isn’t liked much by many who have driven the car, but I enjoyed it, especially on busy roads, mainly because it did whatever it was commanded to do without the slightest hesitation.

Clearly, Audi, has worked hard to shake off the tag of a sedan best enjoyed by its backseat occupants and has now found a place in the heart of its drivers, and I must say that it has succeeded admirably in that respect. Priced at INR 58 Lakhs, this is a sedan that is bound to give you years of driving pleasure and one thing’s for sure, if you find yourself stuck in a traffic snarl, you aren’t going to end up being a harried driver because you’re never going to tire of the A6’s beautiful cabin. So, if you’re looking at getting yourself a new sedan in this price bracket, you should seriously consider the all new Audi A6. It will definitely be a decision you will not regret.  


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