Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/591015
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2015 44 Motoring A touch of sporty class CHRISTIAN MANGION INNOVATIVE technologies. Pro- gressive design. And a thrilling, wide range of equipment. The Audi A6 brings together these values wrapped in sportiness and elegance. In a nutshell, the new 2016 A6 does almost everything well. The company-claimed facelift for this year's model brings no major changes from previous models. The car sports the effective tornado line. Underneath the side windows it extends from the headlights to the rear. The horizontal orientation of all the lines give the A6 an even wid- er and sportier appearance at front and rear. To this one can add opt for full LED headlights, brightening things up considerably. An impressive sense of space com- bined with comfort-oriented interi- or aims the A6 at the sporty execu- tive. A 7-inch TFT colour display, with easy to reach and use settings that does away with fiddly menus and Bose surround sound delivering 472 Watts from 14 speakers make Audi's MMI infotainment system a joy to use and simple to navigate through. The navigation option makes use of hi-res Google maps. This not only shows on the main screen but is replicated at the cen- tre of the gauge cluster. The MMI infotainment system includes other features such as Bluetooth and twin SD card slots. But elegance and design does not stop at the ash wood inlays, soft- touch plastics and plush surface finishes. The A6 cabin can be up- graded and customised in almost every imaginable way. Even the entry-level SE model comes fitted with stop-start technology, cruise control, park assist, automatic lights and wipers, leather upholstery, dual zone air conditioning, interior mir- ror with anti-glare action, 4-way lumbar support seats, ISOFIX child seat mountings and Parking Aid plus. Together with comfort, space is also generous, with storage spaces located in practical locations includ- ing a lidded storage area between the two front seats, cup-holders, door bins and a good-sized glove- box. Lots of head, leg and shoulder room is provided due to the shorter yet wider body of the A6, allowing tall adults to sit comfortably on the back seats. The large windows make the rider airier and brighter than most of the competition. Stowage options provide a 530-litre boot with seats in place. Fold the handy 60:40 split/fold rear seats and you boost up the luggage are to 995- litres. The A6 is powered by the effi- cient TFSI and TDI engines, giving torque performance and thrilling acceleration. The base engine is a 150-hp 2.0-liter turbo four with front-wheel drive and a six-speed dual-clutch manual gearbox. How- ever the A6 has five power/drive train options. The other four op- tions are a 150bhp, 2.0TDI, 7 speed S-Tronic; a 190bhp, 2.0TDI 6 speed manual; a 190 bhp 2.0 TDI, 7speed S-Tronic and a 272bhp, 3.0TDI Quattro 7 speed S-Tronic. The 190bhp 2.0-litre TDI motor returns 67.3mpg and emits just 109g/km, making it the most efficient execu- tive saloon in its class. All provide effortlessly smooth gear changes and very little engine noise until you reach maximum acceleration, when the sound is a welcome grow. For our test drive we chose the Dynamic suspension set up. The fibreglass suspension springs not only save weight and improve fuel economy, but deliver a relaxed and comfortable drive. Owners also have the option of fitting the Audi's quattro four-wheel-drive system on certain models. The steering is light and very precise and responsive, making the A6 agile, nimble, direct and with lots of body control – all in all a good car to drive. When it comes to safety standards, the A6 gives no quarters. Achieving five stars from Euro NCAP, list of safety features, include six airbags, seatbelt warning buzzers, tyre-pres- sure monitors, anti-theft alarm and electronic stability control. Rear side airbags and a system that drives you back on course if you wander from your lane on the road, are available as extras. The Audi A6 can be so many things. A business car, a family ve- hicle or an elegant saloon for the sportier kind, bringing together style, sharpness and power. Locally, the 2016 A6 is available from Continental Cars, with a start- ing price of €49,900 PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MANGION