2012 Audi A6 3.0 TDI - First Drive Review

In our first drive of the 2012 Audi A6, we did something a bit unusual. We said the A6 is �approaching perfection.� We don�t drop the P-bomb too often, because there is no such thing as the perfect car. A perfected car, on the other hand, is conceivable, and after driving the 2012 A6 again, this time in diesel-powered 3.0 TDI form, we�re more convinced of Audi�s proximity to this goal. Even better, the company recently announced that the A6 3.0 TDI will come to the U.S. within the next 24 to 30 months.
Redesigned Diesel Engine
The A6 3.0 TDI�s turbo-diesel has been redesigned from the ground up. Weight drops by 11.5 percent (55 pounds) compared with the engine it replaces . Some 13 pounds were trimmed from the crankcase alone, which now is made from a high-strength cast iron. Sundry rotating parts have been lightened as well. Other changes include a redesigned drive system for the camshafts and improvements to the common-rail injection system, intake and exhaust systems, turbocharger, and intercooler.
There will be two versions of the 2967-cc TDI engine, with programming being the only difference. The conservative tune makes 204 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, with the more-powerful engine churning out 245 horses, its 369 lb-ft peaking at 1400 rpm. (The outgoing 3.0 as installed in our long-term Q7 TDI makes 225 hp and 406 lb-ft.) Although both will be available in the A6, we sampled only the more powerful one, which is the one more likely to show up in the U.S. In Germany, this version of the engine will come standard with Quattro all-wheel drive and Audi�s new eight-speed automatic transmission, but the exact equipment plan for the U.S. has not been finalized. Thus equipped, the A6 proved plenty quick as we charged up and down the narrow, hilly roads on Sicily. Regardless of grade or elevation, the car gains speed forcefully, making almost no sound unless you absolutely hammer it. The turbo rush seems omnipresent, with virtually no lag.
Regardless of tune, the A6 3.0 TDI will not be slow. The more potent variant should hit 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, with the less-powerful version taking a still reasonable 7.2 seconds to achieve the same velocity. Top speeds are claimed to be 155 mph for the hi-po version, 149 for the lesser.
The supercharged, gas-powered A6 3.0 TFSI remains the more scintillating driver�s car, from a character standpoint and by the numbers (we predict a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.3 seconds). A different set of numbers, though, slightly enhances the diesel�s attractiveness: its fuel-economy advantage. Although he EPA has yet to rate the 2012 A6 with any powertrain, the diesel six should better its gas counterpart by a few mpg in all conditions. We expect highway fuel economy to reach as high as 30 mpg, with the city figure coming in around 21.
Other A6 Attributes Just as Strong
Going diesel does not mean living with less. The car we drove had Audi�s �drive select� chassis-control system, which offers dynamic, auto, comfort, and driver-customizable Individual modes. It will be standard on all gas-powered A6s in the U.S., but its inclusion on diesel cars here is TBD. Regardless of mode, drive select makes the A6 nearly impossible to upset. We do wish for more natural steering, but that is hardly a new complaint when it comes to Audis with this system.
Everything else that had us fawning over the A6 the first time we drove it remains, from its nifty optional LED headlights and gorgeous 20-inch wheels to its incredibly well-designed interior. Even the unusual pinstripe-look layered-oak trim is growing on us. We won�t know how Audi will configure our A6 TDIs until closer to the car�s U.S. launch, but in Europe, the TDIs� options list is as long as that of the gas-powered cars. We can�t imagine Audi would hold anything back here.
Audi is mum on pricing for 2012 A6 models, but company representatives tell us the base four-cylinder turbocharged A6 2.0 TFSI will come in �well below� our $52,000 estimate for the gasoline V-6�powered car. Both gas models will be introduced to the U.S. market later this year. When the oil-burning A6 finally arrives in 2012 or 2013, it should carry a premium of about $3000 over the gas-fired V-6 model, leaving spendier buyers with a daunting decision: the quiet, instant-on performance of the supercharged gas V-6 or the smooth, rushing torque and fuel efficiency of the diesel. A difficult choice like that is a good problem to have.

 by caranddriver.com

2012 Audi A6 Silver - First Drive Review

There was some disappointment in Germany when the 2012 Audi A6 was unveiled. The seventh generation of Audi�s executive sedan looks an awful lot like the previous A6, not to mention the smaller, less expensive A4. It is an all-new car, but it didn�t take the visual leap forward that some previous A6 generations or their predecessor, the 5000, did. The difference is in details such as the pronounced shoulder line, protruding door handles, and finessed shapes of the grille, headlights, and taillights.
The perception that this redesign relies solely on nuance changes as soon as you enter the car. Audi�s interiors have been best in class for years, but the new A6 raises the bar another very significant notch by integrating much of the interior from the A7. The company is proud of the A6�s optional layered-oak trim, but we�re divided on it; check it out in person before ordering. The overall atmosphere and the attention to detail are simply unbeatable in this segment.
The instrument layout is dominated by a large screen between the tach and speedometer. It displays all kinds of information, including a feed from the thermal night-vision system on cars so equipped. A head-up display is optional for people who always want their information immediately available.
Really Good Six
Speaking of engines, the top-of-the-line A6 is still powered by a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 that produces 300 hp from 5250 rpm to its 6500-rpm redline and 325 lb-ft of torque from 2900 to 4500 rpm. Compared with the supercharged V-6 in the previous-generation A6, this engine is more efficient, owing to an electric power-steering pump and a new oil pump. The compact, Roots-type Eaton TVS supercharger is virtually inaudible, thanks to the work of Eaton�s and Audi�s own engineers.
On the road, this powerplant steps off forcefully and builds torque evenly and rapidly. It emits a pleasant, sonorous sound that is unusually sporty for a luxury sedan yet unobtrusive enough not to scare away the nonenthusiast buyer. In the Euro-spec car we drove, the intermediary between the six and the Quattro all-wheel-drive system is Audi�s DL501 seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. (We'll actually get Audi's eight-speed automatic with this engine.) It shifts quickly and helps deliver better fuel economy than a torque-converter automatic would, but the manual mode could use some work. If you select a gear that the box doesn�t anticipate, the shifts can get a little jerky. Moreover, the system won�t process multiple shifts at once, meaning you have to order them one gear at a time. And it upshifts by itself at redline, so if you hold off too long and pull the paddle right as the engine tops out, you may find yourself shifting up two gears instead of one�which happened to us more than once. You�re probably going to want to ignore the manual mode.
Drives How it Looks: Beautifully
The A6 uses the latest version of Quattro, with a nominal front-to-rear power distribution of 40/60 percent. Add to that an optional sport differential that actually distributes torque instead of cutting it off like stability-control-based �torque vectoring� systems offered on cheaper cars, and the A6 is supremely capable. The electromechanical steering is nicely weighted, and its feel is vastly superior to that of the BMW 5-series, which has had most of its feeling snuffed out by a new electric booster.
The A6�s modular longitudinal platform places the front axle farther forward than in the old, nose-heavy A6s, making for far better weight distribution and greatly reducing the car�s tendency to understeer. The dynamic abilities of the new A6 also are enhanced by its lower weight. Audi managed to shave almost 300 pounds off the old car�s heft with extensive use of lightweight materials, mostly aluminum.
The A6 will stay on top of things even when the driver isn�t�perhaps because he�s lost in the sounds emanating from the top-notch, 1300-watt Bang & Olufsen stereo. The adaptive cruise control works from 0 to 155 mph, and it can bring the car to a full stop when necessary. A side assistant monitors the blind spots, lane assist acts on the steering system to keep you in your lane, a crash-sensing system will apply brake pressure even if you stay oblivious to looming disaster, and the night-vision system will highlight pedestrians in your path. Still, we�d prefer you just pay attention.
Passengers Limited to Two Computers Apiece
Your passengers will appreciate the fact that the A6 is a wireless internet hot spot that can support up to eight computers�which seems utterly unnecessary. The nav system includes a Google Earth bird�s-eye view. You can operate it with the MMI controller, by voice, or with Audi�s touch pad that recognizes letters�even poorly written ones. Among our favorite features are the full-LED headlights. The light they emit is colder and brighter than xenon, and they are styled to add a cool menace to this executive sedan.
For the U.S., the A6 will be offered initially with only the V-6 and Quattro, but a front-drive model with the 211-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and Multitronic CVT will follow. Other markets will get a hybrid based on the four, but we�ve been told that model will not come to the States. Audi is likely to add the powerful and torquey 3.0 TDI to the portfolio later, and by the middle of 2012, we�ll see the S6, powered by the same turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that you�ll find under the hood of the entry-level Bentley Continental. That model is probably worth waiting for, but for the impatient or those with smaller budgets, the A6 3.0T is already pretty close to perfection.

 

2012 Audi gray A7 Sportback 3.0 TFSI - First Drive Review

When automakers begin development on a new model, there are typically three or more competing design proposals, one of which is then chosen to make it into metal. This standard operating procedure was discarded with the Audi A7 Sportback, says Audi boss Rupert Stadler: "Everything was right in the first place." Indeed, this large hatchback could be the most beautiful of all Audis. Long, wide, and low, it�s styled with smooth and supremely clean lines. The front end is better proportioned than the latest A8's and seems cool and almost stoic�especially with the optional LED headlights. The side view recalls the most handsome (if not the most reliable) of 1970s hatchbacks, such as the Rover SD-1 and Citro�n CX; the rear end is cut off sharply, like an Italian supercar of that same era. This car is free of the gimmicks you'll find on many others in this class, and we haven't talked to anyone who doesn't admire its looks.
Now that we've established that the A7 is beautiful, we�ll note that the car really is little more than a dressed-up, next-generation A6. It uses Audi�s modular longitudinal architecture; a good 20 percent of the A7�s body is made from aluminum, which is more heavily relied on in the more expensive A8, but most of the A7 is made from less costly steel.
Calm and Collected
Our experience behind the wheel of the A7 bodes well for the next A6. The chassis glides over uneven roads with far more grace than before; this is a very comfortable car, with none of the harshness and forced sportiness that characterizes many other Audi models. The 114.7-inch wheelbase, up almost three inches over the previous A6�s, definitely helps in keeping body motions controlled and the cabin serene. But whereas the A7 can be considered a big car, at least in Europe, it doesn't mind being pushed through the corners. This is especially true for those versions equipped with the Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which feeds 60 percent of torque to the rear wheels as a default; as much as 70 percent can be shunted to the front and 85 percent to the rear. All U.S.-bound A7s will have Quattro.
Even without the optional sport differential, the A7 is agile when pushed. It stays neutral up to insane cornering speeds and never discourages you from playing. Audi's wheel-selective torque vectoring is so well programmed that the stability control has one of the lightest workloads of any of the systems in this car. Besides the 3.0 TFSI Quattro�the U.S.-bound configuration�we drove a front-wheel-drive 3.0-liter TDI. It is also predictable in its handling and fairly agile but ultimately tends toward understeer and is less quick to recover speed when exiting corners.
The 300-hp 3.0 TFSI is the same engine found in the current A6 and S4�it makes 310 hp in the former, 333 in the latter�and it remains great in the A7. Despite its misleading "TFSI" moniker, this V-6 is supercharged with a Roots-type blower. It�s smooth and responsive and delivers excellent performance, or so says Audi. The company claims an A7 thus equipped can achieve 62 mph in 5.6 seconds�we estimate that to be about right�and the top speed is governed at the customary 155 mph. In Europe, the 3.0 mates to a seven-speed wet dual-clutch gearbox, but we�ll get the same ZF-supplied eight-speed automatic found in the A8. The seven-speeder executes quick shifts, but the exhaust sound is subdued; this is clearly a luxury car with sportiness playing second fiddle�although it is, as noted, plenty capable.
The most popular engine in Europe likely will be the 245-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 TDI Quattro (it�s the same engine as in the front-wheel-drive version we sampled, but it made a weaker 204 hp there). There also is an entry-level gasoline engine that is a naturally aspirated 204-hp, 2.8-liter V-6. The best engine is yet to come: a 4.0-liter turbocharged V-8 that will be available in the upcoming S7 and mated to the seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic gearbox. The S7 will arrive after the S8 sometime late in 2011, and it just might be worth waiting for. Of course, if you need a sportier look right now, Audi is happy to oblige with an S line package that adds boxier front air intakes, although we found them disrupting to the front-end aesthetics. No thanks.
Opulence and Simplicity
Inside, the A7 simultaneously oozes opulence and simplicity. The high center console creates a sporty, cockpit-like feeling; the instruments are clear and crisp; and the materials are, as usual for Audi, stunning. The aluminum and wood trim options could be considered an industry benchmark, with the layered oak being the most luxurious variation.
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Complementing the A6-based mechanicals are lots of gadgets that first appeared in the flagship A8, including the touch pad that can detect fingertip handwriting and a feature whereby our test car constantly updated its navigation system with Google Maps data (we'd be interested in checking out the cellular data bill after the multiwave, two-week press launch). The A7�s head-up system is crisp and clear, and there is a full set of nanny and assistance systems, including radar sensors to detect slow or stopped vehicles ahead, blind-spot monitoring, active cruise control that can operate to and from a complete stop, and lane-keeping assist. The data fed into the latter helps in the event the car begins to slide by increasing or decreasing the power steering assist. We like the speed-limit-recognition technology, which displays road signs in the IP as you pass them�handy if you�re driving in unfamiliar locales�but we�re unsure if it will make it to U.S. models.
Speaking of U.S. models, expect them here next year, priced somewhere between $50,000 and $60,000. The A7�s most direct competitors are the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the second generation of which debuts at the Paris auto show, and the Porsche Panamera V-6. Others are the coupe-ish Jaguar XF, as well as the funky BMW 5-series GT. Whereas some are better to drive and all offer more or less similar levels of practicality, none wears sheetmetal that is as effortlessly sensual as the A7�s. And in a segment where styling is pretty much everything, that gives the Audi a leg up.

 

 

 by caranddriver.com