In true Audi spirit, the A6 is a brilliant handler. Corners, switchbacks, sweepers, straights — none of it is a problem for this car. Even at our very high testing speeds the car held its line as if it was on rails. There’s excellent feedback from the steering, which feels light at low and moderate speeds but weighs up nicely as the velocities rise. There’s just so much confidence this car gives you when you see that bend ahead that even an average driver feels like an expert. The air suspension also works its magic on the surface beneath the 245/45 R18 tyres. Ruts, patchwork, potholes and the like are kept well away from the passenger who sit ensconced in the luxury of the car’s spacious and rather silent cabin. It’s only the deepest of potholes that catch it out really.
Speaking of road irregularities, an aspect that needs to be mentioned here is ground clearance. Indian roads, thanks to the wonderful maintenance job done by the authorities, require most cars to run a bit of extra ground clearance. You know, keep a bit of clearance in hand for those rainy days (applied both metaphorically as well as literally). With many a luxury car, built as they are to European specifications, the issue of sufficient ground clearance becomes a tricky one and more than once have we experienced a car’s underbody scraping on a particularly high bump irrespective of the carefully executed evasive manoeuvre by the driver. I’m happy to say that we faced none of this with the A6. There is indeed sufficient clearance for our Indian roads in this German luxury sedan.
The car was launched at Rs 49.5 lakh, ex-showroom, and at that price the Audi A6 is not over-priced compared to its competitors. The thing is, at that price, it isn’t highly competitively priced either; pricing is actually par for the course. As a result the A6 doesn’t become the automatic or obvious choice but is one more option in that segment. However, as an option, it’s a brilliant one. Something that’s definitely worth your money.
