The first question that came into my head when I was asked to test-drive the Audi A6 was: Could I handle it? It wasn’t just any A6 too, but the sporty 3.0 TFSI quattro® model. Two days of test-drive later, and the question soon turned into a different statement: Now that I won’t mind driving everyday.
First things first, the stats; this is Audi’s seventh generation A6 sedan. Available in two variants, the 1.8 TFSI and 3.0 TFSI quattro®, it boasts Audi’s latest engines and infotainment system, a newer lightweight aluminium composite construction, as well as a sporty and dynamic chassis. On our test-drive model, the supercharged 3.0 TFSI V6 engine is paired with a 7-speed S tronic transmission and quattro® all-wheel drive. This dynamic combination allows the car to develop 333 hp and a maximum torque of 440Nm between 2,900 and 5.300 rpm—0 to 100 km/h only takes an exhilarating 5.1 seconds.
As I stepped into the driver’s seat, it was clear to see that Audi takes inner beauty just as seriously as it does with the handsome exterior. Luxury coupled with comfort was the name of the game with the luxe leather seats and polished interior design. And considering the hot and humid weather we get here, the air-con vents at the B-pillars will definitely make any backseat passenger a happy camper. All my initial anxiousness went away as soon as I drove out of the Audi’s office compound; the car felt surprisingly light and compact despite its formidable built as a business class sedan. I managed to zip my way to work with ease, only being put in a little bit of a tight spot when I had to park—the parking slots at my office aren’t exactly the most spacious, and my usual ride is considerably smaller in size (still a sedan, but smaller).
The Audi drive select dynamic handling system integrated in the vehicle is a nifty feature which modifies the characteristics of the shock absorbers, air springs and accelerator, steering weight, and throttle sensitivity based on your selected mode. The driver is able to opt between 5 modes: Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Efficiency, and Individual. My go-to mode is Comfort, where the car handling characteristics were automatically adjusted to make the driving experience really smooth and, well, comfortable. The pick-up and handling of the car felt effortless. I let my partner have a go at the car and his favourite mode was (not surprisingly) Dynamic, which enables maximum performance in handling and power—powerful is the perfect word to describe it. The easy spurt of power will definitely satisfy your inner racing driver. 0 to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds? Done and dusted.
The MMI® navigation plus with MMI® touch system may be a little tricky for first-time users, but once you get a hang of it, it is easy enough to navigate. The Audi connect features the use of Google Earth and Wi-Fi Hotspot via a SIM card, giving us LTE high-speed data transmission standards. As someone who depends on Waze on quite a regular basis, it was nice to use the reliable built-in GPS system for a change. The touch pad was really useful, allowing us to write our destination instead of scrolling through the letters and selecting them one by one. Another notable feature I loved was the sound system. It incorporates the Bose surround sound, a 12-channel amplifier with 14 loudspeakers and 600 watts total output. The result was a delight for the ears, and I can imagine it will be an absolute pleasure for long drives.
The press notes state “elegant, powerful, precise and progressive”, and I think that pretty much sums up the Audi A6 3.0 TFSI quattro driving experience—a sophisticated business class sedan that is solid and powerful in performance, promising pure driving pleasure.
Available in 13 colours, the Audi A6 1.8 TFSI retails from RM324,900 whilst the Audi A6 3.0 TFSI quattro® is priced at RM487,000. For more information, visit www.audi.com.my.
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