WHAT IS IT?
If we were talking about shoes, the Duster would be a pair of Maxed running shoes (priced right and with no real flaws), while the A6 would be a pair of hand-crafted leather Italian dress shoes. It is beautiful in every sense of the word and a timely reminder that it would be undeniably foolish for the sedan to disappear from this SUV-crazy world.
WHY THIS?
If you are superficial and all about looks, you’ll be seduced by the body and the face, but if you’re deeper than that, don’t give up hope – the A6 is much more than a beautiful body and face. It is as sumptuous as it is sexy and as scintillating to drive. That Quattro badge shouldn’t be ignored either – it marks this car as something special.
OUTSIDE
A well-proportioned sedan is attractive in a way that an SUV simply cannot be – elegant and svelte, and all those adjectives that could also be used to describe a beautiful person are applicable here. Despite being a huge car, it doesn’t look like it because it has been so well designed. Chrome has been used to accentuate the curves, while LED lights add an element of menace to the sculpted form. Likewise, the rear is taut and sportier than you’d expect of a premium saloon.
INSIDE
Every surface that you see or touch in the A6 speaks of quality, with tactile wood and leather in abundance, while there is a feeling of space that instantly tells you that you’re in an expensive car. The tech levels are high with a smartphone-like display and two large displays that do away with most buttons. Because so much is digital, there is also a fair degree of personalisation. It would be remiss of us not to mention the incredible sound in our test vehicle, courtesy of an optional Bang & Olufsen premium sound system boasting 16 loudspeakers and 3D sound functionality, which delivers an output of 705 watts.
THE DRIVE
The A6 boasts powerful and smooth turbodiesel engines, with either a 2-litre or 3-litre capacity. Ours was the 3-litre, badged 45 TDI as opposed to 40 TDI, and it delivered thrills and efficiency. 180kW and 600Nm make it crazy fast, while the Quattro all-wheel-drive system makes it easy to harness that speed, but what actually stood out was the suspension: as elegant as the car’s appearance, it was sporty on open roads and relaxing on the highway. Automatic gearboxes are the only option in the A6 range, but they are Tiptronic, which means you can change gears manually.
FINAL WORD
The Audi A6 is a compelling reason to do that MBA, knuckle down and become wealthy – it really is. To be able to open your garage and see one of these every day must be an absolute treat; a treat that only gets better when you drive it. What a fantastic vehicle this is.
GO GET IT
Hand-crafted Italian shoes aren’t cheap, and neither is the experience of owning an A6. The A6 range starts at R960,500 while the model we tested is priced at R1,149,500, and a 5-year/100,000km Audi Freeway plan (maintenance plan and warranty) is standard.
Visit www.audi.co.za for more information.
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