Audi reveals ‘mild-hybrid plus’ A6 Avant

AUDI has lifted the covers on its latest luxe wagon, the A6 Avant, which takes the fight to BMW’s 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class wagon options.

The Ingolstadt brand knows a thing or two about building a slick wagon, but its naming conventions have become somewhat confused with this model originally slated to wear the A7 nameplate.

See, Audi had made the decision to use even numbers for its EV models and odd numbers for its ICE runners, but a recent backlash from customers and dealers, when the longstanding A4 became the A5, led to a prompt backflip for the A6.

Audi will now use supplementary badging to determine a vehicle’s powertrain, but the A5 naming – used for the renamed A4 – is here to stay.

The new A6 Avant model features updated styling that is suitably aggressive, underpinned by a revised chassis treatment that Audi says aims to achieve both sportiness and comfort.

According to Audi, the entire path from the steering wheel to the tyres has been “stiffened up”, which includes changes to the torsion bar, steering rack, control arm bushings, and there have also been camber tweaks at the front axle.

To further enhance performance, the A6 Avant will be offered with optional extras like all-wheel steering, adaptive air suspension and Quattro Sport differential.

According to Audi, the new A6 Avant is slippery too with a drag coefficient of 0.25Cd – the lowest the brand has achieved in a combustion-engine wagon thus far.

This is achieved through the use of large air curtains and controllable intakes at the front, while a roof spoiler, diffuser and aero panels at the rear further aid in reducing drag.

Inside, the A6 Avant scores an array of displays with an 11.0-inch digital dash, 12.5-inch centre display and 10.9-inch passenger display.

An adjustable panoramic glass roof, which can be switched from light to dark, allows precise lighting of the cabin – technology borrowed from the e-tron A6 variant.

The A6 Avant is available with a choice of three powerplants, all mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission; a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel producing 150kW/400Nm, a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol producing 150kW/340Nm and a top-spec 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol option producing 270kW/550Nm.

The diesel engine and top-spec V6 also feature Audi’s MHEV Plus mild-hybrid system, which is a beefed-up version of its earlier 48-volt system that makes use of a larger 1.76kWh battery pack and two electric motors to aid with take-off and torque boosting once moving.

Only the V6-equipped models receive all-wheel drive as standard, but it’s an optional extra for models running the diesel donk.

“We are writing the next chapter in our Avant history: The new Audi A6 unites an elegant and dynamic design with exceptional aerodynamics,” said Audi chief executive, Gernot Döllner.

“With the A6, we are now renewing an important model series.

“Efficient yet high‑performance drive systems and cutting-edge suspension technology combine sportiness with a high level of comfort, making traveling in the A6 a first-class experience.”

While the Audi A6 Avant has launched in Europe, with the first orders on track to be delivered by May, the model’s local arrival timing and pricing are yet to be confirmed.