AUDI likes to think of the 2009 A6 as more than just a facelift, but judging by how little the exterior has changed, you might disagree. However, there are real improvements in the areas of steering, suspension and safety, while a wider range of petrol and diesel engines should increase the appeal of the still-strikingly styled Audi against its BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-class and Lexus GS rivals. However, whether the four-ringed marque has gone far enough in changing the A6 against up-coming all-new versions of its compatriot competition remains to be seen.

Audi C6 A6 sedan
Released: October 2004
Ended: February 2009
Family Tree: A6AUDI’S sixth-generation large car (previously known as the 100 series, until 1994) brought striking design and refinement to its class, with front-wheel drive and quattro all-wheel drive derivatives. However, the surprise was the popularity of the 165kW/450Nm 3.0-litre V6 TDI quattro turbo-diesel mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. This transmission was also used in the short-lived 160kW/290Nm 3.0-litre V6 quattro petrol, as well as its 188kW/330Nm 3.2 FSI V6 quattro replacement, and the underrated 246kW/420Nm 4.2 V8 quattro. Front-wheel-drive models such as the 130kW/230Nm 2.4-litre V6 petrol and (from late 2007) 154kW/280Nm 2.8 V6 FSI utilised Audi’s Multitronic CVT transmission, although the latter also came in quattro guise with Tiptronic. In late 2006, a 125kW/280Nm 2.0-litre TFSI turbo-charged four-cylinder petrol engine appeared, driving the front wheels via an updated CVT7 gearbox. This was also available in the Avant wagon body style, along with the 2.4 V6 FWD and 3.2 V6 FSI quattro. Finally, from late 2008, Audi introduced the 426kW/650Nm RS6 quattro Avant flagship, as its response to the BMW M5. This was the ultimate C6-series A6, and a fabulously fast load carrier.
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