New Audi A6 to be shown at the Geneva Motor Show

Tue, 17 Feb 2004

The new Audi A6 made it's first public appearance this week in Berlin. The fundamental proportions of the A6 with its low-slung windows and coupe-like roofline now comes with greater tension and dynamism. A prominent bodyside line above the side sills sweeps upward to meet the rear bumper edge, giving the entire body of the car a forward-pushing, dynamic thrust. The new single-frame grille sits within a distinctively curved hood form that shows the AutoUnion racer heritage. The vertical grille theme is reinforced by the sharply defined bodyside edges that link the headlamps and lower facia.

The A6 features optional dynamic adaptive light technology incorporating powerful xenon plus units that help see around corners. The headlights follow the course of the road ahead as a function of steering angle and road speed, substantially improving the quality of illumination.

The interior design theme stresses a sporting character and excellent ergonomics. A joint cover at the top connects the central instrument panel and the upper part of the centre console facing slightly towards the driver to form one common unit. An electromechanical parking brake is used, which allowed the designers greater freedom in the design of the console and armrest for improved ergonomics and comfort. The MMI control terminal is behind the gearshift lever, with the display close to the driver's line of vision, integrated beneath the top dashboard cover.

A new generation of Audi steering wheels is also making its production debut in the new A6. The three- and four-spoke steering wheels feature a single-frame trapezoid centrepiece with the four Audi rings on the central airbag cap.

The new Audi A6 is entering the market initially with a total of five power units fitted in longitudinal arrangement ? three petrol and two TDI engines. The 4.2 and 3.0 TDI models come as standard with quattro all-wheel drive, which is optional on the 3.2 FSI.

The wheelbase of the A6 is up by 83 millimetres over the car's predecessor to 2843 millimetres. This means additional legroom for the front passengers, plus extra knee room at the rear. Shoulder room at the front is up by 23 millimetres, with an extra 6 millimetres at the rear. The A6 measures 4.92 metres in length, 1.86 metres in width, and 1.46 metres in height