Overview

The Audi A6 is a mid size luxury car, built by the German automaker Audi AG. The car is built on the Volkswagen Group C platform, which reached sixth generation as well as the model its self (for each generation VW built or improved the platform, thus to differentiate the models each platform was named as C1, C2.....C6). The name A6 is around since 1994 (C4 model), the model that succeeded was the Audi 100 (C3).

Second generation of the Audi A6 was built between 1997 and 2004 at Audi's plants in Neckarsulm, Germany, Monterrey, Mexico, Changchun, China and Jakarta, Indonesia (at Garuda Matraman Motor's plant). Second generation A6 was built on the Volkswagen Group C5, shared with the Audi S6, Audi RS6 and Audi Allroad Quattro.

As its predecessor, the car came in two body styles, four door sedan, and five door station wagon. Also it was offered with front wheel drive (FWD) or Quattro all wheel drive (AWD).

In 2002 the A6 went trough a facelift process, receiving revised headlights and grille design, slightly redesigned body moldings, exposed exhaust tips and taillights color became amber from red in North America.

Variants

In its seven years of production life, the Audi A6 was offered with no less than 10 engines, eight petrol and two diesel.

Until 2000, a naturally aspired 1.8 liter straight four was offered, developing 125 hp @ 5800 rpm and 124 lb/ft @ 3500 rpm. The only gearbox available was a five speed manual. In terms of performance the car could do 60 mph in 10.8 sec, a quarter mile in 17.6 sec and a top speed of 126 mph. As for the fuel consumption, it returned 27 mpg on average.

Since the model's launch, a turbocharged 1.8 liter straight four was offered. The engine had a power output of 150 hp @ 5700 rpm and 155 lb/ft @ 1750 rpm. The engine came with a five speed manual as standard on the FWD and AWD model and an optional CVT for the FWD model. Not to 60 mph takes 9.2 sec / 9.3 sec / 9.4 sec (5MT / CVT / AWD), a standing quarter mile was covered in 16.9 sec / 17.4 sec / 17.5 sec and the top speed was 134 mph / 133 mph / 133 mph. The car returned 27.4 mpg / 26.5 mpg / 25 mpg on average.

Next in the line was a 2.0 liter straight four with a power output of 130 hp @ 5700 rpm and 144 lb/ft @ 3300 rpm. This engine cam with a five speed manual and the CVT and only with front wheel drive. Sixty mph was done in 10.1 sec / 10.4 sec (5MT / CVT), quarter mile in 17.2 sec / 17.8 sec and top speed was 127 mph / 122 mph. Average fuel consumption was 24.2 mpg / 23.6 mpg.

Mid range model featured a 2.4 liter V6, a turbocharged 2.7 liter V6, a 2.8 liter V6 and a 3.0 liter V6. Gearbox options were five and six speed manual, CVT and five speed automatic. Power output was 170 hp and 170 lb/ft for the 2.4 liter, 250 hp and 258 lb/ft for the 2.7 liter T, 203 hp and 206 lb/ft for the 2.8 liter and 220 hp and 221 lb/ft for the 3.0 liter.

Top of the line petrol engine was a 4.2 liter V8 that generated some 300 hp @ 6200 rpm and maximum torque of 295 lb/ft @ 3000 rpm. The car came with only onea gearbox, a five speed automatic and only with Quattro. The Audi A6 4.2 could do zero to 60 mph in 6.6 sec, a standing quarter mile in 14.8 sec and a top speed limited to 155 mph. On average it returned 14.4 miles to the gallon.

Entry level diesel engine was a 1.9 liter straight four that produced 130 hp @ 4000 rpm and 229 lb/ft @ 1900 rpm. The engine was offered with a standard five speed manual, and a six speed manual and the CVT optionally. With the standard gearbox not to 60 mph took 10.1 sec, the quarter mile was covered in 17.4 sec and the to speed was 126 mph. Average fuel economy was 34.6 mpg.

The most powerful diesel engine was the 2.5 liter V6 that generated 180 hp @ 4000 rpm and 273 lb/ft @ 1500 rpm. The engine came with a standard six speed manual, a five speed automatic and a CVT were options. With the standard six speed manual the A6 2.5 could sprint to 60 mph in 8.5 sec, cover a quarter mile in 16.4 sec and do a top speed of 139 mph. Average fuel consumption was 24.4 mpg.

Second generation Audi A6 was crash tested by the EuroNCAP and received three out of a maximum of five stars overall. Also the IIHS crash tested the car and gave it their second best score of "Acceptable" overall.

Additional Information

Car and Driver magazine reviewed the Audi A6 and stated "It is one of the most winsome mid-sizers to meet pavement, with some of the nicest handling this side of a BMW. In 2000, the moderate performance of this otherwise excellent, 3.0 litre V6-powered, sedan was improved by the addition of two higher-performance versions: the 250 PS (180 kW; 250 hp), 2.7 litre bi-turbo V6 and the 300 PS (220 kW; 300 hp), 4.2 litre V8, both with Audi's quattro permanent four-wheel drive system. In mid-2003, major muscle came along in the limited-run RS6 - powered by a 450 PS (331 kW; 444 bhp), twin-turbo V8 engine - which immediately finished first in a C/D comparison test".