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Audi A6: Premium Selection
Mundane cars are being mass produced by the hour. They are mushrooming all over. Some claim to deliver the best mileage while others promise to be the best money can buy. Rise above this and you shall find a different world of premium luxury. These cars are made with only one intention and that is to pamper their owners.
India has slowly emerged as the new entrant in the global luxury car market scene. Even though the market trend has not been in its favour, still India has shown positive growth in this niche space. The big three German brands dominate it with their extravagant offerings. Audi, the number 1 luxury car maker in India, has been doing great numbers for quite some time now. It won’t be exaggerated to claim that Audi has inspired the other two to get more aggressive in the country.
This time we decided to club our drive review with a premium experience a typical Audi owner would like to indulge in. We drove the Audi A6 3.0L TDI to a picturesque York Winery, located 20 minutes from Nasik, for a surreal experience.
Appearance Exterior
If you sight a dynamic sedan which has a large radiator grille complimented by four rings and has razor sharp headlights with LEDs, you bet it has to be an Audi. The A6 blended superbly with the relaxed backdrop of York Winery. The premium lines of this business sedan ran in tandem to the luscious green vineyard.
Its sharp lines begin from the grille at an angle and fly off around the body. The hood flows softly and joins the radiator grille. It has very subtle and almost hidden lines on it. The A6 gets standard Xenon plus headlights and the LED strip which runs across the headlights look future ready.
The A6 measures 4.92m long and has a wheelbase of 2.91m. This makes the car look very long and also contributes to the generous legroom inside the cabin. The window line and the shoulder line flow almost parallel with the rear quarter glass panel stretching its way to the rear. The windows have a subtle chrome outline around it.
On the rear profile, it has a very humble design which is dominated by the LED tail lamps. The boot lip is elevated and acts like a hidden spoiler on it. The only interesting part on the rear design is the chrome finished exhaust pipes. The 3.0L variant gets stylish twin pipes which look awesome. Overall, the A6 impresses all with its elegance and style.
Appearance Interior
York Winery, which is situated at a pleasant 20 minutes drive from Nasik, is known for producing great varieties of wine. One can enjoy the scenic view of Gangapur dam backwaters when in York. They justifiably claim to make good wine using modern technology with French influence. Be it Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc, the finest of can be enjoyed here.
Being in the ultimate mood courtesy our stupéfiant location, the interiors of A6 just took the experience to the other level. The beige wrapped trims which get a glossy wooden finish on the dashboard are something to make a note of. The leather seats with multiple position adjustments will make sure you enjoy the experience and not leave the cabin at all.
It has unique four zone deluxe air conditioner. Inside the A6, there is a sun sensor which gauges the intensity and position of Sun and accordingly adjusts the cabin temperature. Rear passengers get pillar mounted AC vents which are indeed effective.
The instrumental panel has been designed in a crisp way with sporty dials. It displays host of information like distance to empty, fuel consumption, cruise control etc etc. The different options on the instrumental panel are very easily accessible and can be controlled with the help of steering mounted controls too.
On the central panel occupies the most important, MMI Touch which is a new way to control the Multimedia interface. The MMI can also be operated with a remote by rear passengers. If the interiors and fabrics were too luring, perhaps the 14-speaker Bose Surround System can be a real kicker pushing the mood into something heavenly. It also comes with an optional 6 CD/DVD changer. The information on 7inch color display is very lucid.
The Audi A6 has elegantly draped interiors. It has a very roomy cabin and is synonymous to premium and uber luxurious feel. With so many features and comfort options, there are no options left but to willingly surrender.
Performance Drive
Cars like Audi A6 are generally driven by chauffeurs. I am not trying to type cast them but that is the truth in most of the cases. The amount of luxury Audi pours inside is amazing but then how does it feel to be the one behind the wheel?
We had driven the 2.0L TDI earlier and this time it was its elder sibling, the 3.0L TDI at our disposal. A quick check at the specs sheet and the mightier figures were out. This luxury sedan churns 245 Hp at 4000 to 4500 rpm and a torque of 500 Nm at 1400 to 3250 rpm. These figures are better than competition as the V6 does much better than its 4 cylindered German rival. To begin with even though the A6 is wider and longer but still it manages to clock a 0 to 100 in 6.1s which is 1.4s less than the Mercedes Benz E Class.
The chauffer of the A6 will be one lucky man is he gets to control a 500Nm V6 motor which can be the most tamed if needed and at the same time will pull you back with its amazing power delivery. The engine just refuses to disappoint and the tachometer needle keeps on revving till you want it to. I simply couldn’t manage to make it do redline and I really doubt if there is one because once you get on the throttle the motor just keeps climbing without any possible lag.
It also has 4 modes of driving and toggling between different modes is fun. The dynamic caters to the enthusiastic need whereas the comfort is more of a relaxed drive. One can also lower or raise the vehicle height depending on the exact need. The Pirellis which are my current favourites do a splendid job of keeping the A6 grounded. Throw this massive vehicle in a corner and then get out with some hard throttle and the Pirellis will get you out without a screech. Even at high speeds, they do their job just fine.
The A6 also comes with the Audi famous Quattro and it indeed takes care of the undulations on uneven roads. It also makes sure the power delivery happens precisely with its 40:60 ratio, 40% in front while the remaining 60% goes to the rear. The suspension too can be tweaked according to the road. It shifts from comfort to dynamic very quickly on a gentle twist of the rotary push button control.
Tech Specs
| Technical Specifications | |
| Make | Audi |
| Model | A6 |
| Variant | 3.0 TDI |
| Engine Displacement | 2967 |
| Power (PS/RPM) | 180KW/4500 |
| Torque (Nm/RPM) | 500/3200 |
| Transmission | S Tronic |
| Dimensions in mm | |
| Length | 4915 |
| Width | 1874 |
| Height | 1455 |
| Wheel Base | 2912 |
| Claimed fuel efficiency in KMPL | 14 |
| Tyre size Front | 225/55 R17 |
| Tyre size Rear | 225/55 R17 |
| Top speed KMPH | 220 |
| Tank capacity in Liters | 75 |
| Kerb Weight (Kg) | 2330 |
| Turning circle Radius in M | 5.2 |
| Boot Capacty in Lters | 510 |
| Ex showroom Mumbai in Rs | 57,23,000 |
Features
| Features | 3.0 TDI |
| Adaptive air suspension | Yes |
| Electrical sunblind for rear window | Yes |
| Driver information system with 7" colour display | Yes |
| Electrically adjustable driver seat | Yes |
| 4 Way lumbar support | Yes |
| Cruise control | Yes |
| Electromechnical power steering | Yes |
| Front center arm rest | Yes |
| 4 zone delux automatic air conditioning | Yes |
| Anti theft alarm with tow away protection | Yes |
| Electronic stabilization program | Yes |
| Full size side and rear airbags | Yes |
| Tyre pressure monitoring display | Yes |
| BOSE surround system | Yes |
| Audi music interface | Yes |
| Leather covered multi function steering wheel | Yes |
| Valcona leather upholstery | Yes |
| LED Headlights | Yes |
Competition All Specs
| Specifications |
Audi
A6 |
Mercedes Benz
E Class |
BMW
5series |
| Variant | 3.0 TDI | 250 CDI | 520 D |
| Engine Displacement | 2967 | 2143 | 1995 |
| Power (PS/RPM) | 244/4500 | 204/4200 | 184/4000 |
| Torque (Nm/RPM) | 500/3200 | 500/1800 | 380/2750 |
| Transmission | S Tronic | 7 Seed Automatic | Steptronic |
| Dimensions in mm | |||
| Length | 4915 | 4879 | 4907 |
| Width | 1874 | 1854 | 1860 |
| Height | 1455 | 1474 | 1462 |
| Wheel Base | 2912 | 2874 | 2968 |
| Claimed fuel efficiency in KMPL | 14 | 15 | 18 |
| Tyre size Front | 225/55 R17 | 245/45 R17 | 245/45 R18 |
| Tyre size Rear | 225/55 R17 | 245/45 R17 | 245/45 R18 |
| Top speed KMPH | 220 | 250 | 220 |
| Tank capacity in Liters | 75 | 80 | 80 |
| Kerb Weight (Kg) | 2330 | 2280 | 1870 |
| Turning circle Radius in M | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Boot Capacty in Lters | 510 | 540 | 520 |
| Ex showroom Mumbai in Rs | 57,23,000 | 39,86,141 | 54,00,000 |
| Features | |||
| Adaptive air suspension | Full LED Headlamps | Adaptive LED headlights | |
| Electrical sunblind for rear window | Nappa leather interior | Bi Xenon Headlights | |
| Driver information system with 7" colour display | ARTICO man made upholstery | Multi function leather steering wheel | |
| Electrically adjustable driver seat | Electric sunroof | Airbags for driver, front passanger | |
| 4 Way lumbar support | Electrically adjustable seats | Head airbags front and rear | |
| Cruise control | Electronic stability program | Side airbags for driver and passanger | |
| Electromechnical power steering | Antilock braking system with brake assist | Dynamic stability control | |
| Front center arm rest | Adaptive dual stage airbags for driver front ,passanger | Dynamic traction control | |
| 4 zone delux automatic air conditioning | side impact airbag for driver and front passanger | Leather upholstery | |
| Anti theft alarm with tow away protection | Attention assist | Leather wrapped steering wheel | |
| Electronic stabilization program | etc | etc | |
| Full size side and rear airbags | - | - | |
| Tyre pressure monitoring display | - | - | |
| BOSE surround system | - | - | |
| Audi music interface | - | - | |
| Leather covered multi function steering wheel | Leather covered multi function steering wheel | - | |
| Valcona leather upholstery | - | - | |
| LED Headlights | - | - | |
| etc | - | - | |
Conclusion
The A6 does its job perfectly. It will take you from your house to office in the neatest and tidiest way possible but then if you want to take a detour from the mundane, the A6 can be the perfect way to sail in fantasy.
It is very obvious that comfort comes as a quintessential with this luxurious Audi. The 3.0L TDI engine also caters to the enthusiastic needs for the ones who occasionally choose to drive. The king size heart also delivers a good fuel economy of 17 to 18 kmpl which is very impressive for a vehicle with such performance.
This fantastic experience will be cherished till the next time we head somewhere surreal.
Note: CarTrade.com endorses safe and responsible driving. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a punishable offense.
