New Audi A6 C8 2018

This article is dated as shown. Laws, fees and prices have changed since then. Check the figures before you rely on them.

All the information on the new A6

In June 2018 the new Audi A6 goes on sale, with a fresh design and a host of innovations taken from the A8.

Presentation: from June 2018 the A6 will compete with the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes E-Class

The A6 comes with the latest infotainment system, sensors for autonomous driving and hybrid drivetrains in every version. The new Audi A6 makes its debut at the Geneva Motor Show (8 to 18 March 2018). Audi has not yet announced official prices. The starting price is expected to be around 44,000 euros. The A6 Avant estate will probably be presented at the Paris Motor Show in early October 2018.

Fans of the brand will certainly notice the wider grille at the front, whose upper edge sits flush with the headlights. The revised front end looks sportier than on the predecessor (the C7 generation). In profile, the large 21-inch wheels now stand out more. The overall length has hardly changed: plus 7 mm compared with the old A6, at 4,94 metres. The Audi is around 1,89 metres wide (plus 12 mm). The height has changed minimally and is 1457 mm (plus 2 mm). On the outside, the designers have noticeably reworked the side line. The heavily accentuated wheel arches make the new A6 look aggressive, especially with the optional S-Line package. At the rear, the A6 uses chrome trim similar to the larger A8 model. The developers dropped the continuous rear light bar. Audi is particularly proud of the aerodynamics, namely a drag coefficient of 0,24. It should not be forgotten, however, that this lowest figure applies to a model not yet available on the market: the more economical version of the A6.

Interior

The interior of the new Audi A6 has become more spacious. The cabin architecture is similar to that of the A7 and A8: Virtual Cockpit, a 10.1-inch main monitor, plus an 8.6-inch control panel. But let us be honest: the A6 has more room than is actually needed. Very high-quality materials are used. Expensive wood alternates with aluminium.

Equipment

As for equipment, the A6 options list has plenty of interest; the colour choice includes 15 paints, eight of which are new mixed shades. Factory wheels go up to 21 inches in diameter, which will probably surprise most customers, because the standard wheels start at 17 inches. For the exterior, Audi offers the familiar “sport” and “design” variants. In addition, the S-Line exterior package can be ordered. Headlights can be chosen from three options: standard LED headlights, “LED Matrix” or “LED HD Matrix Beam”. Four design packages are available (basic, sport, design and the S-Line sport package). Each has its own colour scheme for the interior. There are also two Ambient light packages for cabin lighting. For the right sound, the A6 can be fitted with a Bang & Olufsen audio system. The options list also includes the Air Quality Paket, a panoramic roof and a heated windscreen, all of which will probably make the A6 an interesting purchase.

An important innovation is the semi-autonomous driving system. This is the system currently being trialled on the A7. The electronics will be able to drive the car on its own on motorways at speeds of up to 60 km per hour. So that the electronic assistants work without interruption, the A6 (as well as the A7) has a sensor cleaning system.

The 8.6-inch touchscreen lets you adjust the seats and the climate control and search for information online. A particular advantage is the haptic and acoustic feedback, which imitates mechanical keys when typing on the screens. Combined with the 12.3-inch virtual cockpit, classic instruments and buttons are almost entirely absent from the A6. The display shows important information directly in the driver's line of sight. Even less distraction is promised by the voice recognition, which searches both cloud and on-board information for answers. Audi also promises that navigation with HERE maps will be capable of learning. To make sure the maps are always up to date, six half-yearly updates are included in the price, after which updates have to be paid for.

The A6 price list has four engines. Audi mainly relies on diesel engines. The first is a two-litre four-cylinder with 204 hp and 400 Nm of torque. It is followed by a three-litre V6 diesel with 231 hp and 500 Nm. The top diesel is a more powerful version of the three-litre V6 with 286 hp and 620 Nm. The only petrol engine available at the start of sales in June 2018 is also the most powerful engine option of the new A6: the 3.0 TFSI with 340 hp and 500 Nm of torque and a top speed of 250 km/h. Whichever engine is fitted in the A6, the car is always a mild hybrid. A belt-driven starter generator feeds a lithium-ion battery and recuperates up to 12 kW (V6 models). The 3.0 TFSI and the four-cylinder TDI are paired with the seven-speed S-tronic automatic transmission. The two V6 diesel engines work with the eight-speed Tiptronic.