First Drive: 2012 Audi A6

Audi is on a roll. Need proof? Those who do not openly or secretly lust after an R8 Spyder? Would any of us a little kick with an RS badge in our garage? Did not think so. Audi sales are growing due to their products. The German car manufacturer recently broke the 100,000 unit sales mark in the States, with calendar year 2010 sales by 23 percent compared to 2009. The all-new 2012 Audi A6 - due in U.S. showrooms in September - to continue the aggressive expansion of the manufacturers to plan product and portfolio revival. Now we want to know if there good enough to even more buyers into the Audi A6 family.The debut at the Detroit auto show was to see everything and to bring no play. So for the latter, we traveled to Sicily, where we are on the A6 saw new lines in the daylight and it became even clearer that the Audi designers in Ingolstadt, the sedan styling brought in-line with the automaker developing corporate design language.
The shape and the details are similar to the new A8 - a large sedan, we abundantly. First, an A6 and A8 seen together in Detroit reinforced how similar the two are with their overall size and wheels are the fastest of differentiation. Technically, the new exterior is the revised A6 slippery aerodynamic face. The CD is a commendable low 0.26. Compared to the previous A6, the 2012 edition is slightly shorter and lower in length and height, but width by 0.7 inches. The most significant change is the wheelbase three-dimensional, almost three inches thanks to a revised front differential and axle. The extra space between the axles directly benefit roominess.Significant interior changes in the hybrid steel and aluminum unibody allow weighing less than 3,500 pounds of 2012, a comparatively small number for a 16 + foot mid-range luxury sedan. Although the new car is slightly larger and has more features than the previous-generation A6, the weight is down by modest amounts in most model-to-model comparisons. Aluminum is more than 20 percent of the body, while lighter hot-shaped steel, a high strength to weight ratio, are in the areas of the passenger compartment in front of the vehicle used to increase the safety of passengers.
Inside, the design motif pure Audi. Materials and ergonomics are exemplary. The car is Multi Media Interface Plus now includes a touch pad that the MMI can perform character recognition tasks. This allows users to spell words with the stroke of a finger tip and provides another way of entering text for the navigation, telephone and audio functions of the system. If you've read our reviews of the A7 (due in April) and A8, you already know, but can see what we below.An upgradable in the Short Cuts video computer chip forces the MMI mean, with rich non-reflective VGA display deep black and a variety of functions. A story, as long as this one would hardly new capabilities of the system of justice, but know that the A6 will be available with its own mobile data plan to pipe information to its occupants during the transfer a WiFi signal to up to eight devices simultaneously.
The optional navigation system takes advantage of the new technology. Users can laminated cards that start out as standard graphical navigation map, then use Google Earth map overlaid and then overlaid with driving directions and real-time traffic information. The system is also capable of 3D graphics modes. Overall, it is very smooth and one of the best nav shows that we've ever seen.While the European Union gets a choice of five powertrains - including 2.0-and 3.0-liter diesel - the U.S. does this with the charged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and the turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 TSFI. Respective power ratings are 211 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque and 310 hp and 325 lb-ft. The front-wheel-drive 2.0-liter model is available with a continuously variable transmission, while quattro and get all the V6 models, the new ZF eight-speed Tiptronic source. Of course, fuel consumption and with the 2.0T at 25/33/28 mpg city / highway estimated / combined, while the six-cylinder engine provides a respectable 19/28/22 mpg.
Extra course, less weight plus reduced drive and drive train friction fuel consumption by up to 19 percent of model-to-model, year vs. years reduced. The V6, for example, is up 1 mpg city and 2 mpg highway, compared to 2010 models.Of aware of additional interest on the fuel, Audi A6 Hybrid will add later this year. The A6 is the same function as hybrid powertrain of the Audi Q5 hybrid: a 211-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged in-line four-cylinder and a 33-kilowatt (45 horsepower) electric motor. Expect a diesel-A6 to the hybrid. Audi representatives we spoke with were not specific on timing, but indicated that his 2013, when another TDI model expect for American roads.
Our driving time in Sicily was short, so we content ourselves with several hours behind the wheel of a European-spec 2012 A6 3.0-liter with the fast-shifting seven-speed Steptronic DCT and air suspension-equipped sedan.
neither come to America - via the gearbox and air suspension. Therefore we took the impressions of this drive are not correct for U.S. drivers. (No U.S. cars were available.) The immediacy of the Steptronic be missed, as the driving range can springs.Even through the air without these features, provided that the United States in 2012 A6 take seriously good. For those who are not with the supercharged 3.0-liter, it is a surprisingly powerful engine. The linearity of the power delivery is almost shocking. While Max torque runs from 2.900 to 4.500 rpm, feels the power of even broader plateau. It is difficult from the hole and just keeps pulling at the same rate layer by layer.
Regardless of whether we beams to sinewy mountain roads or fly over straight and flat valleys close to 240 km / h, the engine had never felt like it was hard work. The adjective "easy" comes to mind, as well as the feeling of a V8 naturally aspirated engine.
It was on blasts through the valleys that we are capable of refining the new facility, the A6 Note. Sicily imperfect roads trying bottomed out the suspension and rotate the body during neither.In feel success in terms of road, the A6 lies a middle ground between the severity of the BMW 5 Series and lively playfulness of the 3 Series. The extra wheelbase helps smooth ride and the steering is delivered immediately and directly, with fair, but filtered road feel. It's not a Porsche 911, but then again, it's not supposed to be.
If flogged hard, our A6 understeer, but it was not the disgusting push one might expect from a C-segment sedan with plenty of room for four and a week's worth of luggage. On more than one occasion, we have relied heavily on the A6-wheel disc brakes, and they never disappointed, and remained even after a long fade-free descents.
In terms of cabin noise, large throttle openings, the V6 made its presence in a way to estimate enthusiasts know known. In addition, only the wind winds around the side mirrors.During relatively quiet times emminated hum, we played with colored A6's optional head-up display, cruise control, lane keeping support, with the MMI touchpad and night vision (tunnel). The amount of technology packed into this car eliminates the gadget gap that once separated the top-of-the-line full-size luxury cars from bourgeois proletariat affordable funding.
Unfortunately, our drive route was too short to provide a detailed analysis. This time will come closer to the cars fall launch. When looking for a place your order now, you usually expect the current overlay pricing model and reflects a proportionate increase in content is the new A6. But if these initial impressions are indicative, Audi has yet another strong contendor on his hands, and BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus have to worry about yet another weapon from Audi.