One of the main attractions at Audi‘s stand in
Geneva was the new A6 that will soon enter production and go on sale in
different markets, including Europe, this June.
With a design that’s heavily inspired by the new A8,
the 2019 A6 is described by Audi itself as having “taut surfaces, clear edges
and striking lines”. Its styling would be best characterized as ‘safe’, and
while some may not be able to distinguish it from the larger A8 unless both
cars are side by side, that’s no bad thing for the A6.
The interior is very high tech: from the 10.1-inch
MMI infotainment system to the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, both found
in higher specs, to an 8.6-inch screen that waves goodbye to the traditional
climate control buttons, the new A6 does away with convention and adopts what
fighter jocks would call a “glass cockpit”.
As expected from an executive saloon that will soon
be joined by an estate, aka Avant in Audi-speak, it also gets lots of leather
and other high quality materials. The panoramic glass sunroof, ambient lighting
packages, air quality package and premium stereo by Bang & Olufsen are
optional extras, and front seats with heating, ventilation, and massage
functions are available as well.
Audi keeps the engine lineup as simple as
possible in Europe by offering one petrol and one diesel unit. Both of them
have 3.0 liters in displacement and make 340 PS and 286 PS respectively. Fuel consumption is reduced with a mild-hybrid system that comes
with both engines, along with an eight-speed automatic transmission and
all-wheel drive.
The TFSI petrol unit has an average consumption of
6.7-7.1 l/100 km (42.2-39.8 mpg UK / 35.1-33.1 mpg US), and emits 151-161 g/km
of CO2, while the TDI diesel returns 5.5-5.8 l/100 km (51.4-48.7 mpg UK /
42.8-40.6 mpg US) and emits 142-150 g/km of CO2.
