Despite the A6's substantial thirst for premium, I couldn't resist taking
it out for a highway spin almost every night that I had it in my possession, a treatment reserved only for true driver's cars. To say the A6 is a "driver's car" doesn't do it complete justice, mind you, as its form-fitting comfort, safety, and technological amenities are also important to consider, as well as how these aspects have been so smoothly integrated.
It's
not without its faults. While I like MMI, Audi's systems interface, it's not for everyone. Although I found it simple and straightforward for the functions I commonly use (audio, navigation, climate), the fact that you must go through menus means that it takes more time, and more effort to do simple adjustments. From a driving perspective, the steering comes through a little light despite the excellent car control, but I've yet to experience a variable power steering system that was its match. And as mentioned before, the gas bills start to add up with frequent visits to the pump, especially with all the joy rides I couldn't stop myself from taking.
It's a big engine (we save adjectives like massive for Hemis and LS2s) for an almost big car, and its 335 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque suited its effortless character just fine. Fine enough to keep me coming back for more, that's for sure. The 3.2 V6 available on the A6 does the job adequately, but the V8 breathes heady power into the mix, with power to spare at every point in its rev band. All the gears are also properly spaced to keep things mellow or hot, and traction is always ready and willing to harness the most lead-weighted of right feet.
I had the option of shifting the Tiptronic's six gears for myself, but
without paddle shifts the gearbox spent a great deal of time dropped in S-Mode (Sport, which holds gears longer and downshifts earlier in the braking process) letting the electronic brain do most of the thinking, not that there is really much to think about with so much power on tap.
Of course, the A6 isn't just about power and properly harnessing it, it's also about safety, which it has in spades. I would say the ace of spades, but King is more like it since it earned a silver and not a gold medal from the IIHS for its all around performance in the frontal offset and side-impact collision tests. Keep in mind, a silver rating is nothing to shrug off; this means that it's actually in the top three safest midsize sedans to be tested in 2006 (so far); something that Volvo or Mercedes-Benz have yet to achieve.
What more could you ask for? Keyless ignition? A power-operated trunk? A heart-stopping surround sound system? They're all available, but for me they're unnecessary--I am after all, a simple kind of guy. Like I said in the beginning, the only thing I would really ask for is a driver's door that opens itself. And more horsepower, even though it doesn't really need it--but hey, who can argue with more horsepower. While it'll still be some time before my first request is granted, the second one is something Audi's already working on. Starting this summer, the new S6 will be available with a Lamborghini Gallardo-sourced V10. But that would just be silly. I love silly.
 |
| A6 4.2: for a luxury sedan, it's extremely fun to drive. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
It's
 |
| Cockpit of an airliner? Bridge of a nuclear submarine? No, it's the inside of the A6 at night. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
It's a big engine (we save adjectives like massive for Hemis and LS2s) for an almost big car, and its 335 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque suited its effortless character just fine. Fine enough to keep me coming back for more, that's for sure. The 3.2 V6 available on the A6 does the job adequately, but the V8 breathes heady power into the mix, with power to spare at every point in its rev band. All the gears are also properly spaced to keep things mellow or hot, and traction is always ready and willing to harness the most lead-weighted of right feet.
I had the option of shifting the Tiptronic's six gears for myself, but
 |
| A6's classy rear end contains LED lights and splashes of chrome. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
Of course, the A6 isn't just about power and properly harnessing it, it's also about safety, which it has in spades. I would say the ace of spades, but King is more like it since it earned a silver and not a gold medal from the IIHS for its all around performance in the frontal offset and side-impact collision tests. Keep in mind, a silver rating is nothing to shrug off; this means that it's actually in the top three safest midsize sedans to be tested in 2006 (so far); something that Volvo or Mercedes-Benz have yet to achieve.
What more could you ask for? Keyless ignition? A power-operated trunk? A heart-stopping surround sound system? They're all available, but for me they're unnecessary--I am after all, a simple kind of guy. Like I said in the beginning, the only thing I would really ask for is a driver's door that opens itself. And more horsepower, even though it doesn't really need it--but hey, who can argue with more horsepower. While it'll still be some time before my first request is granted, the second one is something Audi's already working on. Starting this summer, the new S6 will be available with a Lamborghini Gallardo-sourced V10. But that would just be silly. I love silly.