Audi A6 Avant (2011 – 2018) Review

May 2011

New A6 Avant revealed

Even more accommodating Audi Avant trims away up to 70kg in the interest of efficiency and agility Priced from £32,100 OTR, the new A6 Avant offers major efficiency improvements helped by state-of-the art construction processes which reduce weight by up to 70kg, and offers an impressive and increased carrying capacity of up to 1,680 litres. Another highlight, due later in 2011, will be a potent new 313PS twin-turbo V6 TDI engine which will be shared with the A6 Saloon.

Thanks to the use of aluminium components, which make up roughly 20 per cent of the body, gross weight of ther newe Audi A6 Avant has been reduced by as much as 70 kilograms, depending on engine, compared with the previous model. The A6 Avant 2.0 TDI, for example, has a kerb weight of just 1,640 kilograms.

The luggage compartment in this new A6 Avant can be opened automatically simply by ‘gesturing’ with a foot to two sensors beneath the rear bumper if the optional advanced key feature is added. The A6 Avant has a capacity of 565 litres, which can be increased to 1,680 litres by folding down the rear seat backs. The load bay has luggage lashing eyes, side restraining straps, bag hooks, a double cargo floor, a rail luggage fixing system, a dirt-resistant tray and roof rails as standard. A through-load facility and a fixing set that uses the two standard rails in the cargo floor are optional.

A choice of four engines featuring direct fuel injection will be available for the new A6 Avant in the UK: one petrol engine and three TDI units. They develop between 177PS and 300PS, the top figure belonging to the supercharged 3.0 TFSI petrol model. The line-up also includes the 3.0-litre V6 TDI in 204PS and 245PS forms and the even more efficient 177PS 2.0-litre TDI, which with its 56.5mpg potential and low 132g/km CO2 output offers an outstanding combination of strong performance and comparatively low running costs.

Later in 2011 an all-new 3.0-litre twin-turbo TDI will be the most potent V6 and the fourth diesel-powered option in the range. Thanks to a two-stage turbocharger that delivers a maximum boost pressure of up to 3.2 bar, the TDI flagship will take just 5.4 seconds to reach 62mph from rest, and will be electronically limited to a 155mph top speed.

Transmission options, based on the engine choice, will include a manual six-speed transmission or multitronic CVT for front-wheel-drive models, and the new seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission for quattros. Each unit features a wide gear-ratio spread which gives a further boost to overall efficiency.

The latest generation quattro all-wheel-drive with a crown gear centre differential and a torque-vectoring function for optimum traction, stability and response will be standard for the 3.0 TDI 245PS and 3.0-litre TFSI petrol models. For the top-of-the-line engines, the quattro sport differential – which is capable of apportioning torque between the rear wheels – will also be offered as an option.

New energy-efficient electromechanical power steering, in conjunction with the lightweight suspension set-up with its considerable aluminium content, will further refine handling. The reduced unsprung mass will also favour ride comfort – which has already been highly praised in the A6 Saloon – and which can be enhanced even further if the optional adaptive air suspension is chosen.

The Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system will also be standard in the new A6 Avant, allowing drivers to fine-tune the car’s responses as desired via the Multi Media Interface (MMI) screen. In front-wheel-drive models the latest Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with electronic limited slip differential will help to maintain optimum control without impairing responsiveness during enthusiastic driving.

As Audi customers have come to expect, the spacious interior combines the latest Audi design language with the finest materials constructed to the very highest of standards, and embellishes this with exceptional technological input. The cabin’s focal point is the MMI with its 6.5-inch retractable monitor and large central control knob. MMI provides easy and intuitive access to the high quality audio system, the Bluetooth phone interface and the SD card-based navigation system which, uniquely in the premium sector at this level, is standard.

An eight-inch monitor and fingertip-sensitive touch pad are available as an upgrade from MMI to MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch. The system’s touch pad enables characters to be ‘drawn’ by the driver using an index finger for navigation or telephone data entry. As well as ultra-intelligent 3D navigation mapping, the upgraded MMI system can store audio tracks and telephone data on its sizeable hard disk.

Online services including news and weather information supplied by Google will be accessible if the Mobile Telephone Preparation High and MMI Navigation Plus options are specified. This option will enable drivers to plot detailed routes on a home computer and download them to the navigation system when they start a trip. Google Earth images will also be beamed via the car’s internal universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) module to the MMI monitor for navigation purposes. Through its wireless local area network (WLAN) link, passengers will also be able to connect to the internet with up to eight devices at once.

MMI navigation plus will be able to work closely with the optional assistance and safety systems in the new A6. It can forward route data to the control units for the headlights, the automatic transmission and the adaptive cruise control with stop & go function, helping the car to match its system functions to its surroundings.

Also on the options list is a night vision assistant that uses a thermal-imaging camera to highlight ‘warm-blooded’ road users in front of the car, a head-up display and a park assist system which automatically takes care of steering to manoeuvre into parallel or perpendicular parking spaces. More familiar options such as the Audi side assist blind spot warning system, the Audi lane assist lane departure detection system and the Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System are also available.

Two specification levels - SE and S line – will be offered in the UK, each including alloy wheels, leather upholstery, cruise and front and rear parking controls, SD-based satellite navigation, Bluetooth phone preparation, split/folding rear seats and light and rain sensors. S line models will add larger 18-inch alloy wheels, Xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lamps, sports suspension, upgraded Valcona leather upholstery and an exclusive S line exterior and interior styling treatment.

January 0001

The new Audi A6 Avant – UK OTR pricing

January 2012

New 313PS Biturbo TDI engine now available

The new twin-turbo V6 is notable not only for being the most powerful six-cylinder diesel engine ever offered by the Vorsprung durch Technik brand, but also the sweetest-sounding. Available now in A6 models priced from £43,810 OTR, and from £51,645 OTR in the A7 Sportback, it combines trademark Audi TDI refinement with an exhaust-mounted sound actuator that enables it to deliver its mighty 650Nm output to the tune of a distinctly sporting soundtrack.

Slotting in above the single-turbo 204PS and 245PS versions of the 3.0 TDI that already feature in the A6 and A7 Sportback ranges, the latest V6 has a two-stage turbocharger group that delivers a maximum boost pressure of up to 3.2 bar, helping the A6 3.0 BiTDI quattro Saloon to lunge at the horizon and pass the 62mph marker in as little as 5.1 seconds, and the A6 Avant and A7 Sportback to do the same in just 5.3 seconds. An electronically limited top speed of 155mph is common to all versions.

Like the existing TDI engines, the new star performer is backed up by technologies from the Audi modular efficiency platform, including start-stop and recuperation systems and the innovative thermal management system that quickly brings the coolant and oil up to their operating temperatures. With their help, combined economy in A6 and A7 Sportback models is on an equal footing at 44.1mpg – an impressive figure given the high outputs and low acceleration times involved.

Thanks to an innovative actuator in the auxiliary channel of the exhaust system, the BiTDI A6 and A7 Sportback models don’t sound like they should be capable of such level-headed economy figures. The actuator system essentially consists of a speaker which imposes a defined oscillation pattern on the exhaust flow and transforms the typical TDI exhaust note into a more sonorous roar that is closer to the output of a high-performance petrol engine.

Without exception, power is transmitted from the BiTDI engine via an eight-speed tiptronic transmission to the latest generation quattro all-wheel-drive system, which features a self-locking centre differential and torque vectoring for optimum traction and stability. A sport differential which distributes power in continuously variable proportions between the rear wheels is available from the options list to sharpen and quicken response even further.

The mighty new BiTDI engine is available in conjunction with SE and S line specification in the A6 Saloon, A6 Avant and A7 Sportback. The forthcoming A6 allroad quattro, due to open for order in February, will also offer this exceptional unit.

Stand-out features common to all these models include satellite navigation linked to a 6.5-inch retractable colour monitor, Milano leather upholstery, the Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system controlling throttle response, transmission shift points and steering feel, the Audi parking system plus, light and rain sensors, cruise control and keyless go push-button engine ignition.

November 2012

Black Edition versions of the A6 launched

Priced from £36,970 OTR to £51,025 OTR, Black Edition distinguishing features start from the ground up with 20-inch rotor-design alloy wheels with a dark titanium finish. On the outside they get a black finish for the grille and number plate surrounds and the window frame strips, and by privacy glass extending from the B-pillar rearwards. Fittingly, the A6 Avant Black Edition is also equipped with black roof rails.

Inside, the scene is set by distinctive Piano Black inlays which complement the sports seats upholstered in black Valcona leather and the black headlining. The already comprehensive S line equipment list is also expanded by a BOSE surround sound system, DAB digital radio and the Audi Music Interface (AMI) for iPod connection.

The new Black Edition specification is an ideal accompaniment to the formidable 3.0-litre BiTDI unit with its 313PS and 650Nm of torque. It is also available in conjunction with all engines from the 177PS 2.0-litre TDI upwards, excluding S6 models, and with either front-wheel-drive or quattro all-wheel-drive.

October 2013

A6 3.0 TDI quattro 204PS announced

Prices from £38,385 OTR and 0 to 62mph in seven seconds (7.2 seconds in the Avant). Benefits from a torque boost over its eight-speed multitronic transmission-equipped, front-wheel-drive equivalent, from 400Nm to 450Nm. Top speeds are 149mph for both Saloon options, and 143mph for both Avants.

Three V6 TDI options The new 204 PS V6 TDI quattro is one of three powerful V6 TDI engines in the A6 range to feature the crown gear centre differential-based version of the quattro all-wheel-drive system. The more powerful 3.0 V6 TDI engine with 245 PS and the top of the range 313 PS V6 BiTDI are linked to this system exclusively.

Prices for the new 204PS A6 3.0 TDI quattro models start from £38,385 for the A6 Saloon 3.0 TDI quattro SE, increasing to £44,945 for the lavishly equipped, S line-based A6 Avant 3.0 TDI quattro Black Edition.

February 2014

A6 TDI ultra introduced

A new range of Audi ‘ultra’ models focusing more intensively than ever before on class-leading economy and company car viability will be spearheaded in the UK by the new A6 ultra, which is available to order priced from £32,515 OTR.

Power for the Saloon and Avant-based A6 TDI ultra variants is provided by a new 2.0-litre diesel engine that supersedes the existing 177PS unit and complies with forthcoming EU6 emissions regulations. Power increases to 190PS and torque from 380Nm to 400Nm, the latter available over a wider spread from 1,750 to 3,000rpm.

At launch in the UK the new unit is linked exclusively to a completely redesigned seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission, which replaces the eight-speed multitronic CVT in four-cylinder models. Advances in the new transmission include further minimised internal friction, highly efficient oil supply and a centrifugal pendulum-type absorber that counteracts undesirable vibrations and allows low-noise driving at very low engine speeds. Later in 2014, manual transmission versions will also become available.

Combined economy and emissions in the new A6 2.0 TDI ultra with the seven-speed S tronic transmission show the most impressive improvement - Avant models offer up to 61.4mpg with 119g/km (outgoing equivalent 55.4mpg, 135g/km).

Uniquely for a conventionally powered car in the premium sector – it has been achieved without need for any restriction on equipment. Like all A6 engines the new 190PS 2.0 TDI ultra unit can be paired with SE, S line and Black Edition specification, meaning its improved performance can be enjoyed along with alloy wheels of up to 20 inches in diameter, with the popular S line body styling additions and with every other infotainment feature, driver aid and comfort-enhancing option available for the rest of the range.

Subtle ‘ultra’ badging at the rear will mark out the most efficiency-focused A6 models, all of which will share the core A6 specification common to the range as a whole. This includes full leather upholstery, the MMI Radio Plus with 6.5-inch retractable colour display and DAB digital radio, SD card-based satellite navigation, light and rain sensors, cruise control, keyless go and the Audi parking system plus with acoustic and visual guidance.

September 2014

Audi A6 range revised

Enhancements include: Styling revisions, xenon headlamps as standard for SE versions, LED headlights as standard for S line,Matrix LED lights optional for A6 and S6 and standard for RS 6 Avant; Interior decor improvements and upgraded infotainment system; EU6-compliant engine range benefits from emissions reductions of up to 22 per cent; Line-up includes 2.0 TDI ultra offering up to 64mpg with CO2 of as little as 114g/km; New S tronic twin-clutch transmission replaces multitronic CVT in front-wheel-drive variants.

There are upgraded infotainment options, which include new versions of the MMI navigation plus and Audi connect elements. Based around an eight-inch retractable colour monitor, MMI navigation plus is available as an alternative to the standard navigation system. It now uses a more powerful Tegra 30 graphics processor from Audi's partner Nvidia, and includes MMI touch, which enables the driver to scroll and zoom in lists and maps via a touchpad. Audi connect now brings tailored Internet-based services and new media streaming apps to the car via the latest LTE high‑speed data transmission standard for ultra-fast 4G click-through and download functionality.

Audi phone box option is also now available - it enables occupants to connect their mobile phones to the car‘s antenna for improved reception simply by placing them in the phone box compartment.

In the UK the engine line-up for the updated A6 and A6 Avant comprises four TDI engines with either four or six cylinders and either single or twin turbo charging. All engines comply with the limits of the Euro 6 emission standard, and their CO2emissions have been reduced by as much as 22 percent. As before, the most efficient engine - the 2.0-litre TDI four-cylinder with 190PS - is reserved for Ultra versions of the saloon and Avant which combine strong performance, hushed refinement and the potential to return up to 60mpg with CO2 output from as little as 114g/km. Despite its sports styling, 18-inch alloy wheels and extensive specification, even the A6 2.0 TDI ultra S line Saloon with S tronic transmission achieves these exceptional economy and emissions figures.

The trio of 3.0-litre six-cylinder TDI ‘clean diesel' units starts with a single-turbo V6 with 218PS which replaces the existing 204PS version, and is followed by a 272PS variant, also with a single charger, which takes over from the outgoing 245PS unit. At the top of the range, the 3.0 TDI clean diesel biturbo produces 320PS, an increase of 7PS over its existing equivalent.

The high‑performance diesel is paired with an eight‑speed tiptronic automatic transmission. All other engine variants are linked to either a newly designed six‑speed manual gearbox that is particularly lightweight and low-friction, or a seven‑speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission. In the versions with front-wheel drive, a fully redeveloped dual-clutch transmission replaces the familiar eight-speed multitronic continuously variable transmission.

Quattro all-wheel-drive is available in conjunction with all engines bar the 2.0-litre TDI, and in versions with 272PS and above, the quattro permanent all‑wheel drive system can be supplemented with the sport differential, which actively distributes power between the rear wheels.

Sports suspension lowered by 20mm is standard for the A6 S line and optional for the SE model, and the former can be rooted to the tarmac even more firmly by S line sports suspension which lowers the body by a further 10mm. Alternatively, the cushioned comfort of electronically controlled adaptive air suspension is available in conjunction with both specification options. The Audi drive select dynamic handling system is standard.