Audi A6 vs Lamborghini Aventador

What's the difference?

I was thoroughly impressed by the Audi A6 Allroad 45 TDI quattro 2020 model. It is excellent on road, resolved and comfortable on unsealed surfaces, and very well packaged for family touring.

I’d personally have it in a heartbeat over a Q7 or any SUV, for that matter. I can understand why some buyers wouldn’t consider it, but if you’re someone who likes to think outside of the boxy SUV, then be sure to take a look at the Audi A6 Allroad.

The Aventador isn't the best car you can buy for the money and truth be told, it isn't the best Lamborghini, which is a bit tough when you remember the only other car they make at the moment is the V10 Huracan. But it's all about the theatre as much as being a very capable supercar. 

I'm not a Lamborghini fanboy, but I completely get the Aventador. It's a because-we-can car, just like the Murcielago, Diablo and Countach before it. But unlike those cars, it's thoroughly modern and with the upgrades introduced to the S, it's faster, harder and enormously entertaining. 

As the last of a dying breed it delivers on everything a Lamborghini should - amazing looks, nutty price tag and an engine that excites not just driver and passenger but anyone with a heartbeat. It's by far the most charismatic car you can buy, no matter how many zeroes are on the cheque.

Photography by Rhys Vanderside

If this isn’t the best looking genre of car, I must have been blindfolded since birth. You might think differently - be sure to let me know in the comments section below.

But for me, I just love the idea of a station wagon that is beefed up with SUV styling cues, and the Audi Allroad formula has been en pointe for generations now. This latest A6 Allroad doesn’t disappoint, either, with all the elements you’d expect.

Things like the bulging contrasting wheel-arch liners, the rugged underbody protection bash plates, and even the silver roof rails and silver metallic side sill protectors with ‘quattro’ emblazoned upon them - it just all works. 

And being an Audi A6 wagon underneath the glittery bits, it’s a sizeable vehicle. The dimensions read like so: length - 4951mm; wheelbase - 2925mm; width - 1902mm; height - 1458mm, though that depends on the height of the air suspension. 

The A6 Allroad sits about 45 millimetres higher than the standard A6 Avant wagon (not sold in Australia). And the ground clearance also varies depending on the air suspension height setting, but it is officially recorded at 139mm - which isn’t very high at all, but that’s for the regular driving setup. In its raised height, that jumps by 45mm to 184mm. Nowhere near an off-road Toyota, but still high enough to stop the belly from scraping.

And there are other hardware bits to help you out if the going gets tough - out of sight is Audi’s ‘quattro’ all-wheel drive system with a self-locking centre differential that the brand says provides “superior traction and its high level of safety and agile handling”. There is hill descent control, and the infotainment screen can display the location, elevation, compass and driving angles, too.

As for the design of the interior? It’s high-tech Audi opulence and comfort at its best. Check out the interior pictures to see what I mean.

Asking if there's anything interesting about a Lamborghini design is kind of like asking if the sun is warm.

While there are some geese out there in the corners of the internet who think Audi has ruined Lamborghini styling, there is absolutely nothing shy about the Aventador. It's an incredible looking machine and, if I may say so, shouldn't be had in black because you miss a lot of the madder details.

This car is all about the experience.

It might look close to the deck in the photos, but however low you think it is, it's lower. The roofline barely makes it to the bottom of a Mazda CX-5's windows - you need your wits about you in this car because people just don't see you.

It is absolutely spectacular - people stop and point, one chap sprinted an easy 200 metres to take a photo of it in the Sydney CBD. Hello, if you're reading.

Inside is pretty tight indeed. It's amazing to think that a car 4.8 metres long (a Hyundai Santa Fe is 4.7 metres) struggles to contain two people over six feet tall. My six foot two photographer's head left an impression in the headlining. It's a tiny cabin. It's not a bad one though, it even has a cupholder on the rear bulkhead behind the seats.

The centre console is covered in Audi-based switchgear and is all the better for it, even if it is starting to look a bit old (those bits are from a pre-facelift B8 A4). The alloy gearshift paddles are fixed to the column and are brilliant to look at and touch, while the digital dashboard - which changes with the driving mode - is fantastic even if the reversing camera is awful.

Technical. Practical. Glorious. Three words I’d use to describe the cabin of the Audi A6 Allroad. 

The cockpit isn’t anything out of the ordinary for an Audi of the modern era, and as such it will feel familiar to you if you’ve been in or around any of its more recent stablemates. It also means that you’ll find yourself in a high-end, high-tech and highly pleasant interior. The materials used are beautiful and of a high standard. They look very nice and it is an extremely pleasant place to be. And you can hate on me if you want, but I’m sold on brown leather. Yummo!

It will take some time for you to get to grips with the dual-touchscreen layout of the cabin, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature.

The media screen is very easy to use, the menus are simple to learn, and over my week there were absolutely no issues with Apple CarPlay - either when connected via USB, or when used wirelessly.

The second screen below controls a lot of the main functions of the air conditioning system, and while I’m not a huge fan of using a screen to touch through temperature and fan controls, this one has haptic feedback and is well positioned - it’s not as much of a glance away from the road as in, say, a Land Rover or Range Rover. There’s also a volume knob which is good, and quick buttons for Drive Select and demister for front and rear windscreens.

In terms of the practicalities, there are bottle holders in the doors, a pair of cup holders between the front seats, a covered centre console bin with Qi wireless phone charging (remember not to leave your phone in there!) and there are two USB ports in there, plus a SIM card slot and SD card slot as well.   

The seat comfort is very good - there’s electric adjustment on both seats with lumbar adjustment, and the driver’s seat gets memory settings as well. The electric steering wheel adjust is a nice touch as well, and there’s a remote boot release trigger, too.

There are twin sunroofs, and the front one can tilt and slide while the rear one is fixed. It helps lighten things up a bit if you have the optional dark headlining, which I personally wouldn’t choose.

Rear seat space is excellent. Sitting behind my own 182cm driver’s seat position, I had easily enough legroom, headroom and shoulder room - in fact, the rear pew is so accommodating, it could easily fit three of me across - but foot space is a little tight due to the large transmission tunnel. 

Those in the back are well catered for – there are 2x USB ports, a pair of large door pockets with bottle holders, twin mesh map pockets, a flip down armrest with storage and cupholders, and our car had quad zone climate control (as part of the optional Premium Plus package - standard is three-zone climate), plus there are centrally mounted directional air vents and in the door pillars at face height. Our tester also had those optional manual sunblinds, which would certainly help those in the back get some shut-eye on longer trips. 

The centre section of the rear seat can be split folded down on its own as well – so you have 40:20:40 rear seat folding, which is great for skis or snowboards. Plus there are two ISOFIX child seat attachments and three top-tether points available for baby seats. And one of the most excellent additions to any car ever – illuminated seat belt buckle receivers. It just makes it that much easier to see at night.

If you need to fold down those rear seats, there are boot-mounted triggers. That’ll help expand the luggage capacity from the standard 565 litres (VDA) to an expansive 1680L (VDA). The cargo hold easily fit the three CarsGuide suitcases (124L, 95L and 36L) with room to spare.

There is no Audi Allroad seven seater, though. And that’s potentially where something like a Q7 makes more sense, depending on your intent. 

Yes, well. There's not a lot of space because a V12 is not just big all on its own, all the ancillaries to support it rob a lot of the remaining space. Having said that, there's room in the front for soft bags with a 180-litre front boot, space for two people inside, a cupholder and a glove box.

And the doors open up into the sky rather than out like a normal car's. Who cares if it's impractical, it's hardly something that's going to stop someone buying one.

As with any Italian supercar, the price-to-feature ratio is rather higher than your average humdrum hatchback. A 'naked' Aventador S starts at a horse-spooking $789,425 and basically has no direct competition. Ferrari's F12 is front-mid engined and any other V12 is either a decidedly different Rolls Royce-type machine or super-expensive niche manufacturer (yes, niche compared to Lamborghini) like Pagani. They're a rare very breed, Lambo knows it, and here we are a sneeze-on-the-spec sheet away from $800,000.

So you have to keep two things in mind when rating a car's value for money at this level. The first is that there isn't any real rival in a pure sense, and if there was, it would be the same price and have the same spec. That's not excusing it, by the way, it's an explanation.

Anyway.

For your eight hundy you get 20-inch front wheels and 21-inch rears, climate control, cruise control, 7.0-inch screen (backed by an older version of Audi's MMI), four-speaker stereo with Bluetooth and USB, car cover, bi-xenon headlights, carbon ceramic brakes, electric seats, windows and mirrors, leather trim, sat nav, keyless entry and start, four-wheel steering, leather trim, digital dashboard, power folding and heated mirrors, active rear wing and active suspension.

The number of out-of-the-box options is staggering and if you're keen to really get on it, you can commission your own options when it comes to trim and paint and wheels. Let's just say that as far as the interior went, our car had almost $29,000 of Alcantara, steering wheel and yellow. The telemetry system, heated seats, some extra branding and front and reversing camera (uh-huh) added up to $24,000, the cameras almost half that total.

With all the bits and bobs, the test car we had was a sobering $910,825 before on-roads.

Under the bonnet of the Audi A6 Allroad is what Audi labels the ‘45 TDI’ - a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine that produces 183kW of power (from 2750-4500rpm) and 600Nm of torque (from 1500-3000rpm).

The engine is only available mated to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission and Audi’s renowned ‘quattro’ all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. 

Audi claims this 1980kg wagon can run from 0-100km/h in just 6.5 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 250km/h. It is a hummer of an engine - more on that in the driving section below.

Towing capacity is pegged at 750kg for an unbraked trailer, and maxes out at 2500kg for a braked trailer.

Should Aussies feel short changed when it comes to the engine options here? Arguably, yes - and that’s despite the powertrain offered here still being a stormer. 

There’s only one spec available Down Under, and even it doesn’t get the most up-to-date emissions tech. There isn’t AdBlue urea treatment (meaning this is a Euro 5 engine), and our cars have essentially been de-specced to miss out on the latest 48-volt mild-hybrid tech, which is standard on all grades of the A6 Allroad in Europe. Maybe that is part of the reason the cost is down, this time around. 

And while the outputs of the 45 TDI in Australia are pretty decent, other markets have the A6 Allroad offered in 50 TDI (210kW/620Nm) and 55 TDI (257kW/700Nm) trims. Remember, though - this is a very niche player here. 

The Aventador S is powered by Automobili Lamborghini's 6.5-litre V12. You know it's a V12 because there's a plate on top of the engine (which you can see through the optional glass cover) that says so, and handily, tells you the cylinder firing order. That's a neat touch.

Buried deep in the middle of the car, this monster engine develops an astonishing 544kW (30kW up on the standard Aventador) and 690Nm. Its dry sump means the engine sits lower in the car. The gearbox is slung across the back between the rear wheels - the rear pushrod suspension actually sits on top of and across the gearbox - and is apparently brand new.

The transmission is known as an ISR (Independent Shift Rod) and has seven forward speeds and still just the one clutch. Power goes through all four wheels to the road, but it's clear the rears get the lion's share.

The 0-100km/h time is the same as the standard car, which kind of tells you that 2.9 seconds is about as quick as you can go on road tyres when you don't have four electric motors with torque from zero rpm.

Audi claims the 45 TDI powertrain in the A6 Allroad will use 6.6 litres per 100 kilometres. That’s the official Australia fuel consumption figure on the combined-cycle test. CO2 emissions are claimed at 174g/km.

During my time in the Audi A6 Allroad I saw an average fuel use return of 7.4L/100km - which was taken over highways, back roads, unsealed roads and twisty bits. There was even some urban stop-start in there, too. I think that’s pretty darn good for a car of this size.

Fuel tank capacity is 63 litres, meaning a real-world range of 851km based on my fuel consumption.

As mentioned above, the A6 Allroad is a mild hybrid model in other markets, but not in Australia. We don’t even get the Euro 6-compliant version here, as there’s no incentive for it to be offered locally - as in, there’s not even AdBlue treatment. 

There’s no electric version (though you might want to look at the all-new Audi e-tron)  or plug in hybrid, and no petrol model either.

Hilariously, the official figure is 16.9L/100km. I doubled it without trying. Simple as that. If you're buying this car thinking it will be easy on the juice, you're insane.

Cheeringly, Lambo has at least tried, the V12 going silent when you sit at the lights, the best thing being the way it bursts back into life when you lift off the brake.

If you have the time available, it takes 90 litres of premium unleaded to fill the tank.

Here’s where the A6 Allroad separates itself from, say, an Audi Q5 or Q7. It’s a low-slung wagon, made for touring on country roads, doubling down on dirt backtracks and cruising comfortably on the freeway.

It’s not as upright as a Q5 or Q7, and that means it has a lower centre of gravity - so it feels more hunkered down, more settled into the surface below.  

And in the case of the A6 Allroad, there’s adaptive air suspension all around to cushion the car from what lies beneath. For the most part, that air suspension is superb - it absorbs big bumps and lumps very well, though the oversized 21-inch optional wheels can’t disguise sharp edges from those in the cabin. 

The general compliance is very good, and as I found out first hand, you can easily soak up hundreds of kilometres without feeling the affects of the road underneath you - even over bumpy country back roads and lumpy dirt sections.

The steering could be better; it’s a little bit vague and heavy on centre at higher pace, but at lower speeds it is light and amicable. Very easy to park despite its size, and easy to manoeuvre around town, too.

The engine builds pace with superb linearity, and it’s very quiet and refined as well. There is a tiny bit of turbo lag at lower speeds or from a standstill – but it is completely manageable and never feels like it’s sluggish at all. The 0-100km/h claim of 6.5 seconds seems achievable, too. 

The eight-speed automatic transmission was mostly very smart and well sorted - although in other VAG models with this engine family/eight-speed auto, the transmission never felt quite as busy at higher speeds. I noticed it shuffling between seventh and eighth gears more than I was expecting, given how much torque the engine has. It’s not annoying at all, and nor is it unrefined, and could well have something to do with attempting to save fuel rather than leaving it in top gear.

During night driving, the optional HD Matrix LED headlights were exceptional - among the best headlight technology that I’ve ever encountered. The ‘matrix’ technology means they can blank out oncoming traffic or cars in front of you while keeping the high-beam on in other areas. The auto headlights with auto high beam worked very well, too.

The plan was never to do a serious off road review, but I did do some driving on unsealed roads and found the Allroad to be excellent. 

Through slippery unsealed corners it exhibited excellent traction, though you can feel the weight of the car shifting from side to side when you pivot through corners. There was a touch of skittishness over mid-corner bumps, but again that could be more to do with the big wheels than anything else.

I came away thinking that if you had your eyes closed, you wouldn’t even know that you were on dirt or gravel. It really is an exceptional car across sealed and unsealed roads. 

In Strada or Street mode, awful. Everything is slow and doughy, particularly the gearshift which goes looking for a gear like dog looking for a stick you didn't throw, but instead hid behind your back. The low-speed ride is nothing less than terrible, fidgeting over every single lump and bump and is only slightly more appealing than being dragged along behind.

The gearbox is really the worst bit about it. Automotive history is littered with cars that laboured along with a single clutch semi-auto: Alfa Romeo 156, BMW's E60 M5 and today the Citroen Cactus is stuck with just such a dud transmission.

Like that old M5, however, there's a trick to making the gearbox work for you - show absolutely no mercy.

Switch the selector up to Sport, get off the highway or major arterial road and head for the hills. Or better still, a clear race track. Then the Aventador goes from a pain in the rear to a glorious, roaring, completely unhinged and unhinging battle cruiser. This car is all about the experience, from the second you lay eyes on it to the moment you put it to bed.

This isn't an everyday supercar and it's absurd to think Lamborghini thinks it is.

First up, there's the obvious entry point with those wacky doors. While it's tricky to get in, if you're under six feet and reasonably mobile, stick your backside in, keep your head down and you're in. If you've been clever, you've specified the glass engine cover so you can see out the back but the huge wing mirrors are surprisingly effective.

Has someone thoughtlessly parked the car in a tight spot? No trouble, the four wheel steer makes the car absurdly manoeuvrable given its extravagant length and width.

As we've already established, it's not much fun at low speeds, waiting until about 70km/h before things start to make a bit more sense. This isn't an everyday supercar and it's absurd to think Lamborghini thinks it is. It just isn't.

The old Aventador was not the most capable of machines but made up for it with its overall belligerence. The new S takes that aggro and dials it up. When you move the drive mode to Sport you are basically unleashing hell. You can pretend to be super-masculine and switch to Corsa (race) mode, but it's all about getting the car straight and getting you around the track in the most efficient way possible. Sport is where it's at if you want to have fun.

The Aventador is about being seen, but not before you've been heard - from two postcodes away. It really is utterly glorious when you have a stretch of road to yourself. The V12 revs furiously to its 8400rpm redline and the wallop of the upshift is accompanied with a fantastic bark and a burst of blue flame. And these aren't the best bits.

Approach a corner, stomp on the colossal carbon ceramic brakes and the exhaust erupts in a combination of bangs and pops and growls that puts a smile on even the most hardened car-hater's face. The fact it steers into corners with just a demure roll of the wrist, aided and abetted by that funky four-wheel steering system. It's just brilliant, addictive and truth be told, it gets under your skin.

The Aventador doesn't have an ANCAP safety rating but the carbon chassis also comes with four airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls.

Audi offers a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is as good as BMW, but not as good as Lexus (four years/100,000km) or Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Genesis (five years/unlimited kilometres). It’s falling behind in the luxury sphere.

The company offers reasonably priced capped price ownership plans for maintenance. Purchasers can roll in the cost of either a three-year service plan ($2170) or a five-year plan ($3300). That covers off the usual service items due every 12 months/15,000km.

Roadside assist is included for the period of the new car warranty.

In an unexpected twist, you'll get a three-year/100,000km warranty and the option to increase to four years ($11,600!) or five years ($22,200!)(!). Having recovered from typing that, given the cost of something going wrong, that's probably money well-spent.