Swanky new Audi A6

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The latest A6 armament consists of six models, including the adrenalin-pumping, thundering RS6 - Audi's most powerful series production car and arguably one of the world's most powerful sedans.

And not only does the RS6 have more muscle than BMW's M and Merc's AMG hot shots, it also costs less.

But being the most exclusive of the new A6 range, the RS6, with its sizzling price tag of R1,06-million, is not destined for Mr Average Joe.

Which means that you and I can only lust after this heart-stopping twin-turbo V10 that blasts out 426kW and 650Nm and launches the RS6 projectile to 100km/h in just 4,5 seconds.

Performance, not surprisingly, is in the supercar league, and to add to the fun lucky owners have the option of raising its top speed to 280km/h.

Rapid and smooth rapid progress is made possible thanks to a six-speed tiptronic gearbox which has a reaction time only 0.1 seconds. Or you can play with the F1-style paddles on the steering column for rapid sequential manual gear changes.

Road glue is provided by an extremely sporty, rear-weighted quattro drive-train, race-style suspension and an ESP stability control system which can be configured for sportier driving styles, or, if you are brave and capable enough, even switched off completely.

But back to earth, the rest of the A6 range is made up of a wide choice of engines, spanning normally aspirated and force-inducted petrol engines, as well as latest-generation turbodiesel versions, linked to two transmission options and the choice of front or all-wheel drive.

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According to Audi, across-the-board improvements in efficiency now gives the A6 range a 15% improvement in fuel consumption and lower foul emissions.

The new engines are linked to either multitronic constantly variable transmission, or a more conventional tiptronic automatic gearbox. In both cases, F1-style shift paddles, mounted on the steering column, can be ordered as an option.

The new entry-level engine is a 2,0-litre TFSI unit which churns out 125kW and 280Nm and with its revised multitronic transmission it will do the 0 to 100km/h dash in 8,5 sec, and get to a top speed of 224km/h. Combined-cycle fuel consumption is rated at 7,7 litres/100km, with commensurate CO₂ emissions of 179g/km.

Next up in the new A6 range is the 2.7 TDI multitronic V6 turbodiesel that delivers 140kW and 400Nm which is enough to blast the oil-burner from zero to 100km/h in 7,9 seconds and on to a top speed of 227km/h.

Audi claims a combined cycle fuel consumption of 6,4 litres/100km and CO₂ emissions of 169g/km.

The third model in the new Audi A6 line-up is the A6 2.8 FSI multitronic. Its direct-injection, normally aspirated V6 petrol engine produces 162kW and 280Nm, enough for a top speed of 240km/h and a 7.3 seconds 0-100km/h sprint.

Fuel consumption is given as 8,4 litres of fuel for every 100km travelled in the combined cycle, while CO₂ emissions come to 196g/km.

The first of the new A6 models to feature quattro all-wheel drive is the V6 3.0 TDI that produces 176kW and 500Nm.

A six-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox shifts briskly enough to give it a 0-100km/h sprint time of only 6,8 seconds, while the top speed is governed to 250km/h. Even so, combined cycle fuel consumption is given as 7,1 litres/100km in the combined cycle, with CO₂ emissions coming to 189g/km.

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But, barring the RS6, the most exciting addition to the new A6 range is the 3.0 TFSI which is powered by a brand-new 3,0-litre supercharged V6 engine that makes a very healthy 213kW and 420Nm.

With the engine's output delivered to the quattro all-wheel drive system via a six-speed tiptronic gearbox, performance is seriously impressive.

Other than the RS6, this is the model for which I would happily write a cheque for R571,000.

It is an absolute delight of a driver's car. At the recent launch of the A6 range I drove this vehicle on a superb route from Stellenbosch via Sir Lowry's Pass, down through Grabouw to Villiersdorp, through Rawsonville, over the old Du Toit's Kloof Pass and back to Stellenbosch - and loved every minute of it.

If you drive it like a hooligan it will stun you with its performance and roadholding; if you opt to toddle along at legal speed limits it is smooth and quiet enough for grandpa to catch a little shut-eye in the back on the way home after lunch.

There is a lot to like and very little to dislike about this model. Sure, the price is painful, but for your bucks you get a seriously sophisticated chunk of metal.

The car's list of fancies and what-have-you's are much too long to discuss in detail here, but what you can take as read includes a super sound system, high-quality all-round finish, wrap-around, comfortable, yet sporty seats, an elegant ambience, super insulation against engine, road and wind noise, a remodelled instrument cluster, a snazzy three-spoke multi-function steering wheel and an even better MMI (Multi-Media Interface) system which was already more user-friendly in its previous guise than both similar systems found in Merc and BMW.

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MMI Plus is standard across the new A6 range, and features a 400x240 pixel display and voice control for the optional Bluetooth mobile phone preparation. A receiver and single-disc CD player are linked to a six-channel digital surround sound system, while dual SD card readers compatible with high-capacity SD memory cards offer a combined storage potential of 32GB.

New, transparent pop-up menus now allow access to systems such as the climate control and seat heating.

A new feature of the system is a cap is integrated into the central control knob that allows it to be operated like a joystick, making navigating the menus and option items on the display even quicker and easier.

The optional MMI Navigation Plus adds an even higher-resolution 800x480 pixel display, full 3D satellite navigation with integrated voice control, and a built-in 40GB hard disc drive for storage of navigation data, as well as music files and a telephone directory of up to 10,000 entries.

And along with the A6's substantial cabin upgrade, boosted engine performance, better fuel economy and suspension tweaks, the smart lads at Ingolstadt also zooshed up the exterior with a new grille, bumpers, front air inlets and fog lamps and new, tapered front headlights with integrated daytime running lights. (With the optional Xenon Plus headlight the daytime running lights consist of a horizontal strip of bright-white LEDs).

Viewed from behind the noticeable changes include a new bumper design with a diffuser, framed on either side by twin exhaust tailpipes. The tail lights are new and have LED strips.

Bigger wheels are standard across the board and optional extend all the way to 20 inchers.

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Audi offers a long list of optional (and expensive!) extras across the range, including an Executive Package, consisting of Xenon Plus headlights with LED daytime running lights, front and rear park distance control sensors, Bluetooth cellphone preparation with voice control and electrically operated seats.

Also on offer are a Sports Package, which links a lowered, stiffer sports suspension to 18-inch alloy wheels, and an S-Line exterior package.

Following hard on the heels of the Audi Q5 also recently launched locally, Audi is determined to increase its share of the local market.

The A6 will do battle in the toughest arena of the lot - the extremely competitive C-Class, which was under tremendous pressure in 2007-08, dropping by almost 37%.

On top of that Audi only sold 271 A6 models in 2008 and it steps into the ring against seasoned veterans such as Merc, BMW, Jaguar, Volvo and Lexus.

Yet the local Audi team is banking on between 20 and 30 new A6 sales a month in 2009, which is a tough call, even for a sleek, sexy and sophisticated sedan such as the A6.

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A big plus factor for the new A6 range is the wide spectrum of its offering, including a reasonably priced entry-level model and the excitement of the top-of-the-range models for those with thick wallets.

The models and prices of the new range are:
A6 2.0 TFSI multitronic (R372,500); A6 2.7 TDI multitronic (R462,500); A6 2.8 FSI multitronic (R467,500); A6 3.0 TDI quattro tiptronic (R555,500); A6 3.0 TFSI quattro tiptronic (R571,000) and the RS6 5.0 V10 quattro tiptronic (R1,069,000).