Motoring

Audi A6 S-line

If you’re looking beyond SUVs and hatchbacks to high-class saloon cars, the sporty, stylish and feature-packed Audi A6 should be at the top of your list, writes Bob Hickman

Audi is known for super interiors that use plush materials, as well as wonderful infotainment systems that allow you to control virtually all of the car at the touch of a screen. If that’s what you’re looking for, you are going to be delighted by the A6 and its interior facilities and capabilities.

The front seats have huge amounts of adjustment to let you find a comfortable position, with a memory facility in case someone else drives it. Headroom is excellent even if, like me, you are 6ft tall. On a couple of occasions I had to transport five adults to a function and the three in the back (including another six-footer) had ample head, knee and shoulder room. If a vehicle can carry five passengers, you also Bob is a devoted car and motorcycle fan. After a 30-year career as a need to be able to carry all their police motorcycle patrol luggage. There’s no problem on that front – the A6’s boot is cavernous. The quality of equipment is, “The quality of equipment officer and latterly as a sergeant, patrolling the motorways of the Midlands, as you would expect, on the high is, as you retirement beckoned and side: even the standard Sport model comes with leather seats, and smart, brushed aluminium trims. The sporty S-line I tested would expect, on the high side” he embarked on writing about his love of transport. Bob is a member of the Guild of Motor Writers and the Midland Guild of Motor had part leather and suede trim – a Writers. In his spare time very refreshing and eye-catching combination. he rides a Royal Enfield

The test car was the S-line 50 TFSi e quattro Continental GT motorcycle S Tronic, which had a 1984cc engine with power and drives a 1994 MG RV8. quoted as being 195bhp; being a hybrid we need to add an extra 105bhp for a total just under 300bhp – an exceptional amount of power. The battery is a small lithium one, not huge but sufficient to give an extra boost: it can run on battery only but the total mileage I achieved was around 30 miles. In reality, it is merely an assistance feature. The test S-line had a wonderful all-wheel drive system and was equipped with an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard. It always knew the correct ratio for the given FACTS AT A GLANCE • • • • • • • • • MODEL TESTED: AUDI A6 S-LINE 50 TFSi e QUATTRO S TRONIC PRICE: £66,650 ENGINE: 1984 CC MAX SPEED: 155 MPH 0-60MPH: 6.2 SECONDS MODEL TESTED: AUDI A6 S-LINE 50 QUATTRO S TRONICTFS e PRICE: £66,650 ENGINE: 1984 CC MAX SPEED: 155 MPH 0-60MPH: 6.2 SECONDS

circumstances and terrain – you really do need to try an Audi automatic gearbox to appreciate just how good they have become.

Audi claims fuel consumption can reach around 51mpg. In fact, when I checked with the computer it indicated 55mpg, which for a vehicle of this size and performance level is astounding.

Audi being Audi, there are a number of engine derivatives you can choose: you can go down the diesel route if you wish, or go for more powerful derivatives. But whichever engine you settle on, it is the extras that Audi always tempt you with, and this adds to the bottom-line price.

The abundance of safety features includes a system that assists you to stay in the right motorway lane, stay farther back from the vehicle in front, and accelerate when necessary. Another feature I found exceptionally useful was Audi connect, where you press a button on the steering wheel and a voice asks for your requests. You can choose from numerous options – directions, local restaurants and so on – and although this may seem a luxury, once you’ve experienced it you’ll wonder how you managed without it.

The A6 TFSi e S-line has an on-the-road price of £61,955. The extras fitted to the vehicle I tested increase that price to £66,650. It includes a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty, and suggested servicing intervals are two years or 19,000 miles.