Moving up in the world
The new Audi A6 is the latest addition to 'Our Cars' and the 3.0 TDI quattro S Line version we've chosen has already had a hectic start to its time with us.
Date: 19 September 2011 | Current mileage: 1510 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Current economy: 39.4mpg
It's been a busy start for the latest addition to Our Cars. Our brand sparkling new Audi A6 arrived at the beginning of September with just 100 miles on the clock (I think that's what they call factory fresh) and since then it's racked up a further 1400 miles in just two weeks including a mammoth trip to Frankfurt and back in just a few days.
The A6 has taken it all in its stride of course. But then I didn't expect anything less from what has been a much sought after addition to Our Cars. We chose the top of the range 3.0 TDI quattro model in S line trim which comes in at a few quid shy of £41,500 on the road. I opted for Daytona Grey (exclusive to the S line) which is a nicely subtle colour that suits the lines of the new A6 well. Havanna Black metallic was an option but seemed quite dull or there was Ibis White but it's a flat non-metallic paint and I wasn't sure it would work on a car as big as the A6.
After configuring our car on the Audi website I did think it was missing something. The 18-inch wheels are a neat design but I felt our car deserved to stand out a little more so chose to indulge myself slightly by giving it a bit of bling in the shape of some 20-inch 5-arm rotor design titanium look alloys. This style first appeared when Audi introduced Black Edition models and they look great on the A6 - helped by the fact the titanium colour matches the Daytona Grey paintwork.
The A6 comes very well equipped as standard and like its big rival - the BMW 5 Series - has leather upholstery and sat nav as standard. The competition in this class is certainly as tough as ever which is good news for buyers, as brands are increasingly making what were once pricey optional extras, standard equipment. On the old A6, the standard sat nav system and leather would have set you back a fair few notes. Certainly it won't be too long before we start to see similar on future generations of smaller cars like the A4 and 3 Series.
Standard equipment on the A6 includes everything you'd expect on a modern executive car such as climate control, parking sensors, an electric parking brake (none of that foot-operated nonsense Mercedes-Benz persists with), keyless start, Bluetooth, a multifunction steering wheel plus light and rain sensors.
That's some of what you get on the SE while opting for the sportier S line - which costs an extra £2350 - adds front sports seats, larger alloy wheels up from 17-inch to 18-inch, Valcona leather rather than Milano leather, sports suspension, xenon headlights and LED rear lights along with S line bumpers and side skirts.
Of course it's still easy to get carried away when you're choosing optional extras and even ticking a few boxes can quickly add on a few grand to the price. So I tried to be sensible(ish) and aside from the big wheels the other extras I chose were heated front seats (for those cold winter mornings), auto-dimming exterior mirrors with a memory function and mobile phone preparation which upgrades from the standard Bluetooth by letting you control your phone via the MMI (Multi Media Interface) system and steering wheel buttons.
My one big splurge was the Comfort Package. This is one option I thought was essential on a top of the range A6. True, it's not cheap at £1800 but it adds electric front seats with a memory function, driver's seat four-way lumbar support (really good on long journeys) and the advanced key which means you don't have to unlock the car - instead you can leave they key in your pocket or bag and just pull the door handle to unlock the car. Pressing a small button locks it again. You also get a very useful reversing camera, so all in all it's good value.
In total our new A6 cost £46,490 and that's for a well kitted out, good-looking top of the range V6 diesel model. It certainly stacks up well against the competition (which we'll be comparing our A6 against in a few weeks time) especially as this is the only premium saloon that comes with four-wheel drive. In fact I already have winter wheels and tyres on order (the big alloys will have to make way for a few months sadly) for when the inevitable snow comes.
What's good so far:
Quality and refinement: As soon as you get behind the wheel of the A6 you realise how well finished and perfectly engineered it is. Quality runs through every element from the main controls to the smallest details - it's one of the reasons the Audi brand has become so successful. On the move it's supremely refined too with that wonderfully smooth 3.0 TDI engine providing serene performance.
And what's not:
Not much: I'm really struggling to find fault with the A6. In the first two weeks it's already covered 1400 miles and hasn't missed a beat. I'm looking forward to doing plenty more miles in it.
To Frankfurt and back
The A6 goes straight to work with a mammoth pan-European trip to Frankfurt and a chance to test out motorway economy.
Date: 3 October 2011 | Current mileage: 2122 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Current economy: 40.2mpg
No sooner had our new Audi A6 arrived than it was being put straight to work, transporting myself and editor Dan Harrison to Frankfurt to cover the motor show. It's one of the most important dates in the calender and one of our busiest too as we try and get round the whole show (rumour has it that you walk nine miles in total if you see everything) to cover all the new models and concepts. Exhausting it certainly is.
But before that there's the small matter of getting there. By car. First it's the 'easy' bit from where we're based in the East Midlands down to Dover to the get on the Eurotunnel (the gale force winds and word of 15 foot waves made us very pleased not to have chosen the ferry) then through a bit of northern France, across Belgium and the bottom of the Netherlands before heading south east through Germany to Frankfurt. Simple. Only 580 miles there - and back of course.
Before we headed off, the A6 had only covered a few hundred miles so this was the perfect opportunity to run it in. Plus it gave me a great chance to see how the A6 performed on the motorway in terms of refinement and fuel economy. Stocked up with Haribo (a mild obessesion which peaked on my M25 challenge) we headed off early doors on a Monday and were surprised (and suspicious) at how light the traffic was down the M11 and M25 through Kent and down to Dover.
The Eurotunnel crossing was as straightforward and speedy as ever and then we were into the bleakness that is northern France. It only took me a few minutes to work out how to change the useful digital speedo in the A6 from mph to kmh (via the main menu in the MMI) and we happily say at 130km/h all the way through France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It's very dull but there's no point risking the wrath of police on the continent (particularly the French) who will happily pull over a UK-plated car for exceeding the speed limit and sting you with a several hundred euro fine. Besides, we needed that money for coffee, strange foreign sandwiches and more Haribo.
Cruising at a steady 80mph highlighted how refined the A6 is at motorway speeds. It's amazingly quiet with barely any wind noise while the 3.0 TDI engine is hardly breaking sweat at less then 2000rpm. The A6 comes with cruise control as standard which is ideal for the quiet stretches of motorway we found, where it's tempting to increase your speed by a few mph, creeping steadily quicker before you realise just how fast you're travelling.
Audi's Adaptive Cruise Control is available as an option and it's a useful system - keeping a set distance between you and any vehicle in front - up to your set speed. It also slows you down if a slower moving vehicle pulls out in front of you. It's not cheap at £1800 but on our trip there were a few times I regretted not choosing it simply because it makes motorway driving much more relaxed.
Relaxed certainly describes the A6. It's effortless at covering motorway miles and the leather sports seats (standard on the S line trim) are extremely impressive. The extra lumbar support on the driver's seat, which is part of the optional Comfort Package, really helps too and you can use it to support your lower back. So despite long stints of driving, neither of us felt any aches after two full days of driving - and a day of motor show inbetween.
Once into Germany, where there are no speed limits on big stretches of the Autobahn, the gloves were off and we were able to crank up the A6 to the kind of speeds it's truly designed for. What's amazing is that even as the figures increase to big speeds the A6 takes it all in its stride. So while the scenery is flashing past a lot a quicker at 130mph, it's just as serene inside with barely any more noise. It feels just as stable and composed too.
Of course going very fast does have an adverse affect on fuel economy. While we'd been sticking to 80mph, the A6 was averaging around 40mpg according to the on board computer but as soon as we hit Germany that soon started to plummet to around 36mpg. I didn't dare look at what the real time consumption was. Back in the UK and some back to reality driving has seen economy creep back up to a more respectable figure with the A6 averaging 40.2mpg. There are plenty more long journeys planned for the Audi though and i'll be keeping an eye on fuel economy.
Wheels of fortune
Audi offers a great choice of alloy wheels on its models with some superb looking designs. And when it came to the A6 we were spoilt for choice.
Date: 17 October 2011 | Current mileage: 3066 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Current economy: 38.9mpg
I'm definitely of the opinion that wheels make a car. Nothing ruins the appearance of a good-looking car like wheels that are too small, or indeed, too large. Like Goldilocks, they need to be just right. Oh - and aftermarket alloy wheels should never ever be fitted to any car. Ever.
The majority of new cars now come with alloy wheels as standard, although entry-level versions of smaller models do often still have wheel trims or as they now poetically call them 'wheel enhancers'. It wasn't always so. I remember my dad having a 1985 Mercedes E-Class (well it was called a 200 back then) which unbelievably didn't come with alloy wheels as standard. Then again, it also had manual winding windows...
I'm now in the very privileged position of being able to choose the specification for the car I run - and this includes wheels. I'm still of an age where, for me, it's all about the big wheels. I'll happily sacrifice a bit of ride comfort for a good looking set of alloys. And with the A6 I had a plenty of choice and spent a lot of time deliberating on what to pick.
As the pictures below show, there are nine different choices of wheel on the A6. As I'd chosen an S line model the 17-inch wheel isn't available - the smallest that comes on the higher trim level is the 18-inch 5-twin-spoke wheel (PQ1/PQ2 in the pictures below).
I do like the 19-inch 7-twin-spoke wheels (PQT) while the 20-inch 10-spoke-V partly polished wheels (PRU) really stand out. However, the latter are only available in the SE trim for some reason. My final choice came down to either the 20-inch 5-segment-spoke wheels (PQS) which are similar to those fitted to the RS6 or the 20-inch 5-arm-rotor titanium design (PQU) which were first seen on Audi Black Edition models.
The difficulty comes in trying to envisage what the wheels will look like on the car. In a brochure (like above) they all look good but finding out what suits the car (and the colour you've chosen) is harder. The Audi configurator is a great tool for this as you can choose diferent wheels and colours to get an idea, but I personally think that nothing is the same as seeing the car in the metal.
Ultimately what swung it for me was driving past an Audi showroom and seeing a white A6 on display with the titanium-look wheels. It really stood out and looked more like a performance car than a diesel saloon (albeit a very powerful diesel saloon). And when our A6 car arrived I was very pleased with my decision, especially as the colour of the wheels goes so well with the Daytona Grey paintwork. I've had plenty of people comment on what a good looking car is and I like the fact the overall appearance isn't over the top. Subtle but purposeful.
Of course having 20-inch wheels fitted does affect the ride comfort somewhat, especially as the S line has lowered sports suspension. It's certainly quite firm but it's not uncomfortable and never crashy over bumps. In fact, the firmer set-up means the A6 copes well over the uneven rural roads where I live and doesn't get unsettled. However, there can be quite a bit of road noise on certain surfaces.
Having big wheels does make you much more aware of kerbs too. I hate scratching or damaging alloy wheels and when they're a darker colour, any marks are even more noticeable. Annoyingly I recently scuffed one, despite being incredibly careful (some would say a little over precious...) about them. It was in a central London underground car park with a very tight entrance and some mean kerbs. It's only a small mark on the rear right wheel - about the size of a 50p coin - but it's right on the edge of one of the 'blades' so it's very conspicious. When I change to my winter wheels and tyres i'll get it sorted so it's nice and shiny again for 2012.
What's good so far:
Performance: The 3.0 TDI is an incredibly refined engine and one of the best V6 diesels around. It's not shy when it comes to acceleration though and thanks to huge reserves of torque, it's mightily quick - most impressively from around 30mph. There's little on the road that's as quick.
And what's not:
iPod connector: Or rather lack of it. I assumed the A6 would come with one as standard but what is they say about never assuming anything? It does have an SD card slot but it's not as handy as being able to just plug in the iPod and play it through the stereo.
That's infotainment
I've spent a lot of time behind the wheel of the A6 lately. Much of it in traffic. But it's given me plenty of time to play with the Audi MMI.
Date: 4 November 2011 | Current mileage: 4960 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Current economy: 41.2mpg
I've been racking up the miles in the A6 in the last few weeks. There have been plenty of new car launches across the country, from North Wales to Yorkshire, journeys down to central London as well as trips to airports to catch flights for car launches abroad. It's all adding up and in just two weeks I've covered almost 2,000 miles in the Audi.
The 3.0 TDI has taken it all in its stride and thanks to plenty of motorway driving, fuel economy has improved to 41.2mpg. Sitting in traffic (especially in London) means the engine stop/start system also kicks in more often. It's a very clever system and one of the first to be fitted to an automatic gearbox - previously these kinds of fuel saving systems have only been on manual gearbox cars.
When you come to a complete stop (there's usually a split second delay while the system makes sure you're not going to pull away immediately) the engine switches itself off. You barely notice as it's a very smooth operation plus everything else in the car such as the air conditioning and stereo, continue to operate as normal. Then, when you take your foot of the brake, it automatically restarts. Some people find the system annoying - indeed there's a button to switch it off - but when you think of the fuel it saves, particularly in busy traffic, it makes total sense.
This is just one of the technological highlights in the advanced A6. But one of the more obvious ones is the Audi sat nav and stereo system. The whole 'infotainment' system - surely a word coined by the Americans - is called MMI, or Multi Media Interace in full, by Audi. It incorporates the satellite navigation, stereo, Bluetooth and usefully traffic information.
The whole thing is controlled through a dial on the central console just behind the gear lever, similar to the once much-derided BMW iDrive system. With so many functions it's the only way to have such a complete system without the dash being littered with a million and one buttons. Things are made easier by four buttons for the main systems - radio, media, nav and telephone.
It's a very intuitive system and easy to get to grips with. As I'm lucky enough to to drive so many different cars with varying sat nav and infotainment systems (there's that word again) it's easy to see which ones work and which ones don't. The system Ford use is one of the better ones around and the BMW set-up is good too, although some of the functions aren't always that obvious. But for my money the Audi system is the best around and certainly the simplest to use, despite the raft of functions it has.
Our A6 comes with the standard MMI system which includes two SD card slots below the CD. One is for the sat nav data and the other allows you to put in an SD card full of music. What is surprising is that there's no iPod connector cable as standard. There is an aux-in, but that doesn't let you control your iPod through the MMI nor does it charge it. You'd expect an executive car at this level to have the connector fitted as standard - after all, it's fitted to the new Q3. Instead the AMI connector (that stands for Audi Music Interface) is a £260 optional extra.
What this meant was having to buy a suitably large SD card - a 32MB seemed to do the trick - and transferring all my music from my PC onto it. To be fair, it's pretty much identical to having an iPod connected and even shows track info including the album covers. It operates the same too so you can scroll through and choose songs by album, artists or song title.
Plus it's always in the car, so you don't have to worry about getting half an hour into a long journey before realising you've left your iPod on the kitchen table. The only thing you can't do is have playlists (unless you create them yourself on the SD card) and the system does leave a gap between tracks which isn't ideal for albums that are designed to flow (think Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon). Plus of course you have to remember to update the SD card with new music everytime you do the same on the iPod.
Of course - as some people have pointed out - I could just listen to the radio. Which brings me to another gripe about the A6 - the lack of DAB digital radio. It's a £410 option on the Audi which seems pricey considering that the UK will - supposedly - be switching over to digital radio in 2015. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen (it's looking pretty unlikely) but as a big fan of BBC 6 Music it's frustrating that I can't listen to it in the car.
My only other small issue is with the display screen that slides out of the dash. The standard sat nav comes with a 6.5-inch screen which is fine for the job. However, it's not the highest resolution and compared to the quality of the optional MMI Navigation Plus system (which has a 7-inch screen) which seems much sharper and brighter, the standard screen is a bit disappointing.
5000 miles in
Our A6 has already racked up 5000 miles in less than three months and the 3.0 TDI engine is getting better and better.
Date: 18 November 2011 | Current mileage: 5424 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Current economy: 40.7mpg
Apparently you don't need to run new cars in anymore. Now I didn't know this. I've always thought that you should be gentle with a new engine and try not to take the revs too high. That means lots of early changes up in a manual and a light right foot in an automatic. Plus trying to resist finding out just how quick your new car is.
However, I recently found out from an Audi technical expert that this isn't the case. It's actually better to work a modern engine, particularly a diesel that's fitted with a DPF (diesel particulate filter), to help it loosen up. I've still been careful with the A6 since it arrived though. There's something not right about revving a new engine hard (or any engine for that case). It never sounds like it's doing it any good.
So for the first 1500 miles I treated the A6 with care and rarely took it above 3000rpm, although you don't really need to in everyday driving as there's so much torque. The 3.0 TDI engine has certainly loosened up though and has now covered more than 5000 miles in just three months.
Our car is the 3.0 TDI quattro which gets the more powerful version of the V6 diesel with 245PS. The A6 with standard front-wheel drive is available with the 3.0 TDI engine but it's slightly less powerful with 204PS and it isn't available with the twin-clutch S tronic gearbox, instead there's a standard manual or an optional multitronic CVT. We've actually road tested this model (well the Avant version) here.
Few people will go for a manual 3.0 TDI and the Multitronic is a very smooth system which suits the big diesel engine well. It's a very relaxed and effortless cruiser. Upgrading to the quattro model obviously means the extra security of four-wheel drive - very useful come winter time. But it's a lot more than that. It has quite a different nature to it and feels much more of a performance diesel.
That's down to a combination of things. The increase in power clearly helps, but rather than the extra 41PS it's the big boost in torque that really makes a difference. The 3.0 TDI quattro develops 500Nm of torque compared to 400Nm in the standard 3.0 TDI so it's stronger when accelerating in gear, particularly telling when you're joining a fast flowing motorway or dual carriageway from a short slip road.
But perhaps the biggest factor is the gearbox. The quattro model comes with the S tronic (Audi's name for what Volkswagen calls DSG) automatic. The seven-speed gearbox is a twin-clutch system which basically means that it uses two clutches - one for the even numbered gears and one for the odd. The advantage is that the shifts are far, far quicker than a normal auto. We're talking milliseconds here.
In fact, they're so fast that the majority of twin-clutch gearboxes have faster 0-62mph times than their manual equivalents. The S tronic gearbox suits the big 3.0 TDI perfectly. It's still smooth when you want to cruise along sedately, like the Multitronic, but it is noticeably more responsive when you want rapid acceleration. The changes are incredibly fast and almost seemless, so the increase in pace is effortless.
It copes well when you're driving more 'enthusiastically' too, so even if you come off the power for a tight corner and then go straight back on the throttle, it rarely gets caught out, selecting the right gear and giving you the acceleration you want. The seven speeds may seem a little over the top, but it works surprisingly well and means that when you're cruising on the motorway, the engine is barely working.
The engine feels more responsive having covered 5000 miles and is definitely loosening up. It seems that it's getting even better week by week, not just in terms of performance but also economy. On a recent motorway heavy journey of about 150 miles the A6 averaged 45mpg - pretty close to the claimed figure.
I've also had a few questions about the badging on the A6. As the keen-eyed among you will notice, there's no indication of engine size on the boot, merely a TDI badge. That's because Audi no longer puts the engine size on the back. Instead you just get TDI or TFSI (or indeed FSI on some A3 models). You can easily work out what engine is in an A6 (and most Audi models) though as it's all to do with the exhaust pipes.
All six-cylinder models like the 3.0 TDI have dual exhaust pipes (in other words one at opposite ends of the rear bumper) like the car on the left, below. Four-cylinder models like the 2.0 TDI have twin exhausts, which means two tailpipes next to each other like the picture on the right. The quattro badge on the back of our A6 means it can only be the higher output 245PS engine as the 204PS is front-wheel drive only. Simple! Sort of.
The best A6 features
The A6 is fitted with plenty of advanced technology under the skin, with lots of features designed to make living with it easier.
Date: 2 December 2011 | Current mileage: 6013 | Claimed mileage: 47.9mpg | Actual economy: 40.2mpg
Ever more demanding owners and the subsequent competition between manufacturers to get people to buy their model as oppose to a rivals, has been good news for car buyers. It means more equipment as standard, better value for money and ever advancing technology. And nowhere is this more evident than in the 'executive car' class that includes the Audi A6 along with the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class and the Jaguar XF.
The list of standard equipment is very impressive. All A6 models get parking sensors, cruise control, automatic lights, rain sensitive wipers, dual-zone climate control, electric mirrors and an electric parking brake. That seems pretty ordinary now but 10 years ago the majority of that would have been in the optional extras list.
And the A6 gets even better. It comes with leather upholstery, something that a few years ago would have set you back around £1500 if not more, plus a good satellite navigation system that includes Bluetooth for your phone. On other cars something similar would probably cost a further £1500. Having sat nav is of course a real help especially as the Audi system works off an SD card so it's fast at working out routes. It gives you three alternatives and lets you choose which one you want.
But my favourite features on the A6 are some of the less obvious ones. I love the multifunction steering wheel. True, it's becoming the norm on most cars now, even small hatchbacks like the Ford Fiesta, but it's still a highlight in the A6. The leather steering wheel has a real quality feel to it and the buttons are all easy to use, which isn't the case with certain cars.
The buttons are neatly incorporated into the steering wheel and they're simple to work out. One side goes through the various screens of the trip computer while the other side lets you turn the stereo volume up and down. There's also a programmable button - the one with the asterisk-type symbol on it. I say programmable - it's not as good as the BMW 5 Series system where you can have whatever you want. On the A6 you have a choice of a few set functions, such as switching the navigation voice guidance on or off. On mine it switches between the radio and media function.
The auto dimming rearview mirror is really useful feature. It may not be very exciting but it's something which you don't truly appreciate until you drive a car without one. However my favourite feature is the keyless start. It's not that i'm especially unorganised and can never find my keys, it's more that it means you can leave the key in your coat pocket or bag, and just press the button next to the gear lever and away you go. When it's late, dark and cold, being able to jump in and start the car straight away is such a great feature.
It also means that if you're like me and have far too many keys on your keyring, they don't have to hang from the ignition, banging against your knee everytime you go round a corner. Our A6 goes one better as it is fitted with the optional Comfort Package. It costs an extra £1800 and adds electric front seats with a memory function, driver's seat four-way lumbar support and the advanced key. It's the latter which is really useful as it unlocks the doors when you approach the car, so you don't have to find the key fob and press the unlock button.
It's similar to the system fitted in the Suzuki Swift that John is running but a touch more sophisticated. You don't have to press a button to open it, you just put your hand on the handle and apply light pressure for a second and the Audi unlocks. It's very clever - you don't even have to pull the handle fully. To lock it you just put your finger in a little touch sensitive button and it locks again.
The A6 gets ready for winter
I've left it a little late but with the cold weather on the way it's time to get our A6 properly prepared with some winter tyres.
Date: 16 December 2011 | Current mileage: 6840 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Actual economy: 41.3mpg
Remember last winter? My lasting memory is trying (and failing) to get along a country lane near where I live which hadn't been gritted. It was in a SEAT Leon - a front wheel drive car which was fitted with normal tyres. My progress that day is probably best described as 'leisurely' with some occasional trips to the grass verge.
So I'm determined to be full prepared for another cold winter with the likelihood of the white stuff. Last week I gave the A6 a little pre-winter check. I topped up the washer fluid, which was actually running low anyway. It's not that easy to do as the reservoir is at the top of the engine bay and so the bonnet gets in the way. I'm not organised enough to have a funnel, so inevitably there's a bit of a spillage.
I've also put some de-icer and an ice scraper in the car and made sure I've got a spare coat in the back in case I do get stranded somewhere. There's even an emergency Kit Kat in the glovebox. But the big thing that I hope will make a difference is winter tyres.
I actually ordered mine a few months ago but hadn't got round to organising the fitting. The experts say you should put them on around November, but basically it's as soon as temperatures are regularly dropping below 7C as that's when they're effective. Off came the 20-inch wheels I love so much with their Pirelli P-Zero tyres to be replaced by 17-inch wheels fitted with Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D tyres.
This was all done by the local Audi dealer. And if you're thinking that it might be cheaper going somewhere like Kwik-Fit think again. I shopped around and found the main dealer was the best option. I'm not alone either. We've had lots of positive feedback about Audi dealers and what good value they are when it comes to winter tyres.
You can either have winter tyres fitted in place of your existing tyres or alternatively you can buy a dedicated set of winter wheels and tyres. I had to swap mine for a complete set because my 20-inch whees are too big for winter tyres. The Audi dealer is also helpfully storing my wheels for me, so swapping back in the Spring will be easy.
They may not look the best on our A6, not helped by the fact it's an S line so has the bodykit fitted, but they will prove invaluable should it snow. And as soon as the temperatures start dropping they'll be working. The common misconception is that winter tyres are only effective in the snow. But that's not the case. Winter tyres are also more effective in cold weather and wet conditions than standard tyres.
That's down to the thicker tread but also the actual make-up of the tyre. The problem with normal (or summer) tyres is that when it gets cold the rubber loses its flexibility. It’s all to do with the compound of the tyre. Cold weather tyres have a higher ratio of natural rubber and silica in the compound which doesn't stiffen up as much as synthetic rubber in cold conditions. Therefore the tyre is more flexible and able to perform like a tyre should. Summer tyres simply go hard in the cold temperatures.
I've certainly noticed the difference after swapping. The ride of the A6 is smoother and it's better over rough roads, thanks to the extra rubber and smaller wheels. As you'd expect, in corners it's not as positive, plus there's more tyre noise on the motorway. But these are only minor inconveniences for what could be lifesavers in the snow and ice. Literally. With the quattro four-wheel drive of the A6, this Audi should be pretty unstoppable in the snow - now all I have to do is pray the weather gets worse!
Auto start-stop: Good or Bad?
Fuel saving engine start-stop systems are becoming more common on new cars, indeed even our A6 3.0 TDI has one.
Date: 6 January 2012 | Current mileage: 7670 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Actual economy: 40.2mpg
Engine start-stop systems. That's right, this is going to be one of those updates. Feel free to leave now and go and look on eBay if you want. But while it's not exciting, you can't ignore the fact that more new cars are being fitted with an engine start-stop system as standard. My Polo BlueMotion had one while all new facelifted Audi A4 models get one as standard.
Initially they were fitted to cars with a manual gearbox. The idea is very straightforward. When you stop and put the car in neutral (and take your foot off the clutch) the engine automatically stops. As soon as you start putting your foot on the clutch pedal again, it restarts. Simple but very effective, especially if you spend a lot of time in traffic.
The technology has now advanced so that these fuel saving system can be fitted to automatics, like our A6 3.0 TDI. It works in the same way, so when you come a stop, it cuts in. Cleverly, the system delays a split second to make sure you aren't going to drive away immediately, before it stops the engine.
You don't need to put the gearbox in N, you can just leave it in D. As soon as you come off the brake pedal, the engine fires up again. It may seem odd having it on a large car like this with a V6 diesel engine but on paper it's an effective system, reducing CO2 by around 8g/km and improving fuel economy by approximately 3mpg.
Some people find engine start-stop systems annoying but once you get used to it, you pretty much forget it's there. Plus of course there's a button on the dashboard to switch it off, but given the fuel it saves, why would you? My regular journeys into London highlight just how long you spend stationary - and how often the system is on the 'stop' mode, not using any fuel. Given that even the Ferrari California comes with a start-stop system, it seems it won't be long before all cars have them as standard.
The cold weather has highlighted the fact that the start-stop system doesn't work all the time. It won't cut in if the engine isn't up to temperature or the car is on a steep gradient or if the exterior temperature is very low or high. It also won't operate if the air conditioning temperature you've set hasn't been reached or the steering wheel is close to full lock (it assumes you're about to pull out of a tight junction).
Occasionally when in stop model the engine fires back up again. Even with your foot firmly on the brake. Apparently this happens if the the interior temperature and the temperature programmed into the air con unit don’t match or if the power consumption from in-car systems is very high.
It's not the only fuel saving measure in the A6 of course. There is also an energy recovery system that uses kinetic energy from the car as it slows down. When it's coasting or braking, the alternator converts this kinetic energy into electrical energy. This is temporarily stored in the battery and when the A6 accelerates again, the power flows back into the electrical system. Told you we'd get through it...
The top 5 options on the A6
There's a vast number of optional extras available on the A6 and here are what I reckon are the best five.
Date: 20 January 2012 | Current mileage: 7922 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Actual economy: 41.3mpg
When I chose my A6 I could have spent hours going through the list of optional extras. In fact, I surprised myself at how sensible I was in only choosing a few options, adding 'only' a few thousand pounds (well £5k to be precise) worth of extras. Considering I've tested similar A6 models with knocking on £35,000 of options, mine is pretty sparse in comparison. The options list is expansive and there's an almost overwhelming choice. But the question is, what are the ones you should go for? Well I've picked out, in no particular order, what are my top five choices.
1. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) £1800
On my trip to Frankfurt back in October I realised how useful the adaptive cruise control system would have been. It's a big step forward from standard cruise control and especially useful considering how busy UK roads are. On the A6 it also includes a stop & go function and Audi pre sense front.
Basically it works by using a radar to regulate the speed as well as the distance from the vehicle in front. If the car in front slows or someone pulls into your lane on the motorway, the system will slow the car down. Once it's clear, the A6 will accelerate back up to your chosen speed. Cleverly you can choose between four distance modes depending on how close you want to be to the vehicle in front.
The radar scans 250 metres ahead and there's also a small video camera in the base of the mirror that looks 60 metres ahead. This means it can recognise complex situations such as busy traffic on a motorway or roundabouts. It also uses route information from the sat nav to calculate the driving line of the road, even in bends. In town it's even more impressive. The system slows the car to a stop in traffic and uses signals from the park assistance sensors in the front bumper to start the car again automatically.
2. Head-up display £1450
BMW was the first to introduce a head-up display system on the previous generation 5 Series. So it's no surprise to see Audi hot on its heels - it made its debut in the A7 Sportback and is now available on the A6 Granted, the system isn't especially cheap but it is very useful. It projects speed (and sat nav directions if you want it to) onto the window so it sort of hovers about 2 metres in front of the car. It's height-adjustable too. All very Top Gun. Usefully it gives you a constant reminder of your speed and means you don't have to take your eyes off the road.
3. MMI Touch (part of MMI Navigation Plus) £1175
This is definitely one of those 'wow factor' features and something that always impresses people the first time they see it. If you opt for the the upgraded Navgation Plus not only do you get a higher resolution and larger 8-inch screen plus 20GB of music storage, but it also includes MMI Touch.
This is a small square pad on the dash (on my A6 this is replaced by six standard buttons for the stereo) which lets you actually write out letters and numbers with your finger which the sat nav will recognise, so you can spell out your destination without taking your eyes off the road. The system even recognises characters from languages that don't use the western alphabet while a special coating ensures that the touchpad can withstand 600,000 input operations without any tangible wear.
4. Adaptive light and high Beam Assist £690
It may be the cheapest option here but it's one of the most useful, especially if you do a lot of driving in the dark. The adaptive light system changes the headlights according to where you are, with different settings for the city, country roads and motorways. The unit uses a small video camera in the base of the rearview mirror along with data from the optional MMI navigation plus system to anticipate changes in lighting depending on where you are. So for example the cornering light will be triggered before the car reaches a junction to aid visibility.
The other part is high-beam assist (which is available on its own for £140) which automatically varies the range and width of the headlights between dipped and full beam according to the road you're on. The best bit is that it can detect the lights of on-coming traffic and will dip the lights for you so you don't dazzle people coming the other way.
5. Quattro/sports differential £1100
The quattro sport differential was first used by Audi on the S4 and RS5 and in the A6 range is available with the 3.0 TDI quattro and the 3.0 TFSI quattro versions. It continuously distributes power between the rear wheels, working even more quickly than the electronic stability program (ESP).
Depending on steering angle and speed, the system works out the best distribution of torque to the wheels. So when the car accelerates in a corner, power is redirected to the outer rear wheel. This has the effect of 'forcing' the car into the corner so that the angle of the front wheels is followed accurately.
In everyday driving it means that the A6 feels more agile in corners with less steering input needed. It's not cheap at more than £1000 but it does make the A6 feel a lot sportier and if you push the car, you'll notice better traction through corners.
A6 or A5 Sportback
A recent test of the revised A5 Sportback got me thinking about how similar it is to our A6. And surprised at how closely matched they are.
Date: 3 February 2012 | Current mileage: 8413 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Actual economy: 39.8mpg
Once upon a time car manufacturers had very simple line ups. There'd be a small hatch, a medium sized family model and then a larger saloon. They might even mix it up with a coupe or a convertible plus something with a bit of performance like a GT special. Now however, the boundaries between models are far more blurred and there's plenty of cross over between those traditional models.
Last week I was testing the revised Audi A5 Sportback which just happened to be exactly the same Daytona Grey colour as the A6. And when I parked the two next to each other I realised how similar they are. The A5 Sportback is a more practical five-door version of the good-looking A5 and comes with pretty much the same engine line-up as the A6.
The car I drove was a 2.0 TDI 177PS, a very economical and surprisingly quick engine, but you can get the A5 Sportback in the same 3.0 TDI quattro S line guise as our A6. In terms of performance the two are very close. The lower weight of the A5 means it's a smidgen faster from 0-62mph, taking 5.9 seconds as oppose to 6.1 seconds. It's also a little more economical by 2mpg.
When it comes to interior quality both are excellent with great attention to detail and a top class finish. In fact it's pretty hard to tell the difference as you can see in our pictures below. The A6 (below left) has the edge slightly with a better instrument cluster and a smarter multi function display between the dials, plus the design flows a bit more with neater air vents and that large block of aluminium-finish trim on the passenger side dashboard and doors.
I think the A5 Sportback is the better looking of the two cars though, particularly after its mid-life facelift. In my opinion the A5 Coupe is the best looking modern Audi and the Sportback isn't far behind. Although it's a five-door it still has a coupe look and a nice svelte appearance. The A6 is a little ordinary in contrast and looks quite heavy at the rear. View them head on at the front though and there's very little difference.
The A6 has the edge on refinement though. The A5 Sportback has pillarless doors which mean more wind noise at speed, something which isn't an issue in the A6. It also has more comfortable rear seats and a touch more legroom in the back too, helped by the fact it's 20cm longer and has a larger wheelbase. But the A5 is more practical thanks to its tailgate which means a more useful boot, even though it's actually smaller in size.
But it's how closely priced they are which is more of a surprise. The A6 3.0 TDI quattro S line has a basic price of £41,460 while the equivalent A5 Sportback is £39,005. Both are enjoyable to drive with that lovely V6 engine that's impressively quick in-gear and makes for a superb motorway car. For my money, I'd choose the A6. While the A5 is the better looker, the A6 is a nicer car on the motorway with superior refinement. For the kind of long distance driving I tend to do, the saloon is perfect.
The front fog lights mystery
The A6 doesn't come with front fog lights. Well, not the traditional type - instead it gets 'all-weather' lights which are actually more effective.
Date: 24 February 2012 | Current mileage: 9303 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Actual economy: 41.4mpg
It's been a bit longer than usual since my last update on our A6 but the Audi has continued to impress going about its business with minimal fuss and proving to be the perfect car for racking up the miles in. I've now done more than 9000 miles in less than six months and the A6 hasn't missed a beat. I've been doing plenty of motorway miles recently and its really in its element here with that 500Nm of torque meaning effortless acceleration when you need it.
It's coped well in the snow too although to be fair it hasn't had any particularly testing to deal with. But there have still been slushy roads, low temperatures and the odd snow covered country lane early in the morning. But it seems the local councils and the Highways Agency were very well prepared this year and all the roads around me - even the more rural ones - were treated and cleared pretty quickly.
The quattro four-wheel drive is of course a huge benefit but the real advantage comes from fitting winter tyres. These have certainly earned their worth over the past month where temperatures at times were sitting at -7 C in rural Rutland (well all of Rutland is pretty rural) for several days. The different compound of the tyre means they are much more flexible at low speeds, like a tyre should be in normal conditions, which helps grip and traction. In slippery corners you certainly feel the difference and on inclines covered in fast settling snow the tyres have coped with no problems.
The other thing I've had to deal with is fog. Thick fog. And it was on one of these foggy days that I discovered that the A6 doesn't have conventional front foglights. Instead of the usual two switches on an Audi for front and rear fogs, the A6 has a different button - with a little rain cloud above it. A quick look in the handbook reveals that they're 'all-weather lights' but doesn't give you any more info than that.
However after a little more investigating I've discovered that these all-weather lights are effectively a step up from normal foglights. They still do a similar thing when you switch them on - the extra light is housed in the main headlight assembly and directs down to light up the same area that a front fog light would. The space where the front fogs woule be is not taken up by the radar sensors for the adaptive cruise control system (if you have it fitted). On our car there's just grille!
But they're much more effective and have a 60-metre depth of field, which is apparently four times greater than conventional fog lights. They also use considerably less energy. In thick fog you certainly notice the difference with a better view of the road directly in front of you. On small country lanes this is essential when visibility is poor.
Auf Wiedersehen to our Audi
The past six months with our A6 have absolutely flown by and it's proved to be a real favourite so we're sad to be saying goodbye.
Date: 10 April 2012 | Current mileage: 10881 | Claimed economy: 47.9mpg | Actual economy: 43.2mpg
It only seems like a few weeks ago that our A6 arrived, all shiny and resplendently grey. But just six short months later the Audi is going back - and it will be sadly missed. We've covered more than 10,000 miles in that time and the A6 has proved faultless throughout. Not that I should be surprised. From day one it's been earning its keep, taking us to the Frankfurt motor show in October and since then it's racked up the miles, mainly on Britain's motorway network.
This is the environment the A6 is truly designed for. It's superbly refined at speed and incredibly quiet while the great S line sports seats provide good side and lumbar support. If you drive long distances you'll appreciate what a different a supportive seat makes. There's also plenty of room - you'll particularly notice the legroom if you're on the tall side and it's better than a BMW 5 Series in that respect. Despite having the privilege of driving a variety of different new cars during the course of my job, it always feels good to get back behind the wheel of the A6.
My one reservation about the A6 was the ride. As it's an S line model is gets stiffer sports suspension and a lower ride height. Combine that with the low profile tyres of the big 20-inch alloys we specified and it wouldn't appear a great recipe for comfort. However, it's proved surprisingly good and only really suffers on the kind of rough road surface that would similarly affect most cars. It's never crashy or bouncy and feels anything but stiff, yet the A6 is still very composed in corners with little in the way of body roll. It certainly doesn't feel like a big car.
I'm pleased I went for the quattro model too. It's more expensive than the front-wheel drive 3.0 TDI, but does have more power with 245PS compared to 204PS. It also gets an extra 100Nm of torque plus it's fitted with the more responsive S tronic automatic rather than the Multitronic CVT gearbox. Having four-wheel drive certainly made a difference when the A6 had to cope with snow and ice, as did having Dunlop winter tyres fitted.
The extra traction is very noticeable if you drive a quattro and then a standard front-wheel drive A6 back to back. The quattro is better away from corners or roundabouts, putting its considerable power down with much more ease. The S tronic gearbox is much more responsive too with faster shifts, so it kicks down with a bit more vigour.
I still love the look of the A6 too. It may not be especially daring, but in my opinion it's unfussy and stylish with a purposeful front end. The revised Audi A4 now shares the same look while the soon to be launched Audi A3 has a similar rear end - surprising considering how much smaller it is. The front daytime running lights give it a very distinctive look as do the rear light clusters. And with its Daytona Grey paintwork and those matching titanium-look alloy wheels our A6 still gets plenty of looks.
And the negatives? Well nothing has gone wrong in the last six months, not that you'd expect it on a car of this quality. My only gripes are that there's no iPod connection in the A6, although the absence of one in our car was purely my own fault for assuming it would come with as standard rather than be an optional extra. It does have an SD card slot as standard but when you're used to an iPod it's a bit of drag to have to spend time sorting out another medium for music.
The obvious comparison for anyone considering an A6 is with the BMW 5 Series. But there's also the Mercedes-Benz E-Class plus the Jaguar XF. And it's the the last of these which will be replacing our A6. Like the Audi it has a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine with similar power and torque so it will be interesting to go from one to the other.
The A6 will be very sadly missed though. As well as the good looks (and those great wheels), its blend of effortless performance, tidy handling and superb refinement has made it the perfect car. Audi likes to talk about the quality of its cars and the engineering that goes into each model. Six months with the A6 has proved that it's not just all talk. It's a car that has quality running throughout it.
