Whether or not you like the new look - and we like it - you'll never miss it on the road again. Audi is finally getting serious about grabbing the limelight, and the A6 has road presence by the bucket-load. We'd also argue its bold new clothes comprehensively shrug off the "overlooked underdog" tag. It's a significantly bigger car than before an extra 120mm in length, 45mm in width and 12mm in height takes it from the physical minnow to the biggest fish in its class. This model hits showrooms in Australia in October 2004, replacing one on sale since October 1997. Engines range from turbocharged diesels to high performance V8s capable of 250km/h-plus speeds, and equipment levels befit price tags that stretch from $80,000 to $150,000. It's 4.9m tip to toe, making it roughly the same size as a Holden Commodore, but competes in a more prestige-orientated class against heavyweights like BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-class and Jaguar S-Type. Audi also produces the stunning TT coupe and cabrio, the A4-based four-seat Cabriolet, and the Allroad crossover wagon. Australia today sees four core passenger car lines, namely the compact A3 hatch, small A4 sedan and wagon, A6 sedan and wagon, and the flagship A8 luxury sedan. The hundred year old German carmaker - which started as Auto Union, a combination of four car makers back in the early 1900s - now finds itself one of many brands within the Volkswagen Group, directly responsible for not only its own performance but that of Lamborghini and Seat also.Īudi significantly reinvented itself in the 1960s, and again in the early 1990s, when the sporty German completely renewed its model range and model names. It's often regarded as the third of the prestige German triumvirate behind the more popular BMW and Mercedes-Benz brands, but Audi is eager to assume what the company sees as its rightful place atop the luxury tree. But before we take a closer look at the best sedan Audi's ever built, let's quickly get a handle on where Audi fits into a crowded global marketplace. Lucky, then, that the A6 has the physical attributes to deliver on the promise. It's a design language that demands attention and promises excitement. The new A6 prestige sedan, launched globally in April 2004, presents a challenging and courageous new Audi face to the world, one that won't settle for a shrug of indifference from the consumer.
Walter Da Silva previously worked his magic for Alfa Romeo - the stunning 156 sedan flowed from his pen - and the new A6 is his latest masterpiece. It took an Italian designer to bring flair and excitement to the stodgy Audi brand, a carmaker where evocative designs have been more the exception than the rule.