After urbane styling and precise road manners made Audi a real player in the luxury sports sedan market with the late ‘90s A6, the Ingolstadt Werkmeisters took a more conservative route with the third-generation A6. It became larger, more architectural than haute couture, and softer. For 2009, though, Audi decided to give the A6 an adrenaline shot right to the heart: a new engine that transforms this car from wallflower to stealth wildcat.
The current-generation A6’s style has always been understated and very elegant; subtle tweaking makes it look a little more aggressive than last year’s model. Chrome trim accents the A6’s subtle lines, and the looks substantial without being too showy. If the Jaguar’s look evokes Savile Row; the Audi’s evokes Hugo Boss, the real Hugo Boss, not the cheapend t-shirts you get from the emporium a couple streets over from Rodeo Drive.
Audi’s interior decorators have gotten their share of praise over the years; one look at the A6’s interior reveals why. This is an extremely handsome and stylish environment, with flowing shapes and exquisite detailing; look at the chrome strip around the wood trim on the dashboard, or the way the shape of the highly-legible instrument cluster fits within the arc of the three-spoke steering wheel. The interior color scheme was smashing: dark charcoal color on the dash, side panels, and seat bolsters, with Amaretto-colored leather inserts on the seats and door panels, and a matching headliner. The quality of the leather, and some other interior materials, aren’t quite up to snuff compared to the Lexus or BMW, but there’s little to argue about style-wise inside the A6. In fact, BMW were smart, they’d do whatever it takes – stock offerings, pay raises, kidnapping, blackmail, virgin sacrifices, whatever – and hire Audi’s interior stylists tomorrow.
The A6’s driver interface looks mostly solid, but some ergonomic quirks surface, in Audi’s latest attempt to delight and annoy. For instance, if you want to crank up the A/C, you have to use the temperature control to increase and decrease fan speed. Like Jaguar, Audi designers decided to invest some razzle-dazzle in the glovebox door latch, placing an “open/close” switch on the center console. And while all the cars in this test feature pushbutton start, Audi’s system has one button to start the engine and one to stop it. Why?
The A6’s ergonomics are also heavily compromised by their version of IDrive, 
labeled MMI (Multi-Media Interface), which works no better than BMW’s or Mercedes’, and adds a new level of silliness: no radio controls on the dashboard. To turn the radio on and off and adjust the volume, you use a rotary switch to the right of the shifter, and use the separate large rotary wheel to control inputs, settings and the like. The MMI wheel has menu buttons surrounding it to control navigation and other functions, but as in the BMW, they’re out of the driver’s line of sight, and all feel alike, so you have to take your eyes off the road to use them. As bad as the BMW and Mercedes systems are, at least they leave the basic radio controls on the dash, where God, Krishna, Allah, and Bahá’u'lláh intended them to be.
Hit the ignition switch – the one marked “start,” as opposed to the one marked “off” – and you unlock the A6’s warrior heart. Like the other truly potent engine in this test, the BMW’s twin-turbo six, Audi tuned this new supercharged engine to be a stump-puller – 310 lb/ft of torque at 2500 rpm – and the supercharger system ensures even power delivery throughout the power band. But unlike the BMW, which hits hyperdrive from a standing start, the A6’s engine pulls its punches until 2500 rpm, at which point the blower kicks in, and launches, more like the Millenium Falcon in “Empire Strikes Back” than the original movie.
The sequential-shift six-speed transmission, plays wonderfully with the devilish engine. While supercharger whine, a typical bugaboo on this type of engine, has been massaged into near-nothingness, this engine trumpets its existence louder than the BMW. The numbers show the BMW as slightly faster than the Audi, but if you’re into adolescent bursts of power, this Audi won’t disappoint.
It won’t disappoint on a winding road, either. Although the Audi’s front-heavy handling balance makes it feel less eager in tight corners than the BMW, on fast sweepers and the Interstate, the A6 is every bit the Bavarian’s match. The same is true of the A6’s steering, which is quick, accurate and communicative. The A6’s handling capabilities do little to compromise ride quality, which is first-class.The Audi is also a first-class value – the Premium model tested, with navigation, the performance package, heated rear seats, and rear side airbags, stickered at $57,000. Well, a value for this class, if you want to penny pinch, Hyundai just set up shop down the road.
So if the Audi can match the BMW on a performance basis, and best it in the styling and value departments, what’s with the second place finish? The A6’s loss is a narrow one, to be sure, but in subtle ways – the refinement of the powertrain, the quality of the interior materials, and the offbeat, gimmicky ergonomics, to name three – the Audi just doesn’t quite measure up. The Audi feels solid; the BMW feels like it’s been laser-carved straight out of Mount Rushmore.
In other words, the Audi is great to drive, but the BMW’s sublime. Still, greatness is nothing to sneeze at, especially when it’s value-priced, so this rocket-man Audi nabs second place.
Performance: 5/5
So much for the A6’s boring rep – the new supercharnged engine blasts the A6 forward with amazing urgency
Ride: 4/5
Compliant without being harsh
Handling: 4/5
Feels a little larger and ever-so-slightly more ponderous than the BMW
Exterior: 4/5
The best looking of the Germans: stylish in an almost architectural way.
Interior: 4/5
A stylistic knockout; wacky ergonomics and some cheap materials cost the Audi a perfect score.
Fit and finish: 4/5
Certainly well made, but seems more mass-produced than bespoke
Toys: 4/5
This A6 is extremely well equipped, and attractively priced.
Desirability: 4/5
A kick in the pants to drive, with a “yee-haw” factor that’s rare in this class
85 Comments on “Import Sport Sedan Comparison: Second Place: Audi A6 3.0T...”
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Maybe the “superfluous” Engine Stop button could have been helpful for those driving the runaway Lexus cars? That is, if it actually stops the engine and isn’t locked out while driving.
Beautiful cars, these Audis, but I feel like the interiors have taken a step back from the previous generations. Too many fussy shapes and textures. Keep is simple but elegant like the exterior.
I’ve heard that the A6 is relatively noisy inside. Too much road noise. Any thoughts on that?
Mike,
You are wise to point out the useless gimickry of the glovebox opener in the Audi and Jag. In the case of the A6, if the electronics go haywire months after the car is out of warranty (and what are the odds?), the glovebox will not open.
Which means you can’t get to the manual, which means you can’t figure out how to unlock the gear lever to move the transmission into Neutral. Which means you can’t get it out of your garage without a tow truck yanking it, your expensive new tires screetching in pain the entire way onto the flatbed.
So not cool.
As an A-6 owner, I couldn’t be more pleased with this review. I drove the Beemer before I bought the the Audi, but the Beemer is just such a cliche….which it seems the BMW engineers have overcome.
Best series of reviews I’ve read in TTAC. Real quality stuff. Thanks.
Glovebox whoopdey-do and the like:
Augustine’s Law #405:
Anything that isn’t in a design won’t break.
Simplicity.
As far as the MMI controls go: maybe I’m just a tech geek, but I’ve always found MMI to be supremely easy to understand and work.
Sure, it operates differently, and there are a few quirks, but to me it works just fine and is fairly intuitive.
As for the A6 itself, it’s always seemed a bit of Audi’s ignored middle child: it’s there if you want it, but there’s not much to make me want it. Granted, I’m not in the market for an A6esque car (I’m gunning for an S4, which is about the same size as the A6 reviewed here), but the A6 has always been handsome but bland. Doesn’t get my heart a’pumpin.
I’d buy one if it came in RWD.
Twotone
I’m with carguy622 on the interior: like that in the A4, it feels cheaper than that of the previous generation. The swath of plastic across the upper IP face and the hard plastic door pulls don’t help.
The exterior is also a step back from the previous car, with more front overhang that requires the upsized wheels to disguise it. When both cars are equipped with the base wheels and tires, the previous car looks much better.
Sampled this engine in the new S4. It has power, but no captivating soundtrack, and generally no soul. A step back from the V8 in this regard. But better fuel efficiency.
Handling–when I drove a 2006, I did find it handled better than I expected, and much as described here.
But I also found more NVH, especially road noise, than you’ll find in other cars in this class. As a result, the A6 seemed like a cheaper car than the others. (Probably didn’t help that I drove it immediately after driving the then-new 2007 S-Class.)
Reliability–the current generation car appears to be about average, based on responses to TrueDelta’s Car Reliability Survey. In this it’s a definite improvement over the previous A6.
We only have a result for the 2006 though. Additional participants needed to cover all years.
http://www.truedelta.com/car-reliability.php
Really? A 1-2 finish for BMW and Audi? It’s like I’m in the bathroom, reading Car and Driver.
These cars are fragile and will break a lot. They will be a hassle to own. Both Audi and BMW.
Here is what the typical $50k luxury car buyer really thinks when he’s looking at cars:
1. Do I look good in this car?
2. Is it better than my neighbor’s/co-worker’s car?
3. Will it help me to attract the opposite sex?
4. Can I afford the payment?
5. Do I have to visit the dealer a lot?
6. How’s the resale?
While this car sits, broken, at your local dealer, you will be driving their crappy courtesy car while your Audi is on the hoist, rapidly depreciating! And you’re paying a nice monthly payment for it the whole time…
The Lex is built better, will not break, and has better resale. It also looks great and is more rare than the ubiquitous Audi and 3-series.
I hate to say this, but is this comparison the TTAC Jump the Shark moment?
Michael – which car are you referring to? The A6 prior to the refresh vs. what was reviewed, or the current B8 generation A4 compared to the A6?
As to the overhang – if you’re talking A6, it would be about the same as before, just ‘disguised’ differently by having a slightly more chiseled front. If you’re talking new A4/S4, the front overhang is actually several inches shorter than before but the overall wheelbase is about the same as the current A6. Audi pushed the engine back a bit.
On the S4 – I do agree that the loss of the V8’s burble is a disappointment, and it would have been nice for a better exhaust, but the 3.0T in the S4 (which is different than the A6’s 3.0T) is a *great* powerplant and once broken in gets very nice economy as compared to the guzzling V8.
highrpm:
Considering most people who buy in this segment lease for 3 – 4 years instead of buy, the pain of out-of-warranty expenses is minimized.
People have been harping on the reliability issues of German cars for years, and yet people still buy them. If they’re not owning them for the reliability aspect, that leaves only the following reasons:
1. I look good
2. It’s just as good, if not better than the neighbors
3. Chicks dig it
4. The lease is affordable
Audi’s system has one button to start the engine and one to stop it. Why?
I’d assume the Audi engineers are a little gun shy about the whole “unintended acceleration” thing.
These cars are fragile and will break a lot.
“A lot” – well, I think if we look at the numbers it’s the difference between having something go wrong every 10 months vs. having something go wrong every 14 months with a Lexus. You will have a few extra issues over the life of the car but it’s not the end of the world.
jmo :
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:52 am
Audi’s system has one button to start the engine and one to stop it. Why?
I’d assume the Audi engineers are a little gun shy about the whole “unintended acceleration” thing.
You know, I hadn’t thought about that!
+1 on that.
Beautiful cars, these Audis, but I feel like the interiors have taken a step back from the previous generations. Too many fussy shapes and textures. Keep is simple but elegant like the exterior.
I love the look of the new A6 but I do think that it looks 100% better without a front plate. Where I live we are not required to have one so the A6 looks bad-ass here.
I own a C5 (2004) A6 S-Line and I really prefer the old interior before MMI. Its almost Saab-like in its simplicity and button layout. The dealership in my city uses the new A6 as its courtasy shuttle and when I had my maintenance performed last time I got picked up/dropped off in one. Did not care for the interior…its not bad and would not stop me from buying a new A6 but I just prefer the old 2004 interior.
I’ve heard that the A6 is relatively noisy inside. Too much road noise. Any thoughts on that?
The wind noise in my 2004 is more than you would expect. Engine noise is more instrusive than most but the 2.7T engine sounds nice so I don’t mind. Its sounds especially nice from the outside once its warmed up…the 2.7T turbos sound like Darth Vader breathing once the oil heats up. Better than a supercharger whine for sure.
People have been harping on the reliability issues of German cars for years, and yet people still buy them.
People still lease them. I don’t know how often they’re bought new, but it doesn’t seem frequent. That skews things somewhat.
The people who really have a chip on their shoulders about European cars are people who own them past the warranty period, especially if they’re not the original owners and the car hasn’t been babied. It’s all well and good if you buy the car and treat it wonderfully, but it’s less so if it can’t survive normal North American usage patterns, which are more intensive than the light use that European domestic cars get. Lexuses, statistically, are much more forgiving as they age.
It’s even worse for BMW: the free scheduled maintenance is not at all suited to the car’s lasting much past the warranty period. Buying an off-lease from ~2001-2003+ is asking for something that will cost money.
You will have a few extra issues over the life of the car but it’s not the end of the world.
Define “issues”. My old Mazda and my previous Saab went into the shop pretty much at the same time. The Mazda required new or machined brakes about every time, costing a couple hundred. The Saab required, well, something costing about thousand or more each time. The Honda I have no has gone in for, oil changes aside, a loose piece of carpet trim. Frequency of repair is one thing; TCO is quite another.
**People lease Lexuses, too, but an off-lease Lexus is probably less likely to be a crushing expense.
Thanks Michael for pointing out the unfathomable direction that Audi has taken with their ergonomics. I looked at an A4 earlier this year and there is a lot to like but the MMI interface is cumbersome, the LCD screen can’t be turned off for night driving and the electronic handbrake is a gimmick. It really gives the impression that it was designed to impress on a test drive rather than work well for daily use.
I love all this talk about brand new BMW’s and audis on the side of the road with their hoods up and japanese commodity cars that never break. I am very close with a lexus service manager. Trust me, his guys aren’t sitting around performing scheduled service all day. These modern lexus cars are not the original LS. All cars are going to have unexpected service trips. If the japanese cars were pretty, or drove well, or stirred the soul in anyway then the germans would be in big trouble. But they don’t. Those qualities are much harder to build into a car than reliability. It easy to cover everything in wood and leather and equip all the latest high tech gizmos. It hard to add the emotion.
I’ve been in the highline car business for a long time. Trust me, everyone wants the german car. But the people making a middle class splurge, they are the ones who have objections about reliability. They are coming from a toyota, or honda accord etc. These are the people who end up buying the acura or infiniti. A physician never comes in and tells one of my salesman, “Lets hold off, I still need to go drive the Infiniti”.
carguy :
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Thanks Michael for pointing out the unfathomable direction that Audi has taken with their ergonomics. I looked at an A4 earlier this year and there is a lot to like but the MMI interface is cumbersome, the LCD screen can’t be turned off for night driving and the electronic handbrake is a gimmick. It really gives the impression that it was designed to impress on a test drive rather than work well for daily use.
It’s not just Audi. Infiniti, Mercedes and BMW have also imbibed the IDrive / MMI / COMAND Kool-Aid. They all suck, but I’d say MMI is the worst of the bunch. I mean, come on – no radio controls on the dash? One knob to turn the radio on and adjust the volume, and another to control things like tuning and tone? Spare me. At least you get used to IDrive.
Infiniti’s system is actually the easiest to use because it’s in the driver’s line of sight, but the aesthetic effect is disastrous. I read one car mag review that said it looks like an ATM machine.
If these guys want to see how you integrate a million functions into one package that’s easy to use and attractive, they should take notes from Caddy – the interface on the CTS is great. I love how the screen disappears into the dash until you need it.
jmo :Audi’s system has one button to start the engine and one to stop it. Why?
The BMW probably has three. That’s one better, isn’t it?
http://tiny.cc/VOpOQ
The 6 has always seemed like an afterthought in the Audi line-up, ever since it morphed from the old 100-200 series. Good to find that they’ve made essential progress. Audi is on a roll across its entire line (sans A3 which is an answer to a question no one in the US is asking), and except for the hard core BMW fans, Audi design will probably seal the deal for buyers in this category. I agree with observations that these cars (really, almost all cars it seems) are becoming needlessly complex, but that’s where we are, today.
saponetta :
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I love all this talk about brand new BMW’s and audis on the side of the road with their hoods up and japanese commodity cars that never break. I am very close with a lexus service manager. Trust me, his guys aren’t sitting around performing scheduled service all day. These modern lexus cars are not the original LS. All cars are going to have unexpected service trips. If the japanese cars were pretty, or drove well, or stirred the soul in anyway then the germans would be in big trouble. But they don’t. Those qualities are much harder to build into a car than reliability. It easy to cover everything in wood and leather and equip all the latest high tech gizmos. It hard to add the emotion.
Agreed about Lexus, but you disregard Infiniti. Have you driven the Infiniti G? Believe me, that’s a car that makes a STRONG case for itself vis a vis BMW. It’s also about ten grand cheaper than the BMW, and Infinitis are no-shit reliable – check the CR ratings. If the G’s engine, transmission and paddle shifters had been available in the M in this test, I’d probably have placed it much higher – perhaps third or fourth.
If I were BMW, I’d be looking in my rear view mirrors.
mpresley,
When the A3 launched there was no 4 door GTI. After the 4 door GTI came out, Audi offered quattro in the A3. What other 4 door hatch with AWD is available short of the kids cars like the subaru and r32?
mpresley :
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:32 pm
jmo :Audi’s system has one button to start the engine and one to stop it. Why?
The BMW probably has three. That’s one better, isn’t it?
It has one button. The operation depends on whether you have the “comfort access” option or not. If you don’t, then you insert the key fob into a slot in the steering column, and press the start button.
With the “comfort access” option, you just get into the car and hit the start button.
freedmike,
I’ve driven probably a hundred g’s. Which all get airbag lights by the way around 50k miles. I buy tons of them from wholesalers and auctions because every college graduate wants one. Its the only japanese car we actively buy and stock. I think its ugly, gimicky, and rides rough even in the small sedan class. The power and handling are nice, but thats it. The engine sounds like the engineers are tyrying to hard, the throttle response is ludicrously jerky, and the interior is the benchmark in japanese tastless design. Also, the new body style may be the ugliest car on the road. Whats with that chrome spoiler?
Desirability: 4/5
A kick in the pants to drive, with a “yee-haw” factor that’s rare in this class
Desirability: 10/5 (for Audi mechanics) with a “yee-haw” factor that’s rare in this class
The more BMW screws up their cars, the more Audi gets it right.
If the E61 5 Series BMW scores anything over 2 out of 5 for interior and exterior, TTAC is dead to me.
When the A3 launched there was no 4 door GTI. After the 4 door GTI came out, Audi offered quattro in the A3. What other 4 door hatch with AWD is available short of the kids cars like the subaru and r32?
IF you load an A3 up with all the options (V6, AWD, S-Line package) it makes sense, cost-wise, compared to the R32. Otherwise, its an overpriced GTI. If the only option you get is AWD, you are basically paying 6-7 grand more than a GTI just to have the AWD, no AWD and its still 3-4 grand more. Not worth it.
saponetta :mpresley, When the A3 launched there was no 4 door GTI. After the 4 door GTI came out, Audi offered quattro in the A3. What other 4 door hatch with AWD is available short of the kids cars like the subaru and r32?
I’m not saying the 3 is not a nice car, it’s just not nice for the US–or at least it’s not what most US consumers will buy. I seriously considered one, but went with something larger. That said, I’m not sure it’s really a compelling buy over the GTI, which is really the standard for this type of car.
@ Mark MacInnis
Beemer is the motorcycle. Bimmer is the car.
This is a great series. I’m not likely to buy any of these (because I can’t afford a $50K car, or at least my wife would not let me afford one), but it’s fun to read Mike’s views of them. I’m glad that the quibbling about which cars belong in this comparo has pretty much gone away. I’d be happy to read reviews of any five or six cars he and TTAC pick out.
frizzlefry
If you add autobahn to a 4 door gti you have about the same equipment as an A3 premium with cold weather package. The A3 will still has a little more equipment. There is less than $1000 in price difference between the two. I would say that the the audi name, higher quality interior and the fact that it is built in germany make up that $1000 difference.
If the japanese cars were pretty, or drove well, or stirred the soul in anyway then the germans would be in big trouble. But they don’t. Those qualities are much harder to build into a car than reliability.
If reliability is so easy to do, then why aren’t the German Masters Of the Universe able to do it as easily as they can add another hundred horsepower every year? The answer is that it’s not so easy, after all. It is, in fact, pretty hard to build quality in at all stages that it’s killing Mercedes to try.
The most important obstable, though, is culture. The German marque’s leadership has real trouble with the idea that their products could have problems. As such, they deal with it be pretending that the problem doesn’t really exist, or is relegated to North American customers that don’t maintain or appreciate the products, or that it’s a function of having a better-performing product.
And that’s bullshit.
Lexus has had cars (the original IS) that handled and drove better than a contemporary BMW, but they didn’t sell, so they softened them accordingly. So they can do it, they just choose not to. On the other hand, Mercedes et al haven’t been able to produce a car with above-average statistical reliability at a competitive price, not since Toyota showed up with the original LS and turned the market on it’s head.
I’m sure that some of this has to do with concentrating on feel and soul and suchlike crap, but that’s more delusion than anything. The real real, honestly, is that management at the Germans doesn’t care about reliability. And that’s a problem, because engine power is all Mercedes has on Lexus, and Infiniti is so very close to taking BMW. Once the sole reason for your brand is “heritage” instead of tangible benefits, you’re screwed-in-waiting.
My boss just picked up an as-new 20k mile IS-F on ebay for 40 grand… astounding car. The only autotragic vehicle in which I’ve continued to use the paddles for shifting after the first time. Incredible sound and performance. The cars in the comparo seem kind of snoozy. Normally I don’t log in and gloat about used car values, but man there are bargains in the luxury 4 door segment!
If the E61 5 Series BMW scores anything over 2 out of 5 for interior and exterior, TTAC is dead to me.
I don’t think the stars matter. TTAC’s ratings are admittedly subjective and unscientific, depending highly on the author’s take, and that’s fine: there’s no pretense of objectivity or balance, and I’d say that’s a good thing.
Too much reliability hurts your dealer network and part sales. Push it too far on the planned obselesence (sp?) and you become Mercedes or VW. Don’t push it far enough and you will make less money from each car sold.
I think BMW and Audi get this.
psarhjinian
Another thing to consider,
The price of a mercedes, or BMW has not gone up over the years(audis have). It hasn’t really gone up in 20! In the early 90’s you bought a CL for around a 100k. 2010? The car still starts a little high of 100k. They haven’t been able to raise prices and have cut their margins at the dealer level in half to stay competitive. Meanwhile, the cost of building the cars has gone up considerably depsite more efficient production methods. Of course they don’t build them like they used to. They can’t. Is this a major concern to them? Probably not due to the rise in leasing. Its how the majority of consumers purchase these cars. The factory warranty covers the first lease and the CPO program covers the second owner and creates a profit center for the dealer and manufacturer that didn’t exist. Mercedes actually invented the CPo deal in the early 90’s with their Starmark approved program. Go look at your 90’s mercedes out in the garage, it probably has a starmark sticker on the drivers door sill.
Again on the Audi/BMW reliability, there is a reason that these cars are so cheap to buy used. Especially the high end 7-series and A8. They break a lot, and are incredibly expensive to repair once you’re out of warranty.
Call around a few of these cars someday. Chances are that the owner of a 6-year-old S-Class will have spent more money on repairs than his sales asking price…
For a used car buyer like me, this reliability thing has been a deal breaker for the German cars over the past five years.
Over 150k miles, I guarantee that your repair costs for the Lex GS will be much, much less than the Audi or BMW.
Of course they don’t build them like they used to. They can’t.
The rot set in at Mercedes** when then tried and failed to meet Lexus’ quality at that price point. I’m sure that if they could charge what they wanted, instead of what the LS forces them to, they’d still be engineered like any other car in the world.
Or they could, you know, actually implement Japanese-style quality processes, but that would mean admitting they were wrong in not doing so in the first place.
** Audi and BMW never really played in this league until more recently, so it’s different for them.
“It’s not just Audi. Infiniti, Mercedes and BMW have also imbibed the IDrive / MMI / COMAND Kool-Aid. They all suck, but I’d say MMI is the worst of the bunch. I mean, come on – no radio controls on the dash? One knob to turn the radio on and adjust the volume, and another to control things like tuning and tone? Spare me. At least you get used to IDrive.”
Please don’t bundle Infiniti with that group. On top of a full range of audio and climate controls and buttons to toggle through various menus present at the top of the center stack……there’s a touch screen there (something the German’s have refused to offer).
I like Audis and their subdued (except for billy the big mouth bass grill) styling but I can’t stand that huge front overhang. The movement of the engine to the proper location, back in the chassis, has done wonders for the A4’s look and I’m sure the handling as well. I’m looking forward to seeing the A6 when it makes similar progress.
I think if you go into any industrial setting in the first world you’ll find japanese quality and production systems in place. Six sigma, kaizen, TPS, I’m no engineer but I’m pretty sure everyone uses those systems/principles.
The old infiniti design was terrible with the radio controls down low and the hvac way up high by that stupid orange display. Now they have a freaking laptop midi keyboard on the top of the dash. Another ugly, novel japanese construction.
Ohh, and porsches new PCM is touch screen.
The old PCM is a nightmare. I have a 2006 with the old PCM. I still can barely work it. I always type in my stations manually everytime.
*rubs eyes*
Stylistic knockout? With that horrid silver molded onesie covering the entire IP and top of the dash? If that was on a Malibu it’d be blasted to Kingdom Come.
The only thing on that entire interior I can compare to a Hugo Boss suit is maybe the steering wheel – relatively clean and minimalist.
Maybe it’s the red interior lighting, but I just don’t get it. The Lexus and the Jag as far as style goes have it all over the Audi.
Although this could be because I hate MMI/iDrive/COMAND whatever gee-whiz software menu this thing has. And it’s not because I hate gadgets – I’ve got a bluetooth watch ferchrissakes.
But unlike the BMW, which hits hyperdrive from a standing start, the A6’s engine pulls its punches until 2500 rpm, at which point the blower kicks in, and launches, more like the Millenium Falcon in “Empire Strikes Back” than the original movie.
My, how the tables have turned. You’d think that, even with twin turbos, there’d be some hint of lag before the engine finally hunkers down whereas with the Audi’s supercharged six, hit the gas and there’s ZERO lag.
This is the first review I’ve read where BMW’s famous twin turbo six shows zero lag against the Audi’s supercharged unit.
Other than that, I fully agree with this review. Which only goes to show how beautifully the BMW has aged, what with a new model in the pipeline for 2011.
My favorite line from the review
“unlock the warrior’s heart”
Most these sedans are seriously bloated on weight and have oversized engines to compensate.
Think NFL linemen not running backs
“All cars are going to have unexpected service trips. If the japanese cars were pretty, or drove well, or stirred the soul in anyway then the germans would be in big trouble. But they don’t. Those qualities are much harder to build into a car than reliability.”
Are you effing serious? Let’s give you the benefit of the doubt and take your statement as true. Then if it’s so easy to do and they have already achieved the much more difficult task of building pretty cars that drove well and had soul, then why are they neglecting the simple task of making them reliable? Any old Corolla will outlast and outlive a German, why do they not do the simple math when they are engineering a $50k car? Why would I pay for a half baked POS that’s going to leave me and my supposedly hot date (because hot chicks dig pretty German cars with soul right?) stranded in the middle of nowhere? How well is that date going? If reliability is so easy to do, then why are the neglecting it and think it’s ok to waste their customer’s time and my money and spoil their dates with hot chicks? What a crock.
My favorite line from the review
“unlock the warrior’s heart”
Most these sedans are seriously bloated on weight and have oversized engines to compensate.
Think NFL linemen not running backs
Would be intersting to see how the S-Line package would deal with that…I know on my ‘04 it does wonders, sport suspension, ECU upgrade, wider sport tires…don’t know if the S-Line package is the same idea still or if its just big rims and badges…
According to reliability of merc and Bmw, I have asked a lot of people who own these cars and all of them tell me that they are reliable. See at the gas station I ask these people and most of them tell me that they are reliable and the’d recommend them. People claim that lexus and acura are reliable cars, Look, I have owned an Acura for the last 4 years. It has been pain in the butt. Suspension problems, camshaft sensor problems, steering fluid leaking, the doors not working, car not starting..I mean lots of troubles with the car. Is this what people call reliability? While my friend has a 1992 3 series that has been reliable than ever. The thing is, Bmws,merc. and the new audis are not gonna dissapoint you that much. Besides they are durable and quality built. Yes lexus and infiniti might be more reliable to own compared to these cars but they also break down. Some cars like hyundai dont last long before you start having serious engine troubles. Go online and look at the old bimmers, They have 200 to 300 thousand miles! In other words, every car will break down especially the high tech performance cars.
How did this car do so well in the handeling department. It’s front wheel drive for crying out loud?
I mean the XF is RWD and get’s the same amount of stars for handeling? What’s up with that? Has anyone on here had a go in an XFR? And tried that against this…. The Audi couldn’t put that much BHP through it’s VW front wheel drive floorpan. Go over 230 BHP and your dead in a FWD car.
“The old infiniti design was terrible with the radio controls down low and the hvac way up high by that stupid orange display. Now they have a freaking laptop midi keyboard on the top of the dash. Another ugly, novel japanese construction.”
In the M yes, but the EX, G and FX are totally devoid of that…..
Seems like my post got eaten,
Anyway – if you look at the numbers the difference between buying the Lexus and the Audi is probably the difference between a repair every 8 months for the Audi and ever 14 months for the Lexus.
Is it a little more of a pain? Sure, but if you like the car enough it’s certainly worth it to put up with slightly more inconvenience.
Some people have already suggested this, but we’ve gotta stop with the “stranded by the side of the road” bs. I scarcely see anyone stranded by the side of the road in a car built this decade. Unreliable these days doesn’t mean stranded by the road, it means warning lights and incomprehensible charges from the dealership.