2004 Audi A6 Reviews

Audi A6 is a medium-large car much loved by those who like a solid touch of sportiness in their transport.

For many years Audi lagged behind arch rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW models in the prestige car stakes in Australia.That was despite it holding equal ranking in most European countries. However, Audi is now seen as one of the ‘big three’ in the eyes of upmarket Australian buyers.The so-called single-frame grille, with its huge radiator grille has been a stroke of genius in automotive design and is arguably the main reason for the big increase in sales in recent years. In Australia, aggressive marketing and a willingness to throw serious money at marketing the brand has also played a major part. The subject of this week’s used-car review, the A6, is the mid-size vehicle in the Audi range.It replaced the Audi 100 in November 1994, but struggled in the sales race in its early days. A virtually all-new A6 reached Australia in November 1997 improved things somewhat so we will start looking in detail at the A6 from that model onwards.The aforementioned single-frame grille reached the A6 range in Australia in August 2005 and things really started to hike along. Interior design has been a strong point with Audis for many years and the cabin is close to immaculate in the way it’s themed and then constructed.The Audi A6 has high levels of noise, vibration and harshness suppression that make it a very capable high-speed cruiser. Interior space is OK for five adults, though lack of support in the centre-rear position makes it a noticeably less comfortable position than the other seats.Boot space is very good in the sedan. Audi A6 has a reasonably strong presence in the prestige station wagon market in Australia, though not to the huge extent it does on its home market. Handling is better than average for a front-wheel-drive car, though the powertrain layout, with the engine being mostly in front of the axle, means the nose-heavy machine tends to push slightly wide on corners.This has been toned down with each successive model, but is still a weak point compared with other vehicles in this upmarket German class. Owners who are more interested in the aforementioned waft-along cruising are unlikely to ever experience the understeering.There is the option of Audi’s famous quattro all-wheel-drive system for added traction on slippery roads. It too can suffer from front-end push but does so at higher cornering efforts. Quattro isn't on offer in all models, but is well worth the extra money if you’re a keen driver.Engines are many and varied, with petrol and diesel units on offer. In the petrol lineup there's everything from turbocharged, 2.0-litre four-cylinder units to a sweet little V6 with a capacity of just 2.4 litres and larger V6s displacing 2.8, 3.0 and 3.2 litres.These are complex cars and it's best that you have all work, other than the vary basics of servicing, done professionally. Audi dealers are generally restricted to major metropolitan areas but you will find some in major country centres as well. Contact Audi's head office in Sydney for further information.Insurance costs are relatively high, but no more than you would expect from quality cars built from top-end materials. Premiums don’t usually vary a lot between major players, but it's always worth shopping around for the best deal. Make sure you are comparing like with like before making your decision. As well as the standard A6 models, Audi also imports high-performance variants. Called, in ascending order of performance, Audi A6 S Line, Audi S6 and Audi RS6, the latter are sold in pretty limited numbers and are aimed at a very specialised market, so won’t be examined in detail here.WHAT TO LOOK FORRust is rare as Audi was a pioneer in using all-galvanised panels in its bodies. Poor crash repairs which didn’t see the metal being properly protected can still lead to troubles.Interiors are finished to a very high standard and last well. Nevertheless, careless owners can still cause damage so check the complete interior. Sun damage, even on cars that have been kept outside continuously, is rare, but check the upper surfaces of the dashboard as well as the condition of the rear parcel shelf.Look for oil leaks from early V6 engines and if the engine. Be sure the cam drive belt has been replaced on schedule. Look for oil leaks from the power-steering rack and the hoses connected to it.Check that the automatic transmission works smoothly and does not change gears when it shouldn’t. If a tiptronic is fitted run it up and down through the gears to make sure it selects them quickly.CAR BUYING TIPBeware the social-climbers who have bought cars they can’t afford to maintain correctly. If you can’t examine the service books be very suspicious. 

If the company cannot break into the luxury car segment in Australia with a vehicle of the calibre of the new A6, then it has no right calling itself a premium brand, says caretaker manager Wayne Griffiths.Mr Griffiths was speaking on the eve of the car's launch in Sydney, an occasion marked by the resignation of Audi Australia boss Graham Hardy who is leaving to pursue a career with parent company Volkswagen.The announcement follows close on the heels of the resignation of Volkswagen Australia boss Peter Nochar.Sales of both company's cars have been below the expectations of their parent company.The luxury car market is unusual in Australia because it is dominated by just two brands – Benz and BMW.The rest of the pie is divided between a sprinkling of other makes, Audi among them.It must be a bitter pill for the German company to swallow, especially as it manages to outsell BMW in its hometown.That said Audi might just be on to a winner with the new A6, although it must be said that it is up against some stiff competition in the form of BMW's new 5 Series and the Benz E Class.Until now the nondescript A6 has puttered along, barely distinguishable from the the smaller A4 and chalking up modest sales of about 200 cars a year.In stark contrast to the old A6 the new model has broad muscular lines, with a deep, dominant Jaguar style front grille.The large, trapezoidal shaped grille signals a distinct change in direction for the future design of all the company's models.At the rear of the car twin tailpipes flank a black cut out section not unlike the rear apron of the new Holden Monaro.On diesel models the tailpipes turn towards the ground, no doubt to keep soot from soiling the paintwork.From the side the profile is poised and sporty, with a short, pert upraised rump.Large alloys and plenty of rubber fill the guards which are perhaps not as pronounced as previous models.The new A6 comes with a choice of 2.4 or 3.0-litre V6 petrol engines, a 4.2-litre V8 or a 3.0-litre turbocharged diesel.The V6 is unfortunately not the new hi-tech 184kW 3.2-litre FSi engine that Audi had been hoping for (our low grade fuel has seen to that).But, regardless, the diesel is clearly the pick of the bunch, with 165kW of power and 450Nm of torque from a low 1400rpm.With the ability to zip from 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds, you can have your cake and eat it too with this one.Yet again Audi has demonstrated that diesel is just as good as petrol, even better really with its superior torque.We like the stronger lines of the new A6 and continue to wonder why Audi has not been more successful here?The build quality of the cars is certainly on par with anything from Benz and BMW.We have been able to sample all three engines at the launch and can report all perform well.The 130kW 2.4-litre engine is adequate in most circumstances and cruises just easily as either of the others.The larger 3.0-litre V6 offers better performance but is really just warming the seat for the 3.2-litre FSi.The V8 is of course the consummate performer with its unmistakable burble, but commands a steep premium.Prices for the A6 start from $83,900, topping out at $151,950 for the V8 Quattro model.