Don't Mind If I Do
Hello, my darling A6. My, my, what's that under your bonnet? A
throbbing 4.2L V8? Let's go.
That's how we met, and for one week, we were inseparable, taking to the streets with wild abandon... Uh, just kidding, Audi, actually we were very well behaved. I'm doing my best innocent face impression right now.
If anything, the A6 made me want to put on a 4-button suit, a crisp, starchy shirt and a power tie and drive down to the opera to 'catch a show'. It's just such a great formal car, especially in tuxedo black. I actually spent some time in a silver A6 as well, but I have to say that black suits it like, well, black on a tux.
For
some reason, I had a hard time writing about this car simply because I just didn't know where to start; it's list of features has got to be as long as Yonge Street (maybe not actually, because Yonge is the longest street in the world, and even the overachieving Phaeton likely out-features the A6--probably because the Phaeton has buttons that activate the buttons--I'm telling you, nothing in that car is manual, I'm shocked that the doors don't open themselves--seriously, how come we don't have more cars that open their own doors, when so many trunks can open and close themselves and minivan sliders are now automated, why not driver doors? Did I get distracted there? Sorry, I just remembered the Phaeton and that always just turns my brain down roads that needn't be traveled, sort of like VW making a $100K car. Nice, yes, but kinda' silly. Those silly, overachieving German engineers.
As opposed to VW's Phaeton,
this somewhat unspectacular yet amazing vehicle ideally serves Audi's luxury reputation, which is already well established. Why unspectacular? If you think that's me being mean, it's not. First of all, you'll know when I'm being mean, and secondly, Audis don't need to be overtly spectacular, unless there is an R attached to an S ahead of its numeric designation. Audis have a habit of making the extraordinary seem ordinary thanks to nearly supernatural grip and stability, and this big, midsize A6, with its incredibly indulgent power, graceful 6-speed Tiptronic transmission, and quattro all-wheel drive brought order to any chaos I could throw at it.
Twisty high-speed transitions on the DVP, chicanes on surface streets due to construction, hairpins coming off the Bayview extension onto Rosedale Valley Road, and ripped up semi-repaved sections of the 401 were no match for the A6's handling and composure. Granted, the ride on the standard steel-sprung suspension is firm, possibly too firm for many in the market for a conventional luxo-barge, but it is well worth the bump that is felt in exchange for also feeling like you're strapped onto the road with body-hugging memory foam instead of a mass of pillows or rubber bouncy balls. Give me road feel or give me my bicycle. But for those who can't take a bit of road communication, the A6 is also offered with a state of the art adjustable air suspension system.
Hello, my darling A6. My, my, what's that under your bonnet? A
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| A6 with 335 horsepower V8 is just about the right car for any occasion. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
That's how we met, and for one week, we were inseparable, taking to the streets with wild abandon... Uh, just kidding, Audi, actually we were very well behaved. I'm doing my best innocent face impression right now.
If anything, the A6 made me want to put on a 4-button suit, a crisp, starchy shirt and a power tie and drive down to the opera to 'catch a show'. It's just such a great formal car, especially in tuxedo black. I actually spent some time in a silver A6 as well, but I have to say that black suits it like, well, black on a tux.
For
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| It may be smaller than the Phaeton, but it packs nearly as many features, if you make a trip down the options list. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
As opposed to VW's Phaeton,
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| MMI system controls audio, stereo and other vehicular functions. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
Twisty high-speed transitions on the DVP, chicanes on surface streets due to construction, hairpins coming off the Bayview extension onto Rosedale Valley Road, and ripped up semi-repaved sections of the 401 were no match for the A6's handling and composure. Granted, the ride on the standard steel-sprung suspension is firm, possibly too firm for many in the market for a conventional luxo-barge, but it is well worth the bump that is felt in exchange for also feeling like you're strapped onto the road with body-hugging memory foam instead of a mass of pillows or rubber bouncy balls. Give me road feel or give me my bicycle. But for those who can't take a bit of road communication, the A6 is also offered with a state of the art adjustable air suspension system.