The Car Connection Expert Review
Available in both sedan an Avant wagon forms, the A6 now offers an available S line package on the Avant (along with a 19-inch wheel upgrade). The much-anticipated V-10 S6 is on deck for a fall ’07 introduction. All A6 audio systems get MP3 capability and a trip computer/driver Information center is standard on all models. There’s also a new overhead console and a rearview camera system has been added to the Technology Package. The Avant carries specific styling and includes a cargo-securing rail system behind the seats; it can transport 20 cubic feet of cargo with the seats in place and 58.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. A power-operated tailgate is optional. A choice of powertrains across sedan and wagon lines includes a 3.2-liter V-6 that generates 255 horsepower; the 4.2-liter V-8 is up-rated to 350 horsepower (from 335 last year). Power is transferred to either the front or all four wheels in quattro all-wheel-drive versions by a gearless Multitronic continuously variable (CVT) automatic transmission. The gearless gearbox nevertheless can be “shifted” like a manual transmission in seven stages. A wealth of high-tech features includes optional adaptive xenon headlamps, which automatically pivot to illuminate the road through corners and a Multi-Media Interface (MMI), which incorporates navigation, audio, climate control, and other operations into a single system operated by a joystick-like center console control and dashboard-mounted video display.
