Too Many Microchips?
It's all neat stuff, but to park or start the engine, most can twist their hands--or a key--just fine. The gadgets mostly make using the car more convenient, but the over-complicated climate control system can become a bit overwhelming.
Say you've got cold feet.
After selecting the "climate control distribution" submenu, you're presented with a screen-full of arrows and squares, one of which thaws your tootsies. While you're driving, you can only glance at the screen for about a quarter of a second at a time--and after about 2 seconds, it disappears, leaving you to start over. You'll get used to it, but you see my point.
Premium Performance
This year, the 4.2-litre looses 8 valves and gains Audi's Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) system for increased performance and efficiency. Horsepower is up by 15--for a total of 350. The modest increase in power is only slightly noticeable, though the updated engine sounds a bit more serious and pulls a bit stronger at high RPMs.
It's still as glass-smooth and nearly whisper-quiet as the outgoing powerplant. Nail the rightmost pedal, and the A6 leaps into action, booting better than its size would lead on but never making enough audible fuss to require a pause in a conversation. It's never obvious about what it's doing--always swift and silent. With the stereo at any sort of volume, or a window cracked an inch or two, you'd be hard-pressed to hear the engine at all.
Steering wheel-mounted shift paddles call up one of six available gears, and power is delivered seamlessly to each wheel by the invisible Quattro system. With paddle-shift, quattro, and a set of winter boots, snowy driving would become addicting in a big way.
It's a technology that turns potentially dangerous conditions into a lot of fun, or at least a far less nail-biting experience, depending on your courageousness. Strong, precise and very direct brakes are fitted too, should your radar detector go off.
It's all neat stuff, but to park or start the engine, most can twist their hands--or a key--just fine. The gadgets mostly make using the car more convenient, but the over-complicated climate control system can become a bit overwhelming.
Say you've got cold feet.
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| Audi's MMI controls everything from the HVAC to the audio system. |
After selecting the "climate control distribution" submenu, you're presented with a screen-full of arrows and squares, one of which thaws your tootsies. While you're driving, you can only glance at the screen for about a quarter of a second at a time--and after about 2 seconds, it disappears, leaving you to start over. You'll get used to it, but you see my point.
Premium Performance
This year, the 4.2-litre looses 8 valves and gains Audi's Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) system for increased performance and efficiency. Horsepower is up by 15--for a total of 350. The modest increase in power is only slightly noticeable, though the updated engine sounds a bit more serious and pulls a bit stronger at high RPMs.
It's still as glass-smooth and nearly whisper-quiet as the outgoing powerplant. Nail the rightmost pedal, and the A6 leaps into action, booting better than its size would lead on but never making enough audible fuss to require a pause in a conversation. It's never obvious about what it's doing--always swift and silent. With the stereo at any sort of volume, or a window cracked an inch or two, you'd be hard-pressed to hear the engine at all.
Steering wheel-mounted shift paddles call up one of six available gears, and power is delivered seamlessly to each wheel by the invisible Quattro system. With paddle-shift, quattro, and a set of winter boots, snowy driving would become addicting in a big way.
It's a technology that turns potentially dangerous conditions into a lot of fun, or at least a far less nail-biting experience, depending on your courageousness. Strong, precise and very direct brakes are fitted too, should your radar detector go off.
 |
| Fewer valves and Audi's Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) system equals a 15-hp gain for the 4.2L V8. |