2012 Audi A6

When we tested Audi’s A8 flagship a few months back, we found its mix of luxury and technology to be a true standout among top drawer luxury-sport sedan. But it was the increase in driving dynamics that really wowed us. Well now we turn our attention to Audi’s mid-size A6. So let’s see if their unique brand of lightning can strike twice.

Audi claims they’ve left nothing untouched in the 2012 A6, and if nothing else, this detailed approach has resulted in one gorgeous sedan. Regular viewers are probably tired of us gushing over Audi styling; but for us, they just push all the right buttons; with the new A6 following tightly in the A8’s beautiful tire tracks. 

The front end is dominated by Audi’s signature Single frame grille and low profile headlights. While halogens are standard, Xenon-Plus Adaptive lamps and even the A8’s full LED headlights are available. Both options include LED eyeliner running lights and turn signals. A6 wheelbase has grown almost 3-inches, but overall length is actually half an inch less, which means shorter overhangs front and rear, again marching to the A8’s tune. The downward sloping roofline makes for a fairly small greenhouse, but rear visibility remains good. 17-inch wheels are standard, but adding the Sport Package will get you 19’s which hide big 14-inch brake disc up front. 

The back-end is not quite as distinctive looking, but smooth nonetheless. LED tail lights and dual chrome exhaust tips add some sizzle. In the interest of weight savings, front fenders and hood are both aluminum. And beneath that alloy bonnet sits Audi’s familiar, supercharged 3.0-liter direct injection V6. This 90 degree V pumps out 310-horsepower and 325 lb-ft. of torque. That’s a modest bump of 10-horsepower and 15 lb-ft. over the previous A6. Still, it was enough to launch our Quattro test car to 60 in 5.4 seconds. As, we’ve come to expect, Quattro all-wheel-drive puts the power down right away and you take off with just a touch of tire chirping. 

From there, the supercharged mill doesn’t let up; as you streak your way to the end of the quarter mile in 13.8 seconds at 101 miles-per-hour. The only thing that could make the experience any better would be quicker and firmer shifts from the standard 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. Stomping on the A6’s yielding brake pedal will bring you to a halt in just 119-feet. Stops were consistently smooth and straight. 

When it came time to hit the cones, we found the A6 to handle like a much smaller car than it is; which is always a good thing. There’s enough body roll to remind you that you’re in an A, and not an S; but good chassis feedback combined with all wheel drive gives the car an eager, sporting feel, more like an A4. Steering however, is a bit soft, and it doesn’t have the immediate response of some of its rivals or smaller sibling. In real world driving the new A6 is extremely quiet and composed. The upgraded Sport Suspension, part of the Sport Package, does a good job of absorbing bumps both large and small without being too harsh or ever feeling floaty. It’s agile enough to keep you interested, but not at the risk of sacrificing comfort.

And there’s certainly no sacrificing of comfort in the A6’s well-appointed interior. We’d say it’s a clinic for how an interior should be, but we don’t want to go overboard with the praise. Again following in the style of the A8, everything is elegant, without being posh. More new-money than old; with lots of techno and connectivity goodies like Google Earth mapping and even Wi-Fi. And it’s all controlled by Audi’s MMI Multi-Media Interface, which is one of the best in the business. A 3-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters is part of the Sport Package. Front leather seats are very comfortable, as well as supportive, with power for both driver and passenger. And in the rear there’s very comfortable room for two, with acceptable room for three. Rear seat backs do fold, and there’s also a pass through. The vast trunk holds 14.1 cubic-feet of cargo.  

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for our A6 3.0T are 19-City and 28-Highway. Expect 22 miles-per-gallon of premium fuel in mixed driving. That makes for an Energy Impact Score of 15.6 barrels of oil per year with a Carbon Footprint of 8.5 annual tons of CO2.

With all this high praise, you might expect a high price, and that would be the down side of this equation. The 2012 A6 3.0T Quattro starts at $50,775 and our test car was over 60-grand with options. For the budget minded, there is a new 4-cylinder A6 2.0T, starting at $42,575. The 2.0T is also the basis for a gasoline-electric A6 hybrid that is also due.

So, you can look at the new A6 as a fairly pricey mid-size luxury sedan, or you can look at it as a bargain A8, as it shares almost all of the A8’s technology features while also successfully copying its style. It also follows its big brother by moving in a slightly more sporting direction without sacrificing comfort or elegance. And that makes it simply marvelous!