The new Audi A6 has finally made it to India and only in four-cylinder, mild-hybrid turbo-petrol guise. We hit the hills with it to see what it’s got going for itself.
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
The basics are important. Have a solid foundation built on the right principles and things tend to work out. And work out well. Whatever it may be. The luxury segment is not an easy space to battle in. Even established names have to slug it out at times and the right kind of ammo is always needed when the going gets tough. So, the new Audi A6, in its latest C8 fifth-generation guise first introduced last year, has finally been introduced to the Indian portfolio.
The exterior certainly looks tended to and it’s received more than a dash of chrome to accentuate its premium credentials. The added lines and creases across the side make it evident as the new model. The new design Matrix LED headlights are standard on this more expensive Technology variant, as are the LED tail-light clusters with Lamborghini-style dynamic flowing turn-indicators — quite an interesting detail. The lines wrap around the boot and look sharp. The new “45 TFSI” badging appears for the first time on a sedan in their Indian line-up.
The interior in the new Audi A6 45 TFSI is just as special as one would imagine. The interplay of premium upholstery, neat wood trim, and metal accents works well to enhance the ambience but also echoes Audi’s trademark cabin design. It looks plush, high-quality and extremely relaxing. And it is, amidst the mix of modern elements that co-exist with classic Audi materials. The two large touchscreens on the centre console, multi-function steering wheel, and various touch controls all aim to aid the driver but, on the move, can be quite distracting at first. As one gets more adept, perhaps, the experience would be more rewarding. The room up front is commendable and the front passenger can enjoy some serious legroom. The rear, however, is where most buyers will reside when actually travelling. The A6 packs some decent rear passenger room, although the middle seat is best left unoccupied thanks to the huge tunnel bulge — due to the shared chassis from the quattro all-wheel-drive models not sold here. However, the left rear passenger can truly savour the space on offer with the front passenger seat moved all the way forward. Touch controls for the air-conditioning make the cabin even more pleasant, with the massive sunroof further adding to the airy feel.
However, the features and details have been dealt with in our first drive review. This is the road test. So, let’s get down to the numbers. The new Audi A6 45 TFSI is essentially the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine that also benefits from a 12-volt mild-hybrid system that uses a belt-starter-alternator (BAS) to recuperate energy (up to 12 kW) and store it in a compact lithium-ion battery for use on the move — either for assisting the engine, with its minor 3.0 kW (4.1 hp) and accompanying torque, or to enable a free-wheel coast mode that switches off the engine to save fuel. Coast mode is available between 55 km/h and 160 km/h and activates when the driver lifts off at speed. The fuel saving in the real world is to the tune of 0.7 litres per 100 kilometres or seven millilitres per km. Furthermore, the powertrain is BS VI-ready, being Euro 6-compliant, and includes a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) to comply with the more specific norms for direct-injection petrol engines.
