Audi A6 Avant



Audi has launched the A6 Avant into a quality market which currently appears to be dominated by the Ingolstadt car maker. The German company posted a 195,044 worldwide sales record for the first quarter of 2005 and in the UK has just beaten both BMW and Mercedes in the race to be the best-selling premium badge. Sales in Europe are up 9.8% with unlikely Belgium leading the ranking with a 39.6% increase and Britain managing a 10.2% hike to 25,724 vehicles between January and the end of March.

And the good news for Audi is that the new A6 Avant will do those figures no harm. On sale from April 22, it's a large, firm-riding, sporting estate with impeccable build quality and a range of engines which leaves model choice wide open. Traction is available conventionally through the front wheels or with quattro performance four-wheel drive, a system which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

You can choose six-speed manual transmissions as standard on most models, a new six-speed Tiptronic on 4.2 V8s, 3.2-litre FSI and three-litre TDI V6s, or a clever and very smooth CVT Multitronic stepless system with a "start assist" device which prevents roll-back on hills. The Multitronic option is available on 2.0 TDI, and 2.4- and 3.2-litre petrol front-drive models.

Three diesel and three petrol engine options are offered, from the 138bhp two-litre four-pot TDI turbodiesel, which arrives later this summer, to the 330bhp 4.2-litre V8, available now. At launch 14 Avant models are available - a conventional 2.4-litre V6 petrol with 175bhp from ?26,510; a 253bhp 3.2 V6 with FSI technology from ?32,610; the 330bhp 4.2 V8 from ?44,810; a new 2.7-litre V6 TDI offering 177bhp from ?28,415 and a three-litre V6 TDI with 222bhp from ?32,315. The two-litre TDI order book opens a month after the initial dealer launch at an estimated ?26,100.

Whichever model combination takes your fancy one message comes over loud and clear: Audi leads in quality, technical innovation and dynamic style.

The A6 Avant, like its saloon sister, is no oil painting. From its gaping grille and heavy jowls to its tank-like flanks and bustled tail it looks exactly what it is - a heavyweight big hitter. It's the "more" car - more volume, more choice, more quality, more fun and, controversially, more bulk. That final point begs a question. In an already car-swamped country like Britain, is there room for an estate which occupies so much road space?

Audi thinks the answer is Yes. The Avant's wheelbase has grown by three inches compared to the outgoing model to increase passenger space. The firm is responding to customer demands for a larger vehicle; cite "safety in size" as a selling point and underline the car's unmistakable presence on the road. But I wonder. Driving this finely-honed monster on narrow roads in rural France, I was constantly reminded of the Avant's two-metre width and an overall length which is 5.5 inches greater than than that of the new Range Rover Sport.

Negotiating one tiny village, with streets like concrete-lined canyons, a local Post Office van failed to make it past me unscathed. Although I was stopped he attempted to squeeze past and narrowed his Renault by a good centimeter by rubbing it along the side of a building. He posted his annoyance with one finger and a scowl! Clearly he suspected I was nothing more than a wide boy - he was right.

Size apart, the Avant is hard to fault. Construction is meticulous and on the road the car is taut, quiet, comfortable and great to drive. Active and passive safety is unimpeachable with two-stage front airbags, sideguard head airbags, side passenger airbags and front active head restraints all part of the standard package.

Then there's an ultra-strong cabin structure, advanced electronic stability programme, massive brakes with powerful ABS, a new suspension system to improve handling in extreme conditions and speed-sensitive Servotronic power steering. It all adds up to ensuring the Avant remains under the control of its driver and, should the worst happen, offers the best-possible protection to the occupants.

Driving the big estate felt no different to the excellent saloon which spawned it. Response to throttle, brakes and steering on the petrol and diesel versions I drove at the launch left me forgetting I had a hangar tacked on to the back. There's no induced tail swing on hard corners, no squatting under acceleration and interior noise levels were as refined as on the booted car.

If there was any fault to be laid it has to be on the ride. Audi has purposely set up the Avant to be firm. It's by no means uncomfortable, and for keen drivers it will enhance the experience behind the wheel, but there's no escaping the thump over some road ruts and an uneasy fidgety feel on uneven surfaces.

But the real meat of this newcomer is round the back. The cargo area is massive, practical and beautifully conceived. The Avant's load area is usefully tall, more than a metre wide and comfortably low. With the rear seats in place there's 565 litres of space; with them folded flat there's a coaster-hold of 1660 litres. That's a huge amount of space and Audi has sealed the deal by adding a pair of securing rails in the boot floor with four sliding and locking tie-down eyes.

Bag hooks are fitted in the same area as well as a luggage net. The cargo floor can also be folded and locked in a variety of positions to seal items off and prevent them sliding around and under the floor section there's a secure storage stray ideal for hiding objects or stowing dirty items, like boots.

And if that standard arrangement is not enough, Audi has an optional securing and dividing system using a telescopic bar with restraining straps to hold loose items in their place no matter how violently you throw around this big cargo ship.

The latest Avant fulfills many roles - supreme load carrier, family transport and performance car. It's safe, strong and handles well, with just a hint of understeer when provoked through a fast bend. Driver feedback from such a big car is superb and standard equipment levels are generous.

But potential owners may raise an eyebrow when they come to enhance the specification. That can be a costly exercise, adding thousands to the price. On some models you can pay up to ?1900 for leather; a full adaptive driving light kit will cost ?1100; front a rear parking aids add ?475; adaptive cruise control with radar another ?1450; electric sunroof ?1175: powered sports seats with memory up to ?1800; up to ?1950 for special 18-inch alloy wheels and tyres and ?1750 if you opt for the full DVD-based navigation system.

It's a pricey options list which runs to many pages. On one hand it can add up to a big bill, but it also means you can tailor your Avant precisely to your requirements. One option I would specify is Audi's DAB digital radio pack, an add-on to the excellent standard radio and Multi Media Interface system. It's expensive at ?345 but where the digital signal prevails it will spell the end of irritating interference and VHF fade-out.

The new Avant is a cavernous cargo carrier of high quality. There's nothing quite like it on the market.