Audi's New Face: The A6

Of the troika of German carmakers who are at the forefront of luxury vehicle design, BMW is perhaps the most innovative.

Just take a look at its new 1 Series for evidence of this, and vehicles like the Z4 and 5 Series, while very much a departure from the norm, have polarised many long time supporters.

On the other hand, Mercedes - like Porsche - is a master at redefining an entire model range by tweaking and modernising just a few visual aspects.

And the third player, Audi? Well, it now looks to be straddling a comfortable middle ground between Mercedes and BMW, with the new A6 hinting at the marque's new design philosophy.

Indeed, the new A6 is a clear indication of the design direction that Audi will take in the mid-term future, and though the overall shape of the A6 isn't dramatically different from its precursor, it's that big bold grille that will be the talking point in many bars, clubs and loungerooms.

While the 4.92 metre long A6 is still instantly recognisable as an Audi from almost any angle, and it is the the first full time member of the range to incorporate the new Audi face - the trapezoidal 'single-frame' radiator.

Also seen in the Nuvolari concept, which made its debut at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, the new single-frame grille gives the A6's front end a very striking look that's likely to divide long-time Audi owners.

From the side, the A6 is more similar to its forebear, with the high doorline and narrow windows, but it's probably the rear of the car that is perhaps the most divergent aspect of the new A6, as the new-look brake light cluster is far less contoured and not as curvy as its precursors'.

Despite the low-slung tail lights appearing thinner than the previous A6, a chromium strip visually divides the luggage compartment lid horizontally, which gives the car a more prestigious air.

Interestingly - and beyond the bold new look - the 2005 A6 is also the first Audi to feature (as an option, mind you) dynamic adaptive light technology incorporating powerful 'xenon plus' units that help you see around corners.

The swivelling headlights also incorporate dedicated daytime driving lamps. Unlike conventional low beam lights, they consume very little energy and contribute to enhanced safety and visibility.

The wheelbase of the new Audi A6 is up by 83 millimetres over the car's predecessor and this means additional legroom for the front passengers, plus extra knee room at the rear and luggage capacity on both front wheel drive and quattro models is 546 litres.

Other interesting features that will make their way into the new mid-sized German 'bahn cruiser in order to better compete with the 5 Series and E-Class include the following:

• Adaptive air suspension
• Speed-dependent Servotronic steering
• Tyre pressure monitoring system
• Radar-assisted adaptive cruise control
• Light/rain sensors
• Multi Media Interface (MMI)
• BOSE Surround Sound System
• DVD navigation
• Electromechanical parking brake (EPB)

The inclusion of Servotronic steering and radar-assisted cruise control are in direct response to recent advancements made by BMW and Mercedes, while the button operated electromechanical parking brake saves interior space and requires less effort to operate.

Five engines will power the new A6 range, with three petrol and two diesel engines making the cut.

The six and eight-cylinder engines come from Audi's new V-configuration engine family with a 90° cylinder angle and a distance of 90 millimetres between the cylinders. They are fairly compact in design and feature maintenance-free camshaft drive by means of a chain, as well as low-friction roller arm valve drive.

Starting with the lowest power output is the 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine, and despite only eking out 103kW of power, or 140bhp, it generates a healthy 320Nm of torque. Audi reckons that this small capacity oil burner is quite efficient too, claiming it can travel "more than 1,100 kilometres or 680 miles on one single tank".

The other diesel engine that Audi will offer in its 2005 model A6 is a bent six, displacing 3.0-litres and outputting 165kW of power. Peak torque is greater than even the range-topping petrol V8 engine, with 450Nm of torque on tap from as low as 1400rpm.

As for the petrol engine, the A6 is offered with a choice of two V6s and one V8. The smallest petrol engine is the 130kW 2.4-litre V6, with 230Nm of torque, but of the two V6s the new 3.2-litre FSI is of more interest.

The 3.2-litre V6 makes use of direct petrol injection (FSI in Audi speak) to generate 188kW of power, and 330Nm of torque is pretty good for a naturally aspirated six cylinder engine too. The range-topping V8 engine delivers 246kW of power, or 335bhp, and 420Nm of torque.

Audi will offer four different transmission options on the new A6 range, comprising of two traditional and two contemporary units - a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed auto, a 6-speed DSG and a CVT (continuously variable transmission).

The traditional 6-speed manual transmission is dubbed the 'ML' gearbox generation. The 'ML' or 'Manual/Longitudinal' gearbox is essentially a more efficient transmission with shorter throws between gates. The 6-speed manual gearbox is complemented by Audi's DSG tiptronic item that uses two electronically controlled clutches to speed up shifts, and will only be available with the 4.2 V8, 3.2 FSI and 3.0 TDI A6 models.

The automatic options include the standard 6-speed automatic transmission and a fuel-efficient CVT, or as Audi like to call it, a MultiTronic transmission. This gearbox can also be operated in a quasi-manual mode with seven ratios.

A quick look at the interior is sufficient to show the change in A6 generations, with the high and wide centre console covered in buttons, knobs and dials for the MMI system. Furthermore, the controls and instruments are in perfect reach of the driver, which accentuates the sporting architecture of the driver-oriented cabin.

Available in front wheel drive or all wheel drive (quattro), the new A6 makes quite an impact on a visual level, and without dumping its stylistic heritage. The 2005 Audi A6 combines supreme driving dynamics with high technology and outstanding comfort, and we can't wait to see what Audi does with the 2005 RS6.

Audi has just released a more powerful RS6 based on the current A6 model, that has dropped the 250km/h speed limiter in favour of a 280km/h job, and it also outputs 355kW, rather than the everyday 331kW, so hopes for the next generation RS6 are high.