I must say one of the holy grails of cars in this country would be an A6 TDI wagon with Quattro and a 6 speed manual...baby steps
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As posted here.
If you’re looking for a smooth ride, off the line power, excellent gas mileage, and European styling, look no further than Audi’s A6 TDI.
Honestly, I have’t driven, or really ridden in a diesel powered car since I was kid. We owned a diesel Mercedes and the engine noise and vibaration was more analogous to that of a freight train than a car. The diesels of today, and in this case Audi’s TDI, are nothing like the ones of decades before. Gone is the obnoxious vibrations echoed through the car, as is the boring and beleaguering churn of the engine note when the windows are rolled down.
Sending power to the Audi A6 TDI’s wheels is a turbo V6 diesel mated to a silky smooth 8-speed gear box. Total output is 240 horses, but the real spec to pay attention to is the torque; 428 lb-ft. Factor in Audi’s all wheel drive (aka Quattro) and the German auto maker says it rockets this ship to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, maybe faster.
But the real story here is the fuel economy. That and how silky smooth and wonderful it is to drive the Audi A6 diesel. Fuel economy is spec’d at 30 mpg combined, with city achieving 26 and highway 38. Perhaps to better illistrate my point: I drove family around for 6 days on a single tank for the Audi A6 review. We covered just under 300 miles and just barely pushed over the center line of the fuel gauge.
Aside from the interior being outfitted with a football pigskin brown (not a recommended color), the fit and finish is top tier. But I didn’t expect anything less. Keyless entry, push button start, heated seats, dual zone climate control and a full nav with Google everything we’re all part of the package. The only things missing we’re a hud and a motorized trunk. Two things I can live without, but would have easily pushed my A6 to another tier of opulence.
Albeit marginally, the petrol based engine is smoother. However, the average consumer would be, and will be hard pressed to discern between the two when seated inside of the cabin. And I suppose if I had to nit pick, my A6 TDI didn’t have Audi’s Driver Select modes, which when available allows one to influence the steering feel, suspension and transmission/accelerator sensitivity (switching into S or Sport mode by pulling down on the stick achieves this, though).
So would I buy the A6 TDI? For the gas mileage yes. But I’m a performance hog that loves a stiff ride, which this car is not. It’s smooth and a bit soft through the corners…as it’s intended to be. In short, diesel is no longer a compromise; performance sacrificed in the name of fuel economy.
* All of the pictures I capture we’re lost. So, the above is a stock image of an A6 that might be a TDI.
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Another older, but perhaps better, review by Car and Driver.
http://www.gadgetreview.com/2014/12/2014-audi-a6-tdi-diesel-review
