Audi A6 3.0 TDI Quattro: Legendary Le Mans-bred technology

THE A6 has already won multiple awards from various groups and publications early in the year.

After watching the 80th Edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans recently, I was glad to have sampled once again the Audi A6 3.0 TDI to remind myself why diesels are the way of the future.

Purists and die-hard petrol-heads will argue that diesels and performance cars are mutually exclusive, but true speed and performance enthusiasts respect one thing: if it’s good enough to win races, particularly the legendary Le Mans endurance event, then it’s good enough for serious performance enthusiasts.

Aside from the award-winning V6 engine that now pushes out 245 ps and 500 Newton Meters of torque from its Piezo-Electric Ceramic-Crystal injector equipped CRDi diesel injection system and VGT turbocharger, the same engine is mated to the dual-clutch 7-speed S-Tronic system, which drives all four wheels with Quattro AWD ensuring sure-footed security and responsiveness at all times regardless of weather conditions. The A6 is the only car in its class to utilize this drivetrain combination. Fuel consumption ranged from a low of 9 km/liter to a best of 11 km/liter in mixed city and highway use with heavy traffic.

The A6 has won multiple awards from various groups and publications in 2012, which include EuroCarBody Award 2012 presented by the Automotive International Circle, Eyes on Design Award 2012 awarded by the Detroit International Autoshow, Best Executive Car 2012 by Auto Express UK and the Golden Steering Wheel Award 2012 by Bild Am Sonntag, the world’s sixth-largest newspaper in circulation. As if the LED headlights weren’t attention seeking enough, the design will truly captivate you. The A6 is handsome as well as exceptional to drive, hence the awards.

But it is equally hard to fault because beneath the handsome looks is a depth of character presented by impressive standard equipment: the leather interior is class-leading in space as well as design and lay-out, there is a plethora of safety equipment on-board (ABS-EBD brakes with brake assist, dynamic traction and stability control, 8 airbags consisting of dual front airbags, dual front knee airbags, dual front side airbags and dual curtain airbags) and the Audi Drive Select System, which alters driving feel from comfort to dynamic modes by lowering the suspension, increasing damping firmness, increasing steering wheel effort and altering the drive by wire sensitivity. There is an automatic mode that switches back and forth from comfort to sport depending on speed and driving conditions, and an individual setting that allows the driver to custom-tailor the settings for the engine, transmission, suspension and steering for a custom-feel (i.e., sport suspension, sport steering but comfort-oriented engine and transmission settings). It seems complicated but Audi’s Multi-Media Interface displays all the relevant information clearly and is inherently intuitive to operate, even for first-time users. The BOSE sound system is as excellent as ever, and if you prefer to sit at the back and have some private time, sunshades raise up at the back windshield automatically, or in the rear passenger windows manually. This also blocks off heat and sunlight, further cooling the cabin so the quad-zone climate control system is never overworked.

The trunk is, frankly, huge. I brought the A6 to an Open House Sales Meet down south for my daily grind as a small-scale property developer and the A6’s cavernous trunk swallowed tarps, fliers, foodstuff, office equipment and more with room to spare. Four 9-inch golf bags and matching clothes bags will easily fit in the A6’s boot.

High-speed stability is the A6’s forte. Cruising above 120 kph and hitting 150 kph is dangerously easy as the A6’s ultra-quiet and refined cabin means you’ll barely notice that you’re well over the speed limit and be baiting the cops. But show the big A6 a narrow road such as the section of Daang Hari past the New Bilibid Complex, and going toward Molino, Bacoor, Cavite, and the midsize executive express forgets its size and heft and gamely attacks sweepers and sharp bends with tenacity smaller and lighter cars wish they had. The steering feels responsive but not nervous; though it feels light, feel is good, and you can place the wheels were you want them accurately, allowing you to flow form corner to corner. The brakes are strong, and in dynamic mode feels like it can stop the 1540 kg saloon repeatedly from 200+ kph all day. It’s also a lightweight in its class, with competitors weighing in a good 100 kg more. The 19-inch wheels with Michelin 245/45R19 tires look small underneath the gaping wheel-arches, yet are properly bling-sized. Nonetheless, despite the low-profile all-season performance tires, the A6, even in Dynamic Mode, has enough compliance to soak up the surface imperfections, bumps and ripples of EDSA to make forward progress smooth and slick.

And when you’re stuck in traffic, the A6’s cabin is a very pleasant place to waste time away in. Everything is covered in soft leather, the seats adjust 14 different ways, the steering wheel adjusts for both reach and rake, and the buttons are laid out well with the TDI engine humming very softly, you’d think it wasn’t turning. The MMI controls are just behind the gear-shift mechanism, the steering wheel houses buttons for the audio-telephony system and cruise control, and the large LCD screen can pop out to display relevant information, or slide back in underneath the dashboard so everything looks clean, elegant and simple. Whatever isn’t covered in dark leather is a mix of dark maple wood, dark-great soft touch plastics and some contrasting chrome trim to brighten up what could have been a drab interior. At night, soft-glow LED mood lights make the A6 feel more special than most car interiors, giving a chic, lounge-feel to woo your date or the missus.

Legendary Le Mans winning TDI performance, award-winning design, Quattro stability and an environmentally friendly lightweight structure, the A6 is truly in a class of its own.