Audi has unveiled its new A6 Avant estate, which will be available with both petrol and diesel power and three different trim choices to choose from.
Following on from the launch of the electric A6 e-tron range towards the end of last year, the launch of this new ICE-powered estate seems to confirm that Audi has scrapped its planned strategy of using odd numbers for its petrol and diesel models and even numbers for its battery-powered models.
Nevertheless, Audi says that this new A6 Avant is more aerodynamic and has better sound insulation for cutting out road noise than the previous model, and while the engine options aren’t exactly new, Audi says that it has made a few tweaks to make the estate’s powertrain choices more efficient than before.
There are two powertrain options available at launch – the petrol ‘TSFI’ and diesel ‘TDI’ – and both have an output of 204hp while the latter is assisted by 48V of mild-hybrid technology. This extra mild-hybrid battery doesn’t make the A6 Avant ‘TDI’ a proper hybrid – instead this 2kWh ‘MHEV plus’ tech assists the diesel engine by providing a small 24hp boost when overtaking, slightly improving fuel economy, and can handle slow-moving traffic and parking without burning fuel.
While the petrol version can complete a 0-62mph run in 8.3 seconds, the diesel version is the fastest of the two, completing the same sprint in seven seconds flat.
In the exterior looks department, Audi has given the estate sharper LED headlights with a new checkered light signature, bigger air intakes on the front bumper with honeycomb-shape detailing and a wider grille finished in black. The car sits on 18-inch alloy wheels as standard – though 19-, 20- and 21-inch alloys are also available – and the car comes with a light strip that runs across the boot lid and a thick diffuser in the rear.
The A6 Avant is now slightly longer too, which Audi says increases interior space and improves long-distance comfort. The brand also says that the car’s steering has been tweaked to be more direct and responsive and comes with ‘brake torque vectoring’, which constantly monitors the current driving situation and counteracts any understeer.
There are three suspensions setups to choose from – the ‘Standard’, the ‘Sports’ which lowers the ground clearance by two centimetres (higher trim levels only), and ‘Adaptive’ air suspension as an optional extra, which “gives the vehicle a wide range of options between a very smooth, comfortable ride and sporty handling.”
This optional package also includes a ‘Dynamic’ suspension mode, which can lower the car’s ground clearance at higher speeds to provide a sportier driving experience.
Stepping inside, Audi has installed a larger 15-inch infotainment screen that juts out of the centre of the dashboard, which is paired with a 12-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel.
The display model above also shows off a 12-inch media screen for the front passenger, which can stream video content and browse the internet, but this is reserved for the top-spec ‘Edition 1’ trim. A head-up display that projects driving information onto the windscreen is also available for an additional fee.
The interior is trimmed in what Audi calls ‘Softwrap’ – from the seats to the dashboard – and the brand adds that recycled sustainable material options are also available.
Now in production in Germany, UK pricing for the new Audi A6 Avant will begin at around £53k when the model becomes available to order at the start of April. The ‘TDI’ diesel is £4k more expensive than the petrol ‘TSFI’ regardless of the model you choose, and pricing rises to £65k for the ‘TDI’ in its top-spec ‘Edition 1’ guise.