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2006 Audi A6 WHAT AUDI HAS TO SAY ABOUT THIS CAR: ( Source: Audi Press Release) Audi will introduce its 2005 A6 sedan, round two of the company's sedan design treatments with big grilles, at the Geneva International Motor Show in March. Having displayed the A8 L 6.0 quattro sedan, the first production model with the new look, at January's North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Audi plans to spread big grilles across its range. The new A6 will go on sale in late October or early November with an estimated price of $40,000 for V-6 models and $50,000 for V-8's. Although the A6 is Audi's second-best seller after the entry-level A4 sedan, sales of the A6 line in the United States were down to 17,585 in 2003 from 24,372 in 2002, a decline of 28%. The car has been getting old. Audi hopes that the model's new design and aggressive face will boost sales of the mid-luxury A6, which competes against other high-volume sedans such as BMW's 5-series and DaimlerChrysler's (nyse: DCX - news - people ) Mercedes-Benz E-class. Audi, which is owned entirely by Volkswagen, has made no secret of its plans to build sportier, more aggressive cars with bigger engines. While the flagship A8 L 6.0 quattro will have a beastly 12-cylinder engine when it goes on sale by the end of this year, Audi's new A6 will feature an engine range that tops out with a 4.2-liter V-8, an adaptation of the hot-rod S4's engine, that makes 335 horsepower in its new home. Like the last A6, this one will come with the choice of front- or all-wheel drive. Manual and automatic transmissions will have six gears on the A6, making for better performance and efficiency than the four- or five-speed units that grace most cars. Audi excels at design. Its interiors are the best in the auto business after blue-bloods like Rolls-Royce, and its exteriors are sharp and purposeful. The new A6 may have a more aggressive grille, but the car is dignified and well-proportioned, like its predecessor; if you want to draw more attention to yourself, get Audi's two-door TT, a classic sports car. The new A6's grille is flanked by xenon headlights. Audi's first set of adaptive headlights, which can bend around corners to follow the car's trajectory, are optional on the new vehicle. The company also says the new A6 will be the first car in the world to combine the xenon, adaptive lights with daytime running lights. Audi has redesigned several of the A6's interior components, such as the instrument panel and steering wheel. The center console was modelled on the stately unit in the A8 flagship, and the A6's handbrake has been replaced with an electro-mechanical switch, making more room for the front armrests. More room, in general, was the order of the day for the new A6; front legroom, rear knee room, front and rear shoulder room and the car's wheelbase--the distance from the center of the front wheel to the center of the rear--have all increased. Overall, we expect the new A6 to be a welcome revision to an already-excellent sedan. Overhauling the A8 first was a smart move for Audi, because the technology and features on that gorgeous flagship have trickled into the new A6. Like the A8, the new A6 will offer an optional air suspension (as of 2005), whose riding height can be adjusted with the multimedia interface on the center console--another feature imported from the A8. By keeping the new
vehicle's proportions similar to those of the old, Audi is showing that
the A6 needed fine-tuning, not a complete rethinking. Audi says it has
ironed out some of the few complaints it has faced about the vehicle,
such as a need for more precise steering. Unless you think the new grille
is so big that it could eat you for breakfast, you too will appreciate
the attention Audi has given the new A6. OUR TAKE ON THE AUDI A6: The Audi A6 sedan and wagon competes with the BMW 5 Series, Lexus GS Series, Mercedes E Class and Infiniti M Class. The Audi A6 sports plush amenities such as its tiptronic shifting, quattro all wheel drive system, plus Audi's signature styling that crosses the bridge between the A4 and the luxury flagship A8. Other Audi Vehicles you may be interested in: Audi A3, Audi Nuvolari, Audi Shooting Brake, Audi A5, Audi A6, Audi A8, Audi A4, Audi S4, Audi RS4, Audi TT, Audi Q7 RELATED ARTICLES, REVIEWS AND SITES:
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