Audi A6 Avant photo gallery

Last week we brought you word of the new Audi S6 Avant. It was a bit rude of us not to bring you up to speed with the regular A6 Avant first.

To remedy that we’ve assembled a 50-plus strong image gallery, a brief teaser video and some lengthy press release downloads that have more info and details than you can fit in your 1680 litres of cargo space.

Car geeks will be overjoyed by the number of cutaway graphics highlighting the various construction, options and safety equipment fitted to the A6 range.

The party piece of the A6 Avant is its new 230kW biturbo 3.0 litre TDI with a tractor pulling 650Nm of torque. In fact the engine is so new you can’t actually buy it yet. You’ll just have to make to do with a piddly 180kW in your 3.0 TDI until the new unit is released; later this year we expect.

Euro estate chic awaits after the break.

The new Audi A6 Avant: success model and trendsetter

Ingolstadt, 2011-07-16 – Audi is once again leading the way – the new A6 Avant is the trendsetter in the business class. With its lightweight body and many other innovations, the sporty and comfortable Avant will continue the success story of the model line in what is now the sixth generation.

Even at a glance, the elegant, 4.93 meter (16.17 feet) long Audi A6 Avant gives an impression of great agility. Its proportions are sporty and elegant, with the low roof line terminating in the flat D-pillars. On request, Audi supplies the headlights and rear lights as LEDs, which are fascinating both in visual and technological terms; the powerful adaptive light is available for the xenon plus headlights.

The new Audi A6 Avant sets standards with its low weight. With aluminum components comprising roughly 20 percent of the body, Audi – the global pioneer in lightweight construction – has raised the bar once again. Gross weight has been reduced by as much as 70 kilograms (154.32 lb) compared with the previous model. The A6 Avant 2.0 TDI, for example, has a curb weight of just 1,640 kilograms (3,615.58 lb).

The interior is a sight to behold, with its sleek design, superb workmanship, generous array of equipment and exemplary ergonomics. The high-end options include a head-up display, ventilated front seats with a massage feature and an extensive selection of infotainment elements. Topping the range of infotainment options are the hard drive-based navigation system MMI navigation plus and the Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System.

Audi connect, a fully fledged Internet connection, also places the new Audi A6 Avant at the head of the pack. In partnership with Google, it brings special online services to the car, including a voice-controlled point of interest (POI) search. A Wi-Fi hotspot allows passengers to surf and email freely while on the road.

Another innovation, the Audi online traffic information service, accurately informs the driver in real time about possible traffic congestion on the selected route.

The brand’s high-tech assistance and safety systems lend even more confidence to driving. Some of these systems work closely together with MMI navigation plus, further enhancing their capabilities. New in the Audi line is the parking system plus with a 360° camera: this features four tiny cameras recording images of the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. The surroundings are displayed on the large on-board monitor in different views.

The luggage compartment of the new A6 Avant has a capacity of 565 liters (19.95 cubic ft), which can be increased to 1,680 liters (59.33 cubic ft) by folding down the rear seat backs. Audi also offers a wide range of other practical and refined features. They include the sensor-controlled, automatically opening tailgate: When the driver executes a valid pattern of movement underneath the rear bumper while standing at the rear, contactless sensors cause the tailgate to open.

Audi offers a choice of five engines with direct fuel injection for the new A6 Avant: two gasoline engines and three TDI units. These generate an output of between 130 kW (177 hp) and 220 kW (300 hp). They will be followed somewhat later by a biturbo 3.0 TDI with an output of 230 kW (313 hp). All of these power units combine power with pioneering efficiency – the fuel consumption has decreased by as much as 21 percent compared with their predecessors. The 2.0 TDI, for example, manages with only 5.0 liters of fuel per 100 km (47.04 US mpg) on average. All units employ the technologies from Audi’s modular efficiency platform.

Depending on the engine version, Audi gives the new A6 Avant different power transmissions – a 6-speed manual transmission, the continuously variable multitronic, the 8-stage tiptronic, optimized for fast gear shifting, or the sporty 7-speed S tronic. Besides the front-wheel drive the quattro permanent all-wheel drive stands ready. The optional sport differential flexibly distributes the power between the rear wheels.

The elaborate chassis combines sporty dynamics and luxurious comfort. The Audi drive select dynamic system, together with the efficiency mode, is standard on all turbocharged engines; the new electromechanical power steering operates with outstanding efficiency. In the front-wheel-drive variants, the ESP electronic stabilization program featuring an electronic limited slip differential makes the car’s handling even more precise. Options from Audi include adaptive air suspension and dynamic steering, with the latter to become available somewhat later.

The Audi A6 Avant will be available for sale in June 2011 at a base price of 40,850 euros.

The equipment and data specified in this document refer to the model range offered in Germany. Subject to change without notice; errors and omissions excepted.

At a glance

Body

• Length 4.93 meters (16.17 ft), wheelbase 2.91 meters (9.55 ft)
  
• Innovative body concept, many components made of aluminum
  
• Xenon plus and LED headlights as well as adaptive light option
  
• Variable cargo space from 565 to 1,680 liters (19.95 to 59.33 cubic ft), on request automatically opening tailgate with sensor control as well as electrical luggage compartment cover

Interior

• Spacious interior with ultra-comfortable character
  
• Generous standard equipment, wide array of options from the luxury class
  
• Head-up display, ambient lighting and front seats with ventilation and massage feature available on requests

Drivetrain

• At launch: two gasoline engines and three TDI units, all with direct injection
  
• 2.0 TDI with 130 kW (177 hp), average fuel consumption only 5.0 liters per 100 km (47.04 US mpg)
  
• A new, sporty biturbo 3.0 TDI generating 230 kW (313 hp) to follow somewhat later
  
• Manual transmission, multitronic, tiptronic and S tronic for the power transmission
  
• V6 engine standard or optionally with quattro drive
  
• quattro drive with self-locking center differential and torque vectoring, optional sport differential

Chassis

• New electromechanical power steering, dynamic steering on request
  
• Audi drive select dynamic system with new efficiency mode standard for all turbocharged engines
  
• Optional adaptive air suspension with controlled damping
  
• ESP with electronic limited slip differential for the models with front-wheel drive
  
• Elaborate suspension, powerful brakes, wheels up to 20 inches in diameter

Assistance and infotainment systems

• Advanced safety and assistance systems such as Audi pre sense, adaptive cruise control with stop & go function, Audi active lane assist, Audi side assist, night vision assistant, speed limit display and park assist system with 360° camera
  
• MMI navigation plus with MMI touch and 8-inch display on request
  
• Optional Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System with 15 speakers
  
• Full-fledged Internet connection, new online and traffic information services

Downloads

• Audi A6 Avant – Elegance and high-tech (344kb PDF)
• Audi A6 Avant – A new edition of a proven winner (164kb PDF)