What they said when the Audi A6 was new... (May 24 2004)
WHEN it comes to choosing a car which reflects their status and ambitions, size still matters for the business executives of Britain.
Forget downsizing - if you want a car which says something about you, your business or your position on the social ladder, big is better.
Which is why Audi's executive class A6 saloon has grown in every conceivable direction in its latest incarnation.
At not far short of five metres long, the new A6 is 12cms longer than its predecessor and 4.5cms wider. It is comfortably the biggest car in its class and in the cabin it all translates into more leg and shoulder room front and rear while the boot is an astonishing 20 per cent bigger than before.
Essentially, what Audi has produced here is a mini A8. Built on a brand new platform, it's only 13cms - just over five inches - shorter than the luxury flagship of the Audi range.
It's been redesigned inside and out and comes with distinctive looks courtesy of the German firm's new, bigger, signature radiator grille which looks much better in the metal than it does in pictures.
For the rest, it's a classy, clean design which looks good from any angle. Unlike BMW's controversial 5 Series rival, the styling isn't likely to upset devotees of the brand.
Whether buyers parting with £24,000 plus and upwards will feel quite the same about the interior is another matter.
It has all the whistles and bells you'd expect of an executive model, but doesn't exude an air of luxury - it feels more like a well-planned workplace than a lounge on wheels and drivers spending a lot of time behind the wheel will appreciate that.
It is, in fact, an extremely relaxing car to drive. Unspectacular though the interior may be, everything falls nicely to hand and a lot of thought has clearly gone into the siting and design of the instruments and controls which include an electronic parking brake and what Audi calls a multi-media interface.
This is similar to, but much easier to use than, BMW's I-Drive system, using a rotary dial and a series of buttons to control a variety of functions via a fascia-mounted screen.
But it's not just the driving environment which makes life behind the wheel of the new A6 such a rewarding and stress-busting experience. A five-hour stint in the 3.2 quattro SE version proved that Audi has got this car just right from a dynamic perspective.
It feels superbly well engineered. The body is 34 per cent stiffer than before and this shows up not just in solidity and rigidity but also in superb ride and handling.
An all new suspension system - four link up front and trapezoidal link at the rear - provides an outstanding blend of comfort and razor's-edge handling with outstanding precision from the electro-hydraulic, speed related, power assisted steering.
The quattro four wheel drive system provides tremendous adhesion in fast corners, but the car leaves you in little doubt that even in front wheel drive form it will be just as safe and rewarding to drive on twisty back-doubles. There's a little body roll when the car is driven hard through bends, but it's not overly disconcerting.
Plenty of power is on tap from the 3.2-litre engine, particularly in mid-range, and the latest, six speed, Tiptronic transmission provided seamless shifts whether used in fully automatic mode or as a manual box via the F1-style steering column paddles.
The 3.2 will sprint from rest to 62mph in 7.1 seconds in quattro form but is marginally faster - 6.9 secs - fitted with a six-speed manual box in the front wheel drive model. Maximum speed is limited to 155mph in both while the combined fuel consumption is 25.6mpg in the quattro compared with the front wheel drive car's 28.2.
Neither car will do you any great favours with the taxman - the front wheel drive model has a BiK rating of 34 per cent while the quattro attracts a maximum 35 per cent rating.
If economy and low tax ratings are a priority, there are more cost-effective options open to you in the A6 range, however.
There's a new three-litre V6 turbo diesel which boasts 33.2mpg average economy and a tax rating of 31 per cent while two smaller diesels - 2.0 and 2.7-litre - will be added to the range in September and December respectively and promise even greater economy and lower tax bills.
Other models available when the new car goes on sale on June 12 are a 2.4-litre V6 FSI petrol unit - available with front wheel drive only - and the top of the range 4.2 V8 quattro.
On the face of it, equipment levels are high with a barrage of safety devices and electronic driving aids, including automatic brake disc cleaning, and all the standard comfort and convenience gizmos you'd expect with an executive motor.
But there are some surprising absentees from the kit list including leather, which is an option on all but the flagship version. A number of other items, many of which are now standard on lesser cars, such as an auto-dipping interior mirror, parking sensors, keyless entry system and steering wheel mounted audio controls are also only available as extra-cost options.
And this, along with its workmanlike, no-nonsense interior may just be the Audi's Achilles' heel.
The A6 may be a technological tour de force, but it doesn't quite have the cache or the luxury feel of a Jaguar S-Type or Mercedes E-Class.
It almost seems to be the case that the specification has had to be pared down to keep prices at a sensible level.
It may be bigger and more sophisticated than before, but in terms of price the A6 has hardly grown at all. Prices start at £24,425 and rise to £43,025 - not exactly cheap, but the average increase across the range amounts to less than one per cent.
Having it large, it seems, does not necessarily mean having to shell out a lot more money ... you just have to do without a few luxuries.
Words: David Whinyates
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