MM Review: 2012 Audi A6
06-29-11, 09:38 PM
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Lexus Fanatic
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MM Review: 2012 Audi A6
By multiple-CL-member request, a review of the 2012 Audi A6.
http://models.audiusa.com/a6-sedan
IN A NUTSHELL: Beautiful and impressive inside and out; a real Driver's Car, but the center-dash controls are a mess.
I received a couple of request from CL members for a full-review of the all-new 2012 Audi A6. The A6, of course, is Audi's mid-line sedan (though it is a rather large car by today's standards), and competes directly with BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-Class, Lexus GS, Infiniti M, Lincoln MKS, and Cadillac STS sedans (the STS will soon be replaced).Iit also competed (more or less) with the now-discontinued Volvo S80 sedan.
The A6 falls into the Audi sedan line-up between the smaller, less-expensive A4 and the more upmarket/higher-grade A7 and A8 models. The A7 model, a 5-door hatchback, is being marketed as a 5-door "Coupe" (there is no such thing as a 5-door coupe, IMO), and, to some extent, will compete with its own brother A6. Buyers who want a hatchback-lid, of course, will prefer the A7 to the conventional-trunk A6, but the A7's hatch lid, from the rear-end-styling, is so low and flat that it severely compromises cargo area. Unfortunately, the versatile and smartly-done A6 Avant wagon is being pulled out of the American market for 2012.....a very bad move on Audi's part, IMO (auto marketers never cease to amaze me with some of their boneheaded thinking). Of course, at more than 53K to start, the wagon is quite pricey, and not every average-Joe-auto-buyer is going to have that kind of money sitting around burning a hole in his or her pocket. The high-performance S6 model, which is much pricier still at 76K+, WILL be coming to the American market, but not for some time yet....probably late in the 2012 model-year. It is unclear if the American market will get the even higher-priced, higher-performance RS6 (I haven't seen anything definite on it), but the last RS6 wasn't sold here, so I wouldn't expect this one to be either.
The A6, like a number of upmarket German and Swedish vehicles, has a solid reputation for safety (though reliability doesn't always follow suit). In fact, an ex-co-worker of mine, after she had a terrible accident locally here on Interstate 95 when someone cut her off in her Camry and it burst into flames, chose an A6 as its replacement. She has been very pleased with it so far (She was very fortunate, and recovered successfully from a situation where burns and injuries could have killed her or left her with lifetime problems).
For 2012, the A6 is considered all-new, having been extensively redesigned from the last-generation model. In the American market, As of now, five specific models are offered...2.0T Premium, 2.0T Premium-Plus, 3.0T Premium, 3.0T Premium-Plus, an 3.0T Prestige. 2.0T models come with the ubiquitous (and excellent) VW/Audi 2.0 turbo in-line four with 211 HP and 258 ft-lbs. of torque (this engine has long been one of my favorites, but might be a little small for a car the size of the A6). 3.0T models come with a Supercharged 3.0L V6 with 310 HP and 325 ft-lbs. of torque. The 2.0T has a CVT with 8 artificial pre-programmed "ratios", and 3.0T models have a more conventional 8-speed Tiptronic torque-converter automatic. No conventional manual transmissions are offered. I wish that Audi would still offer the superb (IMO) S-Tronic (VW calls it DSG) twin-clutch auto-manual transmission, another one of my favorites, but the company is phasing it out of its American-market models more and more. They claim that it is too costly and complex for Audi technicians here in America (just more B.S. from the product-planners, IMO). VW, interestingly, still sees fit to offer it here on at least some of its models (the VW version is virtually the same hardware). 2.0T models come with FWD, and 3.0T models with Audi's well-known, well-engineered Quattro AWD. List prices start at $41,700 for the 2.0T Premium and run to $56,780 for the 3.0T Prestige. Ordinarily, I make a note (and sometimes complain) if AWD is not offered with the four-cylinder, but, in this case, Audi may have a point.....even with the 2.0T's good torque, the 3.0 V6, in this relatively large, heavy car, is probably better-suited to AWD. I've already mentioned that the A6 Avant wagons are gone from America for 2012, the S6 is not here yet, and the RS6 probably won't be offered at all on our shores. However, the supercharged V6 in the 3.0T models is so impressive, IMO, that the extra money for the S6 models coming up may not really be needed....more on that later.
As the CL review-requests did not indicate a specific A6 model to test, I wanted to choose a version I felt would be the most widely-shopped by the biggest cross-section of American buyers....a 3.0T Premium. However, 2012 A6 models are not stocked in large numbers right now, and the best Audi dealership reasonably close to me had only two in stock....both top-of-the-line Prestige models. There was a black Prestige model (which was actually a $6880 package that included the 8-speed Tiptronic transmission, Sport Suspension/19" wheel package, and several other features) that listed for 60K, and a white Prestige model with even more features for 65K. I looked the interiors in them both over, and did the actual test-drive in the white one. Both cars were absolutely beautiful inside and out, with superb fit/finish even by the typical high Audi standards. Both had the Black Leather/aluminum trim, and the trim seemed to be real polished/brushed aluminum instead of painted-plastic. I posted the light wood-trim, though, in the images, because that would be my first choice if I was buying it....the web-site shows a light Scandanavian wood option, but the paper-brochure shows only medium and dark wood patterns available.
I really enjoyed this review. Though not without a few annoyances (especially on the center-dash controls) this a superbly-built/superbly-crafted Drivers' Car, and was a sheer pleasure to drive, even with the slightly stiffer-than-I-like Sport Suspension. Audi charges a lot for this car, but, in turn, delivers a lot. How?........Read on.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2012 Audi A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro Tiptronic (I'm listing the less-expensive, black one here)
BASE PRICE: $49,900
OPTIONS:
Phantom-Black Pearl-Effect Paint: $475
Prestige Package: $6880
7" Color-Driver Information: $1500
Shift-Paddles: $500
(Come on....paddles are optional in a 50-60K car? That's ridiculous)
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $875 (about average for this class of car)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $60,130
DRIVETRAIN: AWD, longitudionally-mounted Supercharged 3.0L V6, 310 HP @ 5500-6500 RPM, Torque 325 ft-lbs @ 2900-4500 RPM, 8-speed Sport-shift Tiptronic automatic transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 19 City / 28 Highway (not bad, considering the power and AWD)
EXTERIOR COLOR: Phantom-Black Pearl-Effect
INTERIOR: Black Leather/Aluminum Trim
PLUSSES:
Well-proven, seamless Quattro AWD system.
Solid reputation for safety.
Muscle-car acceleration from supercharged V6.
Smooth, flexible (but complex) transmission.
Butter-smooth power-steering.
Quick steering response.
Flat cornering (with Sport Package).
Good wind-noise control.
Smooth effective brakes (but with some pedal-play).
Good underhood layout by upmarket/luxury-car standards.
Remote underhood jump-start terminals.
Side-mirror-mounted turn-signal indicators.
Super-slick, Jewel-like exterior fit/finish.
Solid-feeling exterior sheet metal.
Solid, precise-closing doors/hood/trunk.
Super-smooth, well-done/applied exterior trim.
Superbly-done, mirror-like paint jobs, even in hard-to-do Black.
Plush, well-finished cargo area.
Side-Assist indicators in side-mirrors cover blind spots.
Nice fore/aft shifter-motion, with no zig-zags.
Rear seat split-fold-down includes pass-through feature.
Superbly-done interior trim/materials/hardware/fit-and-finish.
Quality aluminum dash trim.
Clear, legible primary gauges.
3-D, terrain-mapping GPS screen.
Excellent stereo-sound (but not quite to Lexus standards).
Pleasantly soft-padded dash/door panels.
Nice-feeling seat leather by German-car standards.
Good front/rear headroom even with sunroof housing.
Relatively good rear-seat legroom/footroom.
MINUSES:
A6 Avant Wagon model no longer sold in U.S.
Hit-your-bank-account price.
Oversized Audi grilles are too large.....go back to the last-generation ones.
Spotty, inconsistant reliability record.
Flexible transmission, but 8 speeds may be overkill and just add to cost/complexity.
Some paint-colors cost extra.
Slightly firm, narrow seats for large torsos/rumps.
Brake-pedal not well-located for large feet/shoes.
Some road noise on coarse surfaces with Sport-Package summer-only tires.
VERY complex, hard-to-use center-dash controls/buttons/screen.
Secondary fuel/temperature gauges a little hard to make out from the surroundings.
Where's the battery?
No body-side moulding for parking-lot protection.
Temporary spare tire.
No First-Aid kit in the trunk like some of the competition.
Dull paint colors, except for white and Garnet-Red (but excellently-done paint jobs).
Potentially-confusing twin-left stalks on steering-column (but not as bad as on Mercedes vehicles).
4/50 drivetrain warranty (common to German upmarket cars) not as generous as those from American/Asian automakers.
EXTERIOR:
The new 2012 A6's exterior shows the same handsome outline and its fluidness-of-design as most recent Audi sedans. I like it because Audi gets a good drag-coefficients without resorting to excessive Aero/Jelly-Bean styling, which, IMO, is ugly and boring. In fact, IMO, almost everything on the outside of the A6 is superbly-done, with two exceptions: First, the awkward, oversize Audi-grilles, which the company refuses to give up (the older Audi grilles, about half the size of the present ones, were much better-looking). Second, the bean-counters (yes, on a 60K car) refused to put on body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection. But almost everything else outside is first-rate, IMO. The exterior sheet metal not only looks good, but feels solid as well, and all four doors, hood, and trunk lid open and close precisely and solidly. The nine exterior paint colors offered could be a little less-dull (only the Ibis White, with its Pearl-effect, and the Garnet Red Pearl tend to keep your eyes open). The quality of paint jobs, not only on the A6s in stock, but on all the Audis at the dealership, from what I could see, were superb....even the notoriously hard-to-do black was virtually free from orange peel, and most of the other colors were mirror-like in their smoothness. Unfortunately, to get that superbly-done Black (Audi calls it Phantom-Black-Pearl-Effect), you have to cough up an extra $475...as if this car wasn't expensive enough to start with. The exterior trim and hardware is all super-slick-feeling and extremely well-applied. The daytime-running-lights, like on other recent Audis, are a row of white-dot LCDs under each regular headlight. The outside twin-side mirrors are both well-shaped for optimum-vision, include integrated turn-signal-flashers, and what small blind spots they have are covered by Audi's Side-Assist indicators, which flash when a car enters those otherwise-blind-areas. Pretty nifty design, I'd say. And, of course, the side-mirrors not only snap-swivel and lock manually with fluid-smoothness and precision, but have power-switches inside for heaters and automatic-folding. Most of the alloy-wheel designs were handsome, IMO, but I didn't particularly care for the ones on the lower-line 17" wheels. My test-car had the 19" Sport-Package wheels and high-performance, summer-only tires.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the solid, well-fitted hood, and two nice gas-struts hold it up for you instead of fumbling with a manual prop-rod (I've seen some 50K vehicles that still use a rod). Underneath the hood itself is a nice thick insulation pad to help keep out engine noise (and it works.....more on that later). By the usual lousy and diffcult engine-access-standards of upmarket/premium vehicles, this is a good underhood layout. The supercharged 3.0L V6 fits in fairly well, and there is some access to engine components on both sides, in front, and even on top of the block, because Audi designed the company logos on top of the engine in such a way that they took up only minimal space on top of the engine, and do not have a big restrictive plastic engine-cover blocking everything. Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Jaguar, etc..... take notice. I didn't see an oil dipstick (which I prefer)....Audi must be using use the electronic oil-sensors. Filler-caps and reservoirs, though are generally easy to reach. I couldn't find the battery either, and even looked in the trunk under the floor, where automakers sometimes put them for more even weight-distribution....no luck. The salespeople said that it might be under the rear-seat, another area that automakers sometime use for battery-placement. I tried lifting the lower-cushion on the seat, but it seemed to be locked in place, so I said the heck with it....I wasn't going to spend all morning hunting for it. Even if you can't find the battery itself, though, Audi cleverly put in two extended-battery terminals under the hood, over on the left side, marked (+) and (-), where you just flip-open two small caps and clip on the jumper-cables. The (-) terminal, of course, is grounded to the chassis. Nifty idea.....and convenient.
INTERIOR:
Open the door, sit down inside, and the superbness of fit/finish and slick, high-quality materials continues. First, there is enough headroom, both front and rear, for tall persons with the front-seat set where I usually want it, even under the sunroof-housing. The upper-dash is softly-padded with pleasant-feeling material, as are the upper-door-panels. The sun visors, unlike the cheap hardness found in many other cars today, have a nice soft-feeling fabric covering them...as does the headliner. The aluminum-trim in my test-car (several different wood-trims are also available) looked and felt like real brushed-aluminum, not the more common (and cheaper) silver painted-plastic. Still, if it were my choice, I'd take the wood...I'm quite conservative in my choice of car interiors, though I like a good carbon-fiber trim-package as well as some types of wood. The twin primary-gauges (speedometer and tachometer) are both well-done, well-trimmed, and easy-to-read, though the smaller secondary fuel and engine temperature gauges next to them look a little hidden and out of place. The typically-shaped Audi steering wheel, with the usual spoke design, has ultra-smooth/slick leather-wrapping on the rim, and is comfortable to hold. The steering column, as befits the car's price, has both power tilt and telescoping. The front seats, with numerous power-adjustments, has leather that is not quite as smooth or slick-feeling as that of Lexus or Jaguar, but is noticeably nicer than that found in many other German-designed vehicles, even in this price-range. I felt that the two front seat-cushions, though, were a little firm for my tastes, and, though not actually uncomfortable, were slightly too narrow for big torsos and rumps like mine. The parking-brake is a nice, easy-to-use pull/push tab on the console instead of a more awkward, hard-to-step-on left-foot pedal under the dash. The stereo-sound quality is good-to-excellent, but not quite the killer-sound found in Mark-Levinson or Harmon-Kardin units. The GPS screen has a nifty 3-D feature that shows not only shows you the local roads/landmarks, but also physically shows you the terrain in the area.....neat to look at on the test-drive with Virginia's Bull-Run and Blue-Ridge Mountains not far off to the west (of course, I kept my eyes on the road most of the time for safety). The terrain-feature can be converted, if desired, to regular 2-dimension GPS-mapping. The video-screen retracts into and out of a dash-slot either with the system's on/off functions or a separate retract-button.
But there is one major fault inside....essentially the same one as that with other MMI-equipped Audis, BMW I-Drive models, and similiar systems. Though the buttons/levers/controls are all slick/smooth in their operation, well-finished, and well-attached, they are WAY too complex, in their interaction with the video-screen, for my tastes. Though some functions can be inputed with Voice-Command or by steering-wheel-spoke controls, in general, it is absurdly complex to do many, if not most, functions and adjustments in the stereo and climate-control systems. This is why I tend to dislike electronic video-functions on a car's dash and much-prefer simple, clearly-marked twist-***** and analog-systems. A minor complaint (much less than with the center-dash controls),is the Mercedes-like twin-stalks on the left side of the steering-column for turn signals and cruise-control. Audi, though, on this car, made it less-confusing than on Mercedes vehicles (you are less-likely to accidentally flick the wrong lever), and the stalks themselves don't feel as flimsy-plasticky as on some BMW/Mercedes/VW products, and even some former Audis.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
Open the solid, well-finished trunk-lid, which seemed to have hidden counterweights under the super-smooth-operating hinges for easy-lift, and you are greeted with a plush, attractive, well-finished cargo-area. The trunk-lid itself is compromised a little in size by the rear-roof styling (typical of most of today's sedans).....it's a shame that the Avant wagon, with its much larger hatch-lid, is gone. But, even with the sedan's lid, it is still big enough to get reasonable-size packages and cargo in and out. The floor and walls are both covered with a plush-feeling, but not particularly thick, black carpeting. In the back is a cargo-net to help hold up packages and bags. The split-rear seat folds down for added space, and, in addition to that, there is a small lockable pass-through if you want to keep the seat(s) up and still carry long, narrow items like fishing-poles or skis. Under the floor is a temporary spare tire...yes, on a 60K car). The salesperson agreed with me....he also felt that a car of this class should have a real spare instead of a fake one. But he blamed it on two things.....first, that spares, real or otherwise, (supposedly) aren't used much any more, and, Second, that the government's incessant pressure on automakers to improve gas-economy led to weight-reduction with lighter donut-spares, temporary spares, and Fix-a-Flat bottles. He might (?) have a point, but I see it as simple cost-cutting. I also noted that other Audis, in the past, like some other upmarket vehicle-makes, had a First-Aid kit in the trunk, and that one was missing this time. He said that was another casualty of the weight-reduction campaign. I said two simple words........Bull-****. A small automotive first-aid kit weighs only a couple of pounds at the most...not enough to make any appreciable difference.
ON THE ROAD:
This car is a delight on the road, and a pleasure to drive. Start up the supercharged 3.0L V6 with, as befits the price, a proximity-fob and an engine-START/STOP button. The V6 comes to life smoothly and quietly, quite well-refined (the thick underhood-insulation pad also helps). And don't let the quiet refinement fool you......by my standards, this engine is a real powerhouse. Hammer the gas pedal, especially in the lower gears, and the A6 takes off like a bunch of illegals who just spotted the Border Patrol. You can feel the G-forces pinning you back in the seat. The rated 325 ft-lbs. of torque is not huge by today's sport-sedan standards, but this engine obviously has a flat torque-curve, and reaches max-torque at a low 2900 RPM, so you don't have to spin it up much to get a ot of spunk. I haven't driven the new high-performance S6, of course, (it hasn't been released yet), but, IMO, this mill has more then enough power for all but the most die-hard speed-freaks. Its response is about like the average muscle-cars from the late 60's that I went to high-school with, and still remember so well. If not for the the traction/stability-control, and the AWD which spreads the power out to all four weels, you could probably smoke the tires on this car and lay a pretty healthy patch of burnt-rubber on the pavement for a fair distance (and maybe get written-up by a local cop). The engine also keeps much of its refinement on the road....there isn't much noise, vibration, or loud exhaust-notes to deal with, even with the supercharger.
The efficient 8-speed Tiptronic transmisson, of course, also helps with the car's acceleration and gas mileage (up to 28 MPG on the highway, not bad for this kind of power and AWD), though, like with 8-speed cars in the past, I still question the need for 8 gears when 6, at most speeds, probably would do the job quite as well, at less complexity and cost. Manual-shifts can be done either by the lever or shift-paddles on the column...and the lever, in general, has a nice fore-aft motion instead of those annoying zig-zags. Despite the obvious smoothness and refinement of this transmission, I miss the superb Audi S-Tronic twin-clutch transmisson with its seamless shifting and efficiency (VW calls the same unit the Direct-Shift-Gearbox, or DSG). I mentioned above how Audi is phasing the S-Tronic/DSG out of the American market (needlessly, IMO).
The chassis/steering system engineering, as befits an Audi sport/luxury sedan, is quite well-done, though not to the classic telepathic-level of most BMWs, which, IMO, still lead the industry as Drivers' Cars. The steering response is quick; the cornering is virtually flat (with very little body-roll); and the steering-action is butter-smooth. Road-feel from the power steering improves as speed climbs, but, at lower speeds, is more numb than in BMWs. At higher speeds, though, there's not much difference from, say, the BMW 5-series. Some A6 packages have a button that adjusts the suspension/steering characteristics....I didn't see one on my test-car. Ride-comfort, though not too bad with the car's Sport-Package and 19" summer-only high-performance tires, was a little stiffer than I'd like. Audi chassis engineers have a lot of know-how, but still can't quite match BMW's superb, industry leading (IMO) combination of ride/handling balance, though the BMW M-cars, unlike the standard models, also ride somewhat stiffer than I'd like.
Wind-noise, from the superbly-fitted windows/insulation, was well-hushed, though more road-noise came through on porous road-surfaces than I expected........that quieted down, of course, on smoother pavement. Brakes were smooth, firm, linear, and effective, although, unlike most German sport-sedans, the pedal had about a half-inch or so of free-play before the pads started clamping on the rotors. I suspect that the upcoming S6 will have high-performance Brembo brakes....we'll see. The brake and gas pedals were not well-located for big, size-15 clown-shoes like mine.....I had to be careful, when lifting my foot of the gas pedal, not to hang the side of my shoe up on the edge of the brake pedal.
THE VERDICT:
Wow, what a car. No, it's not perfect, but still quite a machine. It's not quite as seductive to drive as the Jaguar XKR convertible I reviewed last December for my Annual-Holiday-Review (driving an XKR is like dating a supermodel), but it's not far behind. And, of course, this A6 was some $40,000 less than that Jag's $100,000+ price-tag. Still, 50-60K is not Chump-Change, especially in this present economy, where even some entry-level $15,000 subcompacts are being foreclosed/repo'ed by the finance-companies. So, of course, as with any major purchase, don't sign on the dotted-line unless you are sure you can afford it, even for a lower-cost-per-month lease.
But, for those who can afford it, and have no problem with sinking this kind of cash into a new car (it's more than I would care to spend), the new A6 is, IMO, a great purchase. Its general looks, fit/finish, quality of trim, paint-job, interior trim/materials, sheet-metal solidness, engine-power, drivetrain-flexiblity, underhood-layout, and handling are all first-rate. The ride/handling balance is almost first-rate. This car is, IMO, a true pleasure to drive. It also offers AWD traction, and doesn't seem to lose much acceleration/gas mileage in spite of the AWD's weight and drag.
It does, of course, have some flaws....no car is perfect. The main problem is the Chinese-Picture-Puzzle MMI-system, which, IMO, like BMW's I-Drive, is simply too complex and difficult to use, even when your eyes can be taken off the road for more than a few seconds. The lack of a true spare tire and body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection are also annoyances that should not be there given the car's price. One should not have to pay extra for paint-jobs, even a hard-to-do black job like this without orange-peel. I couldn't find the car's Hide-and-Go-Seek battery, though convienient jump-start terminals are under the hood. Audis, lately, have been getting more reliable, though some electrical gremlins still appear to be remaining. And Audi, BMW and Mercedes, IMO, needs to dump the 4/50 Drivetrain warranty and go to one more in line with the 6/70 Drivetrain warranty that Lexus, Infiniti, and Acura use.
So there you have it.....an extremely well-crafted car, for a well-crafted price, that is a pleasure to drive. If you want one, and can afford one, go for it. And also remember.....this test-car was the top-line Prestige model. There are (or will be) less-expensive A6 models for maybe under 50K, or between 50-60K.
And, as always.....Happy Car Shopping.
MM
http://models.audiusa.com/a6-sedan
IN A NUTSHELL: Beautiful and impressive inside and out; a real Driver's Car, but the center-dash controls are a mess.
I received a couple of request from CL members for a full-review of the all-new 2012 Audi A6. The A6, of course, is Audi's mid-line sedan (though it is a rather large car by today's standards), and competes directly with BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-Class, Lexus GS, Infiniti M, Lincoln MKS, and Cadillac STS sedans (the STS will soon be replaced).Iit also competed (more or less) with the now-discontinued Volvo S80 sedan.
The A6 falls into the Audi sedan line-up between the smaller, less-expensive A4 and the more upmarket/higher-grade A7 and A8 models. The A7 model, a 5-door hatchback, is being marketed as a 5-door "Coupe" (there is no such thing as a 5-door coupe, IMO), and, to some extent, will compete with its own brother A6. Buyers who want a hatchback-lid, of course, will prefer the A7 to the conventional-trunk A6, but the A7's hatch lid, from the rear-end-styling, is so low and flat that it severely compromises cargo area. Unfortunately, the versatile and smartly-done A6 Avant wagon is being pulled out of the American market for 2012.....a very bad move on Audi's part, IMO (auto marketers never cease to amaze me with some of their boneheaded thinking). Of course, at more than 53K to start, the wagon is quite pricey, and not every average-Joe-auto-buyer is going to have that kind of money sitting around burning a hole in his or her pocket. The high-performance S6 model, which is much pricier still at 76K+, WILL be coming to the American market, but not for some time yet....probably late in the 2012 model-year. It is unclear if the American market will get the even higher-priced, higher-performance RS6 (I haven't seen anything definite on it), but the last RS6 wasn't sold here, so I wouldn't expect this one to be either.
The A6, like a number of upmarket German and Swedish vehicles, has a solid reputation for safety (though reliability doesn't always follow suit). In fact, an ex-co-worker of mine, after she had a terrible accident locally here on Interstate 95 when someone cut her off in her Camry and it burst into flames, chose an A6 as its replacement. She has been very pleased with it so far (She was very fortunate, and recovered successfully from a situation where burns and injuries could have killed her or left her with lifetime problems).
For 2012, the A6 is considered all-new, having been extensively redesigned from the last-generation model. In the American market, As of now, five specific models are offered...2.0T Premium, 2.0T Premium-Plus, 3.0T Premium, 3.0T Premium-Plus, an 3.0T Prestige. 2.0T models come with the ubiquitous (and excellent) VW/Audi 2.0 turbo in-line four with 211 HP and 258 ft-lbs. of torque (this engine has long been one of my favorites, but might be a little small for a car the size of the A6). 3.0T models come with a Supercharged 3.0L V6 with 310 HP and 325 ft-lbs. of torque. The 2.0T has a CVT with 8 artificial pre-programmed "ratios", and 3.0T models have a more conventional 8-speed Tiptronic torque-converter automatic. No conventional manual transmissions are offered. I wish that Audi would still offer the superb (IMO) S-Tronic (VW calls it DSG) twin-clutch auto-manual transmission, another one of my favorites, but the company is phasing it out of its American-market models more and more. They claim that it is too costly and complex for Audi technicians here in America (just more B.S. from the product-planners, IMO). VW, interestingly, still sees fit to offer it here on at least some of its models (the VW version is virtually the same hardware). 2.0T models come with FWD, and 3.0T models with Audi's well-known, well-engineered Quattro AWD. List prices start at $41,700 for the 2.0T Premium and run to $56,780 for the 3.0T Prestige. Ordinarily, I make a note (and sometimes complain) if AWD is not offered with the four-cylinder, but, in this case, Audi may have a point.....even with the 2.0T's good torque, the 3.0 V6, in this relatively large, heavy car, is probably better-suited to AWD. I've already mentioned that the A6 Avant wagons are gone from America for 2012, the S6 is not here yet, and the RS6 probably won't be offered at all on our shores. However, the supercharged V6 in the 3.0T models is so impressive, IMO, that the extra money for the S6 models coming up may not really be needed....more on that later.
As the CL review-requests did not indicate a specific A6 model to test, I wanted to choose a version I felt would be the most widely-shopped by the biggest cross-section of American buyers....a 3.0T Premium. However, 2012 A6 models are not stocked in large numbers right now, and the best Audi dealership reasonably close to me had only two in stock....both top-of-the-line Prestige models. There was a black Prestige model (which was actually a $6880 package that included the 8-speed Tiptronic transmission, Sport Suspension/19" wheel package, and several other features) that listed for 60K, and a white Prestige model with even more features for 65K. I looked the interiors in them both over, and did the actual test-drive in the white one. Both cars were absolutely beautiful inside and out, with superb fit/finish even by the typical high Audi standards. Both had the Black Leather/aluminum trim, and the trim seemed to be real polished/brushed aluminum instead of painted-plastic. I posted the light wood-trim, though, in the images, because that would be my first choice if I was buying it....the web-site shows a light Scandanavian wood option, but the paper-brochure shows only medium and dark wood patterns available.
I really enjoyed this review. Though not without a few annoyances (especially on the center-dash controls) this a superbly-built/superbly-crafted Drivers' Car, and was a sheer pleasure to drive, even with the slightly stiffer-than-I-like Sport Suspension. Audi charges a lot for this car, but, in turn, delivers a lot. How?........Read on.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2012 Audi A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro Tiptronic (I'm listing the less-expensive, black one here)
BASE PRICE: $49,900
OPTIONS:
Phantom-Black Pearl-Effect Paint: $475
Prestige Package: $6880
7" Color-Driver Information: $1500
Shift-Paddles: $500
(Come on....paddles are optional in a 50-60K car? That's ridiculous)
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $875 (about average for this class of car)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $60,130
DRIVETRAIN: AWD, longitudionally-mounted Supercharged 3.0L V6, 310 HP @ 5500-6500 RPM, Torque 325 ft-lbs @ 2900-4500 RPM, 8-speed Sport-shift Tiptronic automatic transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 19 City / 28 Highway (not bad, considering the power and AWD)
EXTERIOR COLOR: Phantom-Black Pearl-Effect
INTERIOR: Black Leather/Aluminum Trim
PLUSSES:
Well-proven, seamless Quattro AWD system.
Solid reputation for safety.
Muscle-car acceleration from supercharged V6.
Smooth, flexible (but complex) transmission.
Butter-smooth power-steering.
Quick steering response.
Flat cornering (with Sport Package).
Good wind-noise control.
Smooth effective brakes (but with some pedal-play).
Good underhood layout by upmarket/luxury-car standards.
Remote underhood jump-start terminals.
Side-mirror-mounted turn-signal indicators.
Super-slick, Jewel-like exterior fit/finish.
Solid-feeling exterior sheet metal.
Solid, precise-closing doors/hood/trunk.
Super-smooth, well-done/applied exterior trim.
Superbly-done, mirror-like paint jobs, even in hard-to-do Black.
Plush, well-finished cargo area.
Side-Assist indicators in side-mirrors cover blind spots.
Nice fore/aft shifter-motion, with no zig-zags.
Rear seat split-fold-down includes pass-through feature.
Superbly-done interior trim/materials/hardware/fit-and-finish.
Quality aluminum dash trim.
Clear, legible primary gauges.
3-D, terrain-mapping GPS screen.
Excellent stereo-sound (but not quite to Lexus standards).
Pleasantly soft-padded dash/door panels.
Nice-feeling seat leather by German-car standards.
Good front/rear headroom even with sunroof housing.
Relatively good rear-seat legroom/footroom.
MINUSES:
A6 Avant Wagon model no longer sold in U.S.
Hit-your-bank-account price.
Oversized Audi grilles are too large.....go back to the last-generation ones.
Spotty, inconsistant reliability record.
Flexible transmission, but 8 speeds may be overkill and just add to cost/complexity.
Some paint-colors cost extra.
Slightly firm, narrow seats for large torsos/rumps.
Brake-pedal not well-located for large feet/shoes.
Some road noise on coarse surfaces with Sport-Package summer-only tires.
VERY complex, hard-to-use center-dash controls/buttons/screen.
Secondary fuel/temperature gauges a little hard to make out from the surroundings.
Where's the battery?
No body-side moulding for parking-lot protection.
Temporary spare tire.
No First-Aid kit in the trunk like some of the competition.
Dull paint colors, except for white and Garnet-Red (but excellently-done paint jobs).
Potentially-confusing twin-left stalks on steering-column (but not as bad as on Mercedes vehicles).
4/50 drivetrain warranty (common to German upmarket cars) not as generous as those from American/Asian automakers.
EXTERIOR:
The new 2012 A6's exterior shows the same handsome outline and its fluidness-of-design as most recent Audi sedans. I like it because Audi gets a good drag-coefficients without resorting to excessive Aero/Jelly-Bean styling, which, IMO, is ugly and boring. In fact, IMO, almost everything on the outside of the A6 is superbly-done, with two exceptions: First, the awkward, oversize Audi-grilles, which the company refuses to give up (the older Audi grilles, about half the size of the present ones, were much better-looking). Second, the bean-counters (yes, on a 60K car) refused to put on body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection. But almost everything else outside is first-rate, IMO. The exterior sheet metal not only looks good, but feels solid as well, and all four doors, hood, and trunk lid open and close precisely and solidly. The nine exterior paint colors offered could be a little less-dull (only the Ibis White, with its Pearl-effect, and the Garnet Red Pearl tend to keep your eyes open). The quality of paint jobs, not only on the A6s in stock, but on all the Audis at the dealership, from what I could see, were superb....even the notoriously hard-to-do black was virtually free from orange peel, and most of the other colors were mirror-like in their smoothness. Unfortunately, to get that superbly-done Black (Audi calls it Phantom-Black-Pearl-Effect), you have to cough up an extra $475...as if this car wasn't expensive enough to start with. The exterior trim and hardware is all super-slick-feeling and extremely well-applied. The daytime-running-lights, like on other recent Audis, are a row of white-dot LCDs under each regular headlight. The outside twin-side mirrors are both well-shaped for optimum-vision, include integrated turn-signal-flashers, and what small blind spots they have are covered by Audi's Side-Assist indicators, which flash when a car enters those otherwise-blind-areas. Pretty nifty design, I'd say. And, of course, the side-mirrors not only snap-swivel and lock manually with fluid-smoothness and precision, but have power-switches inside for heaters and automatic-folding. Most of the alloy-wheel designs were handsome, IMO, but I didn't particularly care for the ones on the lower-line 17" wheels. My test-car had the 19" Sport-Package wheels and high-performance, summer-only tires.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the solid, well-fitted hood, and two nice gas-struts hold it up for you instead of fumbling with a manual prop-rod (I've seen some 50K vehicles that still use a rod). Underneath the hood itself is a nice thick insulation pad to help keep out engine noise (and it works.....more on that later). By the usual lousy and diffcult engine-access-standards of upmarket/premium vehicles, this is a good underhood layout. The supercharged 3.0L V6 fits in fairly well, and there is some access to engine components on both sides, in front, and even on top of the block, because Audi designed the company logos on top of the engine in such a way that they took up only minimal space on top of the engine, and do not have a big restrictive plastic engine-cover blocking everything. Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Jaguar, etc..... take notice. I didn't see an oil dipstick (which I prefer)....Audi must be using use the electronic oil-sensors. Filler-caps and reservoirs, though are generally easy to reach. I couldn't find the battery either, and even looked in the trunk under the floor, where automakers sometimes put them for more even weight-distribution....no luck. The salespeople said that it might be under the rear-seat, another area that automakers sometime use for battery-placement. I tried lifting the lower-cushion on the seat, but it seemed to be locked in place, so I said the heck with it....I wasn't going to spend all morning hunting for it. Even if you can't find the battery itself, though, Audi cleverly put in two extended-battery terminals under the hood, over on the left side, marked (+) and (-), where you just flip-open two small caps and clip on the jumper-cables. The (-) terminal, of course, is grounded to the chassis. Nifty idea.....and convenient.
INTERIOR:
Open the door, sit down inside, and the superbness of fit/finish and slick, high-quality materials continues. First, there is enough headroom, both front and rear, for tall persons with the front-seat set where I usually want it, even under the sunroof-housing. The upper-dash is softly-padded with pleasant-feeling material, as are the upper-door-panels. The sun visors, unlike the cheap hardness found in many other cars today, have a nice soft-feeling fabric covering them...as does the headliner. The aluminum-trim in my test-car (several different wood-trims are also available) looked and felt like real brushed-aluminum, not the more common (and cheaper) silver painted-plastic. Still, if it were my choice, I'd take the wood...I'm quite conservative in my choice of car interiors, though I like a good carbon-fiber trim-package as well as some types of wood. The twin primary-gauges (speedometer and tachometer) are both well-done, well-trimmed, and easy-to-read, though the smaller secondary fuel and engine temperature gauges next to them look a little hidden and out of place. The typically-shaped Audi steering wheel, with the usual spoke design, has ultra-smooth/slick leather-wrapping on the rim, and is comfortable to hold. The steering column, as befits the car's price, has both power tilt and telescoping. The front seats, with numerous power-adjustments, has leather that is not quite as smooth or slick-feeling as that of Lexus or Jaguar, but is noticeably nicer than that found in many other German-designed vehicles, even in this price-range. I felt that the two front seat-cushions, though, were a little firm for my tastes, and, though not actually uncomfortable, were slightly too narrow for big torsos and rumps like mine. The parking-brake is a nice, easy-to-use pull/push tab on the console instead of a more awkward, hard-to-step-on left-foot pedal under the dash. The stereo-sound quality is good-to-excellent, but not quite the killer-sound found in Mark-Levinson or Harmon-Kardin units. The GPS screen has a nifty 3-D feature that shows not only shows you the local roads/landmarks, but also physically shows you the terrain in the area.....neat to look at on the test-drive with Virginia's Bull-Run and Blue-Ridge Mountains not far off to the west (of course, I kept my eyes on the road most of the time for safety). The terrain-feature can be converted, if desired, to regular 2-dimension GPS-mapping. The video-screen retracts into and out of a dash-slot either with the system's on/off functions or a separate retract-button.
But there is one major fault inside....essentially the same one as that with other MMI-equipped Audis, BMW I-Drive models, and similiar systems. Though the buttons/levers/controls are all slick/smooth in their operation, well-finished, and well-attached, they are WAY too complex, in their interaction with the video-screen, for my tastes. Though some functions can be inputed with Voice-Command or by steering-wheel-spoke controls, in general, it is absurdly complex to do many, if not most, functions and adjustments in the stereo and climate-control systems. This is why I tend to dislike electronic video-functions on a car's dash and much-prefer simple, clearly-marked twist-***** and analog-systems. A minor complaint (much less than with the center-dash controls),is the Mercedes-like twin-stalks on the left side of the steering-column for turn signals and cruise-control. Audi, though, on this car, made it less-confusing than on Mercedes vehicles (you are less-likely to accidentally flick the wrong lever), and the stalks themselves don't feel as flimsy-plasticky as on some BMW/Mercedes/VW products, and even some former Audis.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
Open the solid, well-finished trunk-lid, which seemed to have hidden counterweights under the super-smooth-operating hinges for easy-lift, and you are greeted with a plush, attractive, well-finished cargo-area. The trunk-lid itself is compromised a little in size by the rear-roof styling (typical of most of today's sedans).....it's a shame that the Avant wagon, with its much larger hatch-lid, is gone. But, even with the sedan's lid, it is still big enough to get reasonable-size packages and cargo in and out. The floor and walls are both covered with a plush-feeling, but not particularly thick, black carpeting. In the back is a cargo-net to help hold up packages and bags. The split-rear seat folds down for added space, and, in addition to that, there is a small lockable pass-through if you want to keep the seat(s) up and still carry long, narrow items like fishing-poles or skis. Under the floor is a temporary spare tire...yes, on a 60K car). The salesperson agreed with me....he also felt that a car of this class should have a real spare instead of a fake one. But he blamed it on two things.....first, that spares, real or otherwise, (supposedly) aren't used much any more, and, Second, that the government's incessant pressure on automakers to improve gas-economy led to weight-reduction with lighter donut-spares, temporary spares, and Fix-a-Flat bottles. He might (?) have a point, but I see it as simple cost-cutting. I also noted that other Audis, in the past, like some other upmarket vehicle-makes, had a First-Aid kit in the trunk, and that one was missing this time. He said that was another casualty of the weight-reduction campaign. I said two simple words........Bull-****. A small automotive first-aid kit weighs only a couple of pounds at the most...not enough to make any appreciable difference.
ON THE ROAD:
This car is a delight on the road, and a pleasure to drive. Start up the supercharged 3.0L V6 with, as befits the price, a proximity-fob and an engine-START/STOP button. The V6 comes to life smoothly and quietly, quite well-refined (the thick underhood-insulation pad also helps). And don't let the quiet refinement fool you......by my standards, this engine is a real powerhouse. Hammer the gas pedal, especially in the lower gears, and the A6 takes off like a bunch of illegals who just spotted the Border Patrol. You can feel the G-forces pinning you back in the seat. The rated 325 ft-lbs. of torque is not huge by today's sport-sedan standards, but this engine obviously has a flat torque-curve, and reaches max-torque at a low 2900 RPM, so you don't have to spin it up much to get a ot of spunk. I haven't driven the new high-performance S6, of course, (it hasn't been released yet), but, IMO, this mill has more then enough power for all but the most die-hard speed-freaks. Its response is about like the average muscle-cars from the late 60's that I went to high-school with, and still remember so well. If not for the the traction/stability-control, and the AWD which spreads the power out to all four weels, you could probably smoke the tires on this car and lay a pretty healthy patch of burnt-rubber on the pavement for a fair distance (and maybe get written-up by a local cop). The engine also keeps much of its refinement on the road....there isn't much noise, vibration, or loud exhaust-notes to deal with, even with the supercharger.
The efficient 8-speed Tiptronic transmisson, of course, also helps with the car's acceleration and gas mileage (up to 28 MPG on the highway, not bad for this kind of power and AWD), though, like with 8-speed cars in the past, I still question the need for 8 gears when 6, at most speeds, probably would do the job quite as well, at less complexity and cost. Manual-shifts can be done either by the lever or shift-paddles on the column...and the lever, in general, has a nice fore-aft motion instead of those annoying zig-zags. Despite the obvious smoothness and refinement of this transmission, I miss the superb Audi S-Tronic twin-clutch transmisson with its seamless shifting and efficiency (VW calls the same unit the Direct-Shift-Gearbox, or DSG). I mentioned above how Audi is phasing the S-Tronic/DSG out of the American market (needlessly, IMO).
The chassis/steering system engineering, as befits an Audi sport/luxury sedan, is quite well-done, though not to the classic telepathic-level of most BMWs, which, IMO, still lead the industry as Drivers' Cars. The steering response is quick; the cornering is virtually flat (with very little body-roll); and the steering-action is butter-smooth. Road-feel from the power steering improves as speed climbs, but, at lower speeds, is more numb than in BMWs. At higher speeds, though, there's not much difference from, say, the BMW 5-series. Some A6 packages have a button that adjusts the suspension/steering characteristics....I didn't see one on my test-car. Ride-comfort, though not too bad with the car's Sport-Package and 19" summer-only high-performance tires, was a little stiffer than I'd like. Audi chassis engineers have a lot of know-how, but still can't quite match BMW's superb, industry leading (IMO) combination of ride/handling balance, though the BMW M-cars, unlike the standard models, also ride somewhat stiffer than I'd like.
Wind-noise, from the superbly-fitted windows/insulation, was well-hushed, though more road-noise came through on porous road-surfaces than I expected........that quieted down, of course, on smoother pavement. Brakes were smooth, firm, linear, and effective, although, unlike most German sport-sedans, the pedal had about a half-inch or so of free-play before the pads started clamping on the rotors. I suspect that the upcoming S6 will have high-performance Brembo brakes....we'll see. The brake and gas pedals were not well-located for big, size-15 clown-shoes like mine.....I had to be careful, when lifting my foot of the gas pedal, not to hang the side of my shoe up on the edge of the brake pedal.
THE VERDICT:
Wow, what a car. No, it's not perfect, but still quite a machine. It's not quite as seductive to drive as the Jaguar XKR convertible I reviewed last December for my Annual-Holiday-Review (driving an XKR is like dating a supermodel), but it's not far behind. And, of course, this A6 was some $40,000 less than that Jag's $100,000+ price-tag. Still, 50-60K is not Chump-Change, especially in this present economy, where even some entry-level $15,000 subcompacts are being foreclosed/repo'ed by the finance-companies. So, of course, as with any major purchase, don't sign on the dotted-line unless you are sure you can afford it, even for a lower-cost-per-month lease.
But, for those who can afford it, and have no problem with sinking this kind of cash into a new car (it's more than I would care to spend), the new A6 is, IMO, a great purchase. Its general looks, fit/finish, quality of trim, paint-job, interior trim/materials, sheet-metal solidness, engine-power, drivetrain-flexiblity, underhood-layout, and handling are all first-rate. The ride/handling balance is almost first-rate. This car is, IMO, a true pleasure to drive. It also offers AWD traction, and doesn't seem to lose much acceleration/gas mileage in spite of the AWD's weight and drag.
It does, of course, have some flaws....no car is perfect. The main problem is the Chinese-Picture-Puzzle MMI-system, which, IMO, like BMW's I-Drive, is simply too complex and difficult to use, even when your eyes can be taken off the road for more than a few seconds. The lack of a true spare tire and body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection are also annoyances that should not be there given the car's price. One should not have to pay extra for paint-jobs, even a hard-to-do black job like this without orange-peel. I couldn't find the car's Hide-and-Go-Seek battery, though convienient jump-start terminals are under the hood. Audis, lately, have been getting more reliable, though some electrical gremlins still appear to be remaining. And Audi, BMW and Mercedes, IMO, needs to dump the 4/50 Drivetrain warranty and go to one more in line with the 6/70 Drivetrain warranty that Lexus, Infiniti, and Acura use.
So there you have it.....an extremely well-crafted car, for a well-crafted price, that is a pleasure to drive. If you want one, and can afford one, go for it. And also remember.....this test-car was the top-line Prestige model. There are (or will be) less-expensive A6 models for maybe under 50K, or between 50-60K.
And, as always.....Happy Car Shopping.
MM
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-05-11 at 05:58 PM.
06-29-11, 10:15 PM
#2
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I also test drove the A6 3.0T (fully loaded w/ all options maxing out around 71k). I thought the interior was absolutely gorgeous and well constructed, and the MMI very impressive. However, with all that high-tech comes problems, and I can foresee a nightmare trying to diagnose (and even maintain) over the lifetime of the vehicle.
I also found the car's handling to be very sloppy, numb and lots of unnecessary body sway....much less enjoyable than the 535i (as you also pointed out.) I think Audi has a very attractive technology package at a fairly reasonable value, but I couldn't get over how the car handled. I walked away somewhat disappointed in that I really wanted to like this car.
ETA - I also think Audi's newer crown-gear system is much more improved than the previous generation Torsen based system. Just saddens me to know that the previous generation A6 came in dead-last within its category for reliability...not good.
I also found the car's handling to be very sloppy, numb and lots of unnecessary body sway....much less enjoyable than the 535i (as you also pointed out.) I think Audi has a very attractive technology package at a fairly reasonable value, but I couldn't get over how the car handled. I walked away somewhat disappointed in that I really wanted to like this car.
ETA - I also think Audi's newer crown-gear system is much more improved than the previous generation Torsen based system. Just saddens me to know that the previous generation A6 came in dead-last within its category for reliability...not good.
06-29-11, 10:38 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I also test drove the A6 3.0T (fully loaded w/ all options maxing out around 71k). I thought the interior was absolutely gorgeous and well constructed, and the MMI very impressive. However, with all that high-tech comes problems, and I can foresee a nightmare trying to diagnose (and even maintain) over the lifetime of the vehicle.
As gorgeous as the A6's interior is, just walk a few steps down the lot (or the showroom) and look at the larger, more-expensive A8. Its interior will knock your socks off.
I also found the car's handling to be very sloppy, numb and lots of unnecessary body sway....much less enjoyable than the 535i (as you also pointed out.) I think Audi has a very attractive technology package at a fairly reasonable value, but I couldn't get over how the car handled. I walked away somewhat disappointed in that I really wanted to like this car.
Just saddens me to know that the previous generation A6 came in dead-last within its category for reliability...not good.
Last edited by mmarshall; 06-29-11 at 10:46 PM.
06-29-11, 10:45 PM
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Yes, the car had the 20" sports suspension package. There is a fairly nice, curvy piece of road near the dealership, and when I was test driving the car, the car felt very heavy in the turns. The steering also somewhat detached. The 535 on the same road just felt much crisper and responsive. Also, when I had the chance to apply full-throttle (in dynamic mode or whatever they call that option), the car actually hesitated for a second. The sales rep said it was the car automatically adjusting for performance driving...right 
I'm just not convinced that the A6 is ready for prime time at this very moment. Seems like they have a few more kinks to work out...IMO.
I'm just not convinced that the A6 is ready for prime time at this very moment. Seems like they have a few more kinks to work out...IMO.
06-29-11, 11:30 PM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
Excellent review MM. I think it's pretty clear where Audi excels. The interior and exterior are gorgeous and the attention to detail is tops. The white 3.0T I looked at last week was a site to behold. Not mentioned here- One advantage with owning the A6 is they are rare and not too many are seen on the road. I love cars like that. It makes the car seem more special and more interesting as people don't tire of the look as fast.
I agree with the paint quality. My A4's black was flawless. Even inside the doorjams, everything got the same smoothness and shine. It's these little things that make a deal happen for me.
About the lack of body side moldings. This is definitely, 100% NOT a bean-counting thing. It is, purely a styling thing. As with 99% of today's modern cars, body side moldings would not match or fit around the side profile. It would be a train wreck to the eyes. The straightline body shapes of the 80's and 90's are long gone and moldings will not be returning. I'd try to grasp that idea so you aren't disappointed with every car you review.
It's funny to note how each car manufacturer picks and chooses where they want to be cheap. I agree with you, not including shift paddles is rediculous. This feature should be standard by now, just as it is on the $32k Lexus IS.
All in all, another great review here. It's easy to like the new A6, so I'm glad you had a chance to enjoy it.
I agree with the paint quality. My A4's black was flawless. Even inside the doorjams, everything got the same smoothness and shine. It's these little things that make a deal happen for me.
About the lack of body side moldings. This is definitely, 100% NOT a bean-counting thing. It is, purely a styling thing. As with 99% of today's modern cars, body side moldings would not match or fit around the side profile. It would be a train wreck to the eyes. The straightline body shapes of the 80's and 90's are long gone and moldings will not be returning. I'd try to grasp that idea so you aren't disappointed with every car you review.
It's funny to note how each car manufacturer picks and chooses where they want to be cheap. I agree with you, not including shift paddles is rediculous. This feature should be standard by now, just as it is on the $32k Lexus IS.
All in all, another great review here. It's easy to like the new A6, so I'm glad you had a chance to enjoy it.
Last edited by Fizzboy7; 06-29-11 at 11:38 PM.
06-30-11, 05:48 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks. 
Yeah.......I sometimes inject a little dry humor into my reviews. It breaks up the monotony. But the point, in this case, is that the A6, with the supercharged 3.0, even with the weight/drag of AWD, will more than get out of its own way, and it shoves you back in the seat. IMO, one does not have to spend the extra $$$$$ on this already-expensive car for the added power of the S6 model unless you really are a speed-freak.
"the A6 takes off like a bunch of illegals who just spotted the Border Patrol"
LOL!!!
LOL!!!
Last edited by mmarshall; 06-30-11 at 05:52 AM.
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06-30-11, 06:11 AM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I had not planned on doing the A6, but I got two recent CL-requests for it, so it was on to the Audi-shop. I'm still waiting for the new 2012 Subaru Impreza and Ford Escape to be released.....they are next on my list.
I think it's pretty clear where Audi excels. The interior and exterior are gorgeous and the attention to detail is tops. The white 3.0T I looked at last week was a site to behold.
Not mentioned here- One advantage with owning the A6 is they are rare and not too many are seen on the road. I love cars like that. It makes the car seem more special and more interesting as people don't tire of the look as fast.
I agree with the paint quality. My A4's black was flawless. Even inside the doorjams, everything got the same smoothness and shine. It's these little things that make a deal happen for me. [/quote_
Almost all of recent Audis are like that....the A6 is not alone.
About the lack of body side moldings. This is definitely, 100% NOT a bean-counting thing. It is, purely a styling thing. As with 99% of today's modern cars, body side moldings would not match or fit around the side profile. It would be a train wreck to the eyes. The straightline body shapes of the 80's and 90's are long gone and moldings will not be returning. I'd try to grasp that idea so you aren't disappointed with every car you review.
Almost all of recent Audis are like that....the A6 is not alone.
About the lack of body side moldings. This is definitely, 100% NOT a bean-counting thing. It is, purely a styling thing. As with 99% of today's modern cars, body side moldings would not match or fit around the side profile. It would be a train wreck to the eyes. The straightline body shapes of the 80's and 90's are long gone and moldings will not be returning. I'd try to grasp that idea so you aren't disappointed with every car you review.
Now, of course, that doesn't mean that you just slap them on anywhere, like shooting darts at a dartboard. Both the body-lines and where the mouldings should be placed to provide maximum-protection should be taken into account. And, of course, simply having one moulding on each side cannot protect the car from every door next to it...car doors come in many shapes and sizes. Last, one can visit a place like Advance Auto Parts and, for a few dollars, get an aftermarket stick-on moulding like the ones from Trim-Brite (I've used them myself). But, for what today's cars cost, one should not have to do that, IMO.
It's funny to note how each car manufacturer picks and chooses where they want to be cheap. I agree with you, not including shift paddles is rediculous. This feature should be standard by now, just as it is on the $32k Lexus IS.
06-30-11, 07:47 AM
#10
Excellent review mmarshall!
I'm a big Audi fan (had an A4q before my IS) and this car seems to be carrying the torch for Audi very well. Good speed/torque and refinement is what I think people will look for in a car in this segment and I'm glad to see your review indicates the A6 delivers on these fronts.
I'm a big Audi fan (had an A4q before my IS) and this car seems to be carrying the torch for Audi very well. Good speed/torque and refinement is what I think people will look for in a car in this segment and I'm glad to see your review indicates the A6 delivers on these fronts.
06-30-11, 08:10 AM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks, Joeb. I enjoyed this one, too.
You would have liked the one I test-drove, then....a white one with 19" Sport Pkg and black leather with aluminum trim. I looked over that one and a black one with the same interior....the one I listed here, and did the primary interior-review on.
All-black interiors, though, tend to be a little monotonous.....the two-tone black/tan, at least, breaks things up a little. Audi, though, does interior-detail so well that even an all-black interior can look nice.
I enjoyed this one, too.
I saw white '12 A6 with the sport pkg at the NY auto show and it was gorgeous.
Though I would have preferred black leather instead of the lighter tan interior one on display.
The car was getting a lot of attention...a lot!
Though I would have preferred black leather instead of the lighter tan interior one on display.
The car was getting a lot of attention...a lot!
All-black interiors, though, tend to be a little monotonous.....the two-tone black/tan, at least, breaks things up a little. Audi, though, does interior-detail so well that even an all-black interior can look nice.
06-30-11, 08:18 AM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
Yes, it delivers, but not for Chump-Change. Whether its Hit-Your-Bank-Account price is worth what it delivers is, of course, a subjective matter for the individual-buyer. Less-expensive A6 2.0T/FWD and 3.0-Premium versions are technically available, but, right now, I didn't see many of them in stock. Hopefully, that will change as more 2012's arrive at dealerships.
I'm a big Audi fan (had an A4q before my IS) and this car seems to be carrying the torch for Audi very well. Good speed/torque and refinement is what I think people will look for in a car in this segment and I'm glad to see your review indicates the A6 delivers on these fronts.
06-30-11, 09:05 AM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Depending on vehicle-availability, I usually don't wait very long when I get specific CL-requests. But, right now, I'm probably going to take a little breather for a couple of weeks, and get some other things done.....I've been working pretty hard lately at reviews. I plan to review the all-new 2012 Subaru Impreza hatchback and Ford Escape (two extremely sensible, practical vehicles, IMO), but they have not been released yet.
Audi seems to be on a good streak recently. Releasing a number of good products. I have not driven the new A6 (my dealer still doesn't have it yet), but I've sat in it, and I have to say, no one does interiors like Audi.
Everything feels like it should in a 60k+ car. The interior design (IMO) is quite stylish. Much better than the current 5 series. They are unmatched in this segment. My old Q7's interior is head and shoulders above the X5 I have now and that car retailed for over $10k less.
A8's interior, though, that is just tops.
"the A6 takes off like a bunch of illegals who just spotted the Border Patrol"
I laughed at this one because I've driven the A7 and I agree with you 150%. I was not expecting the amount of shove in the seat, but WOW, does the new 3.0T (supercharged however) move.
I laughed at this one because I've driven the A7 and I agree with you 150%. I was not expecting the amount of shove in the seat, but WOW, does the new 3.0T (supercharged however) move.
The S-tronic gearbox. Yup, this has to be a bean counters move because VW has no problem putting it in its lineup. (The new '12 American-Made Passat has the DSG with the TDI and VR6 engine). Audi has the 3.0T-DSG combo in the S4, yet won't give it to us in a $60k A6 or $70k A7.
Sound system: Your car didn't have the $6k Bang and Olufsen package did it? The A7 I drove had it, and WOW! I wouldn't personally spend $6k on an audio system, but it was amazing. Much better than Levinson in the LS. (It also costs more though :/ )
New MMI, I think I agree with you on complexity. As an owner of these cars, I don't think they'd have an issue though. Obviously, one would get used to it after a while. My BMW salesmen calls me bi-weekly asking me if I have any problems with the IDrive.
On the topic of warranty, I'm still wondering why these German makers stick with the 4yr/50k b2b + powertrain. It boggles me for Audi because VW went 3/36k b2b, then 5yr/60k powertrain. Now in '11, the new Touareg got 10yr/100k powertrain warranty as a gift. Why can't Audi do the same?
I was reading somewhere on the interwebs, that the C6 (last gen) Audi A6 3.2 V6 Quattro is one of the most trouble free Audis made to date. My service manager also told me that they barely have issues with them as they age. Hopefully, this carries over to the new one. Here, JDPower gives it a great predicted reliability ('11 A6). (http://www.jdpower.com/autos/Audi/A6/2011/Sedan/)
Remember, also, that Service Managers, while responsible for the service needs of customers, are management officials that also represent the dealership and (sometimes) the automaker. Dealerships and automakers, of course, are in buisness to sell cars. They may (or may not) be truthful about what they have to go through with specific models in day-to-day service, not wanting to scare off any potential buyers.
Consumer Reports, BTW, gives the last-generation A6 mixed-reliability grades.
Side note, are you in NoVa? My brother lives in the area (by Tysons Corner/Alexandria). Always a delight visiting him and checking out all the dealers on the main road. Aston Martin, Audi (there's almost always an R8 in their backlot by service), MB, BMW, Porsche, Lexus, VW, etc
BTW, I'm just a couple of miles, too, from Tyson's....that place, in addition to the endless NoVA traffic, is now a mess with torn-up roads, I-495 Beltway lane-construction, and Metrorail subway-extensions.
Once again, I thank you graciously for the review.
Last edited by mmarshall; 06-30-11 at 09:09 AM.
06-30-11, 10:14 AM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
That may (?) be from the 8 speeds in the transmission, but for most normal driving, 6 would probably do, with less complexity/cost in the transmission. You would also get about the same mileage at the average speeds on American roads. The 8th gear comes into play much more on the German Autobahn than on typical American 55-80 MPH freeways.