First Drive: 2015 Audi A6

Audi Middle East held a media event for the launch of the 2015 Audi A6 range – which is basically the same car with new headlights, revised infotainment, tweaked transmission and new engine options. So, there is nothing much to report on the looks of the car. It is still the same handsome Audi which we have been looking at since 2011. Here is its prices and specs.

Coming to the infotainment, the new A6 MMI is powered by Nvidia Tegra 3 processor which is a big name in the smartphone world. This new system now supports handwriting recognition, Audi Connect and 4G mobile internet. Moreover, the updated maps and the whole UI looks refreshing and modern.

The new A6 now comes with a brand new 2.0 liter turbocharged engine producing 252 BHP and 370 Nm of torque. The other engine options include the 3.0 liter producing 333 BHP (previously producing 310 BHP) and the continued 4.0 liter engines in the S6/RS6 producing the same 450 BHP/560 BHP respectively.

Coming to the drive itself, this was the first time I sat in an A6 so I did not have any preconceived notions about the feel of the car. With the time spent on highways mainly, I can safely say that the car feels planted on the road with little wobbling on the turns. The Quattro drive provides ample traction and all the engines provide enough oomph to suit your needs. However, I personally feel, with this girth of A6, the car is best suited to 3.0 liter engine as the 2.0 did show the lack of power. Also, the seating and suspension don’t go hand in hand very well. Even in the comfort mode, the car doesn’t feel comfortable – the passengers will agree with me as the car is suited to the driver’s needs.

I only got to drive the A6 for majority of the trip and spent little time with the S6 and RS6 so I won’t be able to express myself fully. But from whatever I experienced in that short time, the S6 felt better to drive than the RS6 due to difference in weight. The RS6 felt heavy while S6 was nippy on the turns.

I hope to fully review the RS6 soon so watch this space. But for now, the first impressions of the new A6 are satisfying to say the least.