The athletic Audi A6

Reminiscent of a preened athlete, Audi’s latest offering is the A6. Lighter in weight, this sedan is not only more fuel-efficient but also knows how to respond when speed is required.

Although the A6 is almost 80kg lighter than her predecessor, she by no means looks emaciated. With sporty proportions, the A6 is shorter and lower with a significantly larger wheelbase, but it’s her composite steel-aluminium construction which ensures the lighter weight. If you’re into the stats, you’ll appreciate that the body weight of this beauty is approximately 15 percent lower than that of a conventional all-steel construction.

Seen from the side, the new Audi A6 is a picture of elegance, with sharp edges bordering powerful surfaces. The roof arch is a flat dome; the C-pillar stretching endlessly to the rear with an unusually slanting rear window. The ratio of the sheet metal surfaces to the greenhouse is two-thirds to one-third – typical Audi proportions.

Throughout the model line-up, fuel consumption has fallen by up to 19 percent even though performance and torque figures have increased. The supercharged engine gives the A6 the performance of a sports car and it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h and the car consumes an average of 8.2 litres per 100km and emits 190g of CO2 per km.

Among the standard features of the new A6 is the Audi drive select dynamic handling system. It modifies the accelerator response, the shift points of the automatic transmission and the power steering boost.

Impressively, the driver can vary the function of these components between three predefined mode: “comfort,” ”auto” and “dynamic”. An additional mode, “individual”, allows the driver to create a preferred mode profile within certain limits. All TDI and TFSI models also feature “efficiency” mode, which allows even more fuel-efficient driving – perfect for hours spent in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

We think this one, although rather demure in looks, is the perfect all-rounder. One for battling the traffic or letting loose on the open road – the Audi A6 is an everyday athlete with training in all the right arenas.

More information: www.audi.co.za