Audi’s engineers and designers have been logging plenty of overtime while gearing up to launch the most dynamic and sophisticated A6 yet. The latest version of the German brand’s elemental sport sedan will hit the tarmac as a 2012 model that’s packed with new technologies, new powertrains and new features designed to keep it on the cutting edge.
Styled in line with the brand’s advanced new visual language, the 2012 A6 features signature LED headlamps, a new six-corner grille, reworked aerodynamics and subtle, sporty touches like dual-outlet exhaust and slightly-flared wheel arches. The new A6 is only slightly shorter and lower than the current model, though its wheelbase and width have grown significantly for better ride and handling characteristics and more presence on the road.
Inside, shoppers can expect a new ultra-modern and high-tech atmosphere that tastefully blends luxury and technology. New materials, textures, interfaces and switchgear are all on board—as is a pop-up navigation screen and the market’s latest in infotainment and connectivity technologies. A heads-up display, ventilated massaging seats, hard-drive music storage and ambient mood lighting are all available. Ditto a high-end stereo system by the Dutch audio experts at Bang and Olufsen.
The A6 will offer three diesel and two gas engines globally at launch, including a supercharged, 300-horsepower V6 carried over from the current generation. A 2.8 litre, 204-horsepower mill will also be available—though it’s yet unclear exactly which powertrains will land on our shores. Manual, automatic and S-Tronic gearboxes will be available. The 2012 model year marks the first time an S-Tronic dual-clutch gearbox will be available on an A6.
Offering shoppers more choice and trimming away at fleet fuel consumption figures will be the late-introduction Audi A6 Hybrid. This extra-green model will team a 211-horsepower turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder up with an electric drive system, battery, and 8-speed automatic transmission. The front-drive A6 Hybrid will be able to achieve speeds up to 100 km/h during voltage-only driving, with a range of up to 3 kilometres. Audi says their hybrid powertrain should deliver V6-like sprints from 0-100 km/h in around 7 seconds while achieving fuel consumption and emissions figures comparable to a small four-cylinder.
Regardless of the powertrain selected, 2012 A6 shoppers can rest assured they’re travelling on a world-class platform backed by some of the best chassis and driveline technologies on the road. In addition to its high-efficiency, lightweight construction, the A6 is enhanced by an available rear sport differential which actively apportions torque between the rear wheels. A new crown-ring centre differential is employed for flexible and efficient power splitting between the front and rear axles, and extensive use of aluminum suspension components enhances handling response.
The Audi Drive Select system is also available, allowing drivers to effectively ‘toggle’ various driving modes that match their current intentions. Adaptive air suspension and a redesigned power steering system further the A6’s ability to deliver on-demand comfort, agility and performance.
Keep your eyes on the web—and your nearest Audi dealer—for more information. The 2012 A6 is slated to start delivery later this year.
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| Photo: Audi |
Styled in line with the brand’s advanced new visual language, the 2012 A6 features signature LED headlamps, a new six-corner grille, reworked aerodynamics and subtle, sporty touches like dual-outlet exhaust and slightly-flared wheel arches. The new A6 is only slightly shorter and lower than the current model, though its wheelbase and width have grown significantly for better ride and handling characteristics and more presence on the road.
Inside, shoppers can expect a new ultra-modern and high-tech atmosphere that tastefully blends luxury and technology. New materials, textures, interfaces and switchgear are all on board—as is a pop-up navigation screen and the market’s latest in infotainment and connectivity technologies. A heads-up display, ventilated massaging seats, hard-drive music storage and ambient mood lighting are all available. Ditto a high-end stereo system by the Dutch audio experts at Bang and Olufsen.
The A6 will offer three diesel and two gas engines globally at launch, including a supercharged, 300-horsepower V6 carried over from the current generation. A 2.8 litre, 204-horsepower mill will also be available—though it’s yet unclear exactly which powertrains will land on our shores. Manual, automatic and S-Tronic gearboxes will be available. The 2012 model year marks the first time an S-Tronic dual-clutch gearbox will be available on an A6.
Offering shoppers more choice and trimming away at fleet fuel consumption figures will be the late-introduction Audi A6 Hybrid. This extra-green model will team a 211-horsepower turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder up with an electric drive system, battery, and 8-speed automatic transmission. The front-drive A6 Hybrid will be able to achieve speeds up to 100 km/h during voltage-only driving, with a range of up to 3 kilometres. Audi says their hybrid powertrain should deliver V6-like sprints from 0-100 km/h in around 7 seconds while achieving fuel consumption and emissions figures comparable to a small four-cylinder.
Regardless of the powertrain selected, 2012 A6 shoppers can rest assured they’re travelling on a world-class platform backed by some of the best chassis and driveline technologies on the road. In addition to its high-efficiency, lightweight construction, the A6 is enhanced by an available rear sport differential which actively apportions torque between the rear wheels. A new crown-ring centre differential is employed for flexible and efficient power splitting between the front and rear axles, and extensive use of aluminum suspension components enhances handling response.
The Audi Drive Select system is also available, allowing drivers to effectively ‘toggle’ various driving modes that match their current intentions. Adaptive air suspension and a redesigned power steering system further the A6’s ability to deliver on-demand comfort, agility and performance.
Keep your eyes on the web—and your nearest Audi dealer—for more information. The 2012 A6 is slated to start delivery later this year.
 |
| Photo: Audi |
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