2006 Audi A6 Avant 3.2 Road Test

Sports Car, Luxury Car, SUV Meld into One

Audi completely reworked the A6 sedan for the 2005 model year, and with the introduction of the 2006 A6 Avant the wait is over

Audi completely reworked the A6 sedan for the 2005 model year, and with the introduction of the 2006 A6 Avant the lineup is complete. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

for buyers looking to the more practical wagon variant to resolve their hauling needs. My Avant tester was a fully contented, V6-powered version of the premium, quattro driven sport-wagon; but don't allow its compact 3.2-litre (191 cu in) mill lull you into believing the Avant is more about utility than athleticism; it's not. And a push of my tester's console-mounted start button was proof positive.

Within the Avant's beautifully-shaped, ultra smooth shell and familial nose lives a performance machine trying desperately, with every corner seared through and every straightaway scorched down, to discard its wagon-like image by morphing into a sports sedan or sleek coupe; and very convincingly I might add. The 2006 Avant, with its

A push of my tester's console-mounted start button was all it took to ignite the efficient 255-hp 3.2L V6. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

slightly roomier interior, replaces the 2005 Audi allroad quattro wagon, which exhibited a more rugged appearance than the Avant but was not any more capable off-road thanks to the Avant's optional Adaptive Air Suspension system. This arrangement enables the Avant to be raised or lowered depending on terrain and driving needs. A full 50 mm (2 in) of lift is available from the vehicle's lowest to highest ride height. An automatic setting allows the system's computer to continuously determine the most appropriate height based on vehicle speed. I found this setting the most viable for typical usage as it automatically lowers the Avant at highway speeds, improving its high-speed stability and handling dynamics.

This sophisticated suspension setup is just one of the many elements coming together to create a vehicle that

The A6 Avant combines attributes from several automotive genres - luxury, performance and SUV. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

combines attributes from several automotive genres - such as luxury, performance and SUV  - into a single do-all, please-all package; that is of course if not deterred by its onerous pricing. The Avant sticker takes flight at $66,010 and easily rockets to a staggering "as tested" hit of $80,935, but can go even higher if all the boxes are checked-off. If its sticker shock can be adequately repressed, the Avant will bring owners a tremendous amount of motoring pleasure along with day-to-day versatility that rivals everything else in its segment.

To begin with, its sophisticated 3.2-litre (191 cu in) direct-injection gasoline engine twirls-out 255-horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 243 pound-feet of torque at 3,250 rpm, while emitting a dignified snarl at full tilt.

The A6 Avant's sophisticated 3.2L direct-injection gasoline engine twirls-out 255-horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 243 pound-feet of torque at 3,250 rpm. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

The compact mill demonstrates a pleasurable willingness to encounter its redline without wheezing or becoming frenetic. In doing so it delivers torque in a constant, linear manner while shifts from the Avant's 6-speed Tiptronic autobox come and go smoothly, with an almost perfect degree of definition. Audi cites a spirited 0 to 100 km/h time of 7.1 seconds. If there is any sort of complaint arising from under the hood, it's this: I personally would prefer a little less audio from the engine. It's not a disagreeable note, but for $80 large I want near silence from the other side of the firewall. And in a perfect world my Avant would enjoy the boost in output that Audi's 335-horsepower 4.2-litre (255 cu in) V8 would bring to the show if dispensed in the mid-size wagon - but unfortunately at present it isn't available, at least not in North America. Well then, how about the fabulous 280-horsepower 3.6-litre FSI currently available in the new Passat?