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New Audis on their way [Newcastle Journal (England)]
[October 25, 2014]

New Audis on their way [Newcastle Journal (England)]


(Newcastle Journal (England) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) THE order book has opened for the revised Audi A6 and Avant ranges of executive saloon and estate models, with the first arrivals due here in December, priced from Pounds 32,000.

That is for the A6 Ultra TDI saloon, rising to Pounds 58,000 for the S6 Avant, and in excess of Pounds 60,000 for the 560bhp RS version.

Ordering for the S6 and S6 Avant should get underway next month, with the first cars due here next spring, at which point the order book is expected to open for the RS 6 Avant too.

In its latest guise the A6 gets Interior decor improvements and upgraded infotainment system, emissions reductions of up to 22%, a 2.0-litre TDI ultra model offering up to 67mpg with CO2 of as little as 109g/km, and a new S tronic twin-clutch transmission to replace multitronic CVT in front-wheel-drive variants Currently claiming economy up to 64mpg and emissions of just 114g/km, the A6 2.0 TDI ultra Saloon with S tronic twin-clutch transmission has now improved its economy to 67mpg and cut emissions to 109g/km in SE form with 17in alloy wheels. With the S line specification and 18in alloy wheels, economy remains unchanged but emissions increase to 110g/ km.



This is good news for business users, particularly those in the market for the TDI ultra in SE form with S tronic transmission, which earns a benefit-in-kind rate change from 18% to 17%, equating to a liability for a 40% tax payer of Pounds 2,273 in the first year. Manual transmission models with their reduced 113g/km output and 65mpg economy are just above at 18%.

This moves both ultra versions of the Saloon from VED band C to band B, giving free road fund licensing in the first year and a Pounds 10 annual saving thereafter over the outgoing model at just Pounds 20 per year.


In the Avant versions of the TDI ultra SE, the uplift in efficiency has resulted in an improved CO2 figure of 114g/km for S tronic versions, equating to combined economy of 61mpg, or 118g/km and 60mpg for versions with manual transmission.

The particular appeal of the ultra models lies in the fact that their efficiency isn't achieved at the expense of the kind of power, performance and refinement expected of an executive class car. With power outputs of 190bhp and 400Nm, the A6 TDI ultra S tronic saloon reaches 60mph in 8.2 seconds with a 145mph top speed.

A key factor in the efficiency improvements is the new sevenspeed S tronic twin-clutch transmission that replaces the current eight- speed multitronic continuously variable transmission in front- wheeldrive models.

Its rapid gear changes help to build momentum and it incorporates a new 'coasting' function, allowing the engine to freewheel in neutral once the accelerator is released. An exceptionally lightweight six-speed manual gearbox that is available as an alternative in ultra models is also new.

Improvements to the engine start-stop system also contribute to the efficiency gains. The system activates as soon as the car comes to a halt and can now switch on or offseveral times if required, for example to maintain cabin temperature by the climate control during periods of stationary traffic. Together, the S tronic and Start- stop revisions save up to 8g/km of CO2.

Further weight saving can be found in the suspension, which features new lightweight glass fibre reinforced polymer springs as standard, saving 40% in weight over the conventional steel springs.

The ultra models are joined in the new A6 Saloon and Avant ranges by four other versions powered by three V6 turbodiesel engines with varying power outputs and either single or twin turbo charging.

The 3.0-litre six-cylinder TDI kicks offwith a single-turbo V6 with 218bhp, which replaces the existing 204bhp version, and is available with either front-wheel-drive or quattro all-wheel-drive. This is followed by a 272bhp variant, also with a single charger, which takes over from the outgoing 245bhp unit, with four wheel drive only.

At the top of the range, the 3.0 TDI clean diesel biturbo produces 320bhp, which is an increase of 7bhp over the current car, allied only to the quattro drivetrain.

The high-performance diesel is paired with an eightspeed tiptronic automatic transmission, whilst the V6 engines are mated to a sevenspeed S tronic twin-clutch transmission.

Changes under the skin are complemented by exterior design enhancements to create a more streamlined look, with revisions to the grille, air inlets, bumpers, side sills, rear lights and tailpipes.

There is also the addition of xenon headlamps for SE models, and LED headlights with dynamic 'sweeping' rear indicators for S line versions and above.

Inside there is an upgrade from dual-zone to four-zone climate control, new gear lever designs, additional chrome detailing and the introduction of new versions of the MMI navigation plus and Audi connect systems.

MMI navigation plus uses an even more powerful Tegra 30 graphics processor from Nvidia, and includes MMI touch, which enables the driver to scroll and zoom in lists and maps via a touchpad.

Audi connect now brings tailored Internet-based services and new media streaming apps to the car via the latest LTE high-speed data transmission standard for ultra-fast 4G click-through and download functionality.

The Audi phone box option is also now available, which enables mobile phones to connect to the car's antenna for improved reception simply by placing them in the phone box compartment.

The new Audi A6 allroad quattro, which is based on the A6 Avant, has a raised body with wheel arch extensions and stainless steel protectors that encapsulate the underside of the front and rear ends. It rides on adaptive air suspension with allroad-specific settings and is powered by a choice of three 3.0litre V6 TDI engines with outputs of 220bhp, 270bhp and 320bhp.

The S6, S6 Avant and RS 6 Avant all use a twin turbo V8 with Cylinder on Demand technology producing 450bhp in the S6 and 560bhp in the RS 6 Avant, the price of which is yet to be announced but will certainly top Pounds 60,000.

In the S6 Saloon the V8 is good for a 0-60mph sprint time of just 4.4 seconds, with fuel economy of 30mpg and a CO2 rating of 214g/ km, thanks to the cylinder on demand system, which only activates four of the eight cylinders when under part load.

The unfeasibly fast RS 6 Avant scorches to 60mph in a mere 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 190mph, economy potential of 29mpg and a CO2 rating of 223g/km, making it one of the quickest and fastest load-lugging estate cars in the world, if not exactly the most environmentally-friendly.

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