Audi has updated the A6 family comprising of the sedan, estate and all-road (not available in India) models, along with its performance derivatives S6 and RS6 Avant for the 2016 model year. With a host of upgrades to the exteriors and interiors, the new A6 gets a whole lot more stylish and well equipped and takes inspiration from the larger A7 for the list of new features. Launched in 2011, the updates come as part of a mid-lifecycle update that will keep the model fresh against the Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5-Series, Jaguar XF and the likes in the segment.
The 2016 Audi A6 gets very subtle aesthetic updates that can be easily missed out, but give a striking new and fresh look to the sedan. The revised headlights look a lot more chiselled than the ones on the current model and compliment the sharp and rigid single-frame front grille. The turn signals now feature Audi’s new Dynamic LEDs that are currently available on the 2015 A7 and A8 models, while European buyers will also get Audi’s very cool Matrix LED headlight technology on offer as part of the options list.
The side profile does not witness much change, but has a more agile look than its predecessor. The rear on the other hand gets tweaked LED tail lights, while the exhaust tips are now trapezoidal shaped. Smaller changes include updates to the side sills, front and rear bumpers and the air inlets on the 2016 A6. On the inside, the changes are quite extensive especially with the kind of tech wizardry on offer as well as new colours which include Flint gray for the A6 and Salsa red for the S6.
The new A6′ cabin sports an advanced infotainment system that gets a faster processor and can be availed with Audi’s MMI navigation plus system and MMI touch controller. There is also high-speed LTE data transfer via the Audi connect option available on the A6. In terms of electronic driver aids, you get the adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, Audi side assist, blind spot and lane assist, active lane assist, Audi pre sensing active braking and the updated night vision assist. A heads-up display is also available as part of the options pack.
A major change on the 2016 Audi A6 is the inclusion of the glass fibre reinforced polymer springs for the suspension that were launched earlier this year. Not only are the new springs stronger, but also lighter than the conventional steel units and save a healthy 4.5 kgs on some models. Audi has further made sure that the new A6 is lighter than the outgoing model with the lightest variant weighing just 1534 kgs. In comparison, the older A6 weighs 1690 kgs, while the E-Class and the 5-Series weigh a heavy 1760 and 1730 kgs respectively.
Powering the 2016 Audi A6 are a range of Euro-6 compliant engines that have been extensively revised to offer 22 percent lower CO2 emissions. The base models get the very fuel efficient 1.8-litre TFSI and 2.0-litre TDI Ultra units, while the top-end petrol variants get 3.0-litre TFSI motor. Joining the lineup is the new 3.0-litre TDI clean diesel engine that produces 320 PS of power. Meanwhile, the S6 and RS6 continue to get the magnanimous 4.0-litre TFSI Bi-turbo V8 engine under the hood producing 450 PS and 560 PS of power respectively.
The performance figures on the 2016 S6 and RS6 are equally impressive with 0-100 km/hr coming up in just 4.4 seconds and 3.9 seconds respectively. With all that power at your disposal, the performance models are kept planted with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system available as standard. Having dropped the CVT automatic transmission completely, Audi will be offering the A6 family with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed S tronic automatic transmission. The high performance diesel variants however will get the 8-speed Tiptronic gearbox as standard.
The 2016 Audi A6 range will make its public debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show in October this year, with deliveries set to commence in the last months of 2014 across Europe. In the Indian context, expect Audi India to bring the model to India by mid-2015 with the existing but tweaked engine options on offer.
