Audi has unveiled its new A6 saloon, which will be available to order in May with both petrol and diesel power and three different trim choices to choose from.
Following on from the news that the new A6 ‘Avant’ estate is now on sale in the UK and the launch of the electric A6 e-tron range towards the end of last year, the ICE-powered A6 saloon 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 will be 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 ‘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 variant is front-wheel drive, the diesel is a ‘quattro’ all-wheel drive model as standard. Top speed is electronically capped at 150mph. Audi adds that plug-in hybrid versions and a sportier S6 saloon will follow sometime after launch.
Audi has given the saloon sharper LED headlights with a new pixel-style light signature, smaller air intakes on the front bumper and a wider grille with honeycomb-shape detailing 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 thicker wheel arches and a light strip that runs across the boot lid in the rear.
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.
UK pricing for the new Audi A6 saloon will begin at around £50k when the model becomes available to order on the 13th of May. The ‘TDI’ diesel is £4k more expensive than the petrol ‘TSFI’ regardless of the model you choose, and pricing will rise to over £62k for the ‘TDI’ in its top-spec ‘Edition 1’ guise.