Volvo’s success with the V90 proves there is strong demand for premium-priced estates in certain mainly northern European countries. Which is why Audi sees a worthwhile opportunity for its latest A6 Avant in not only Sweden and Germany but Britain too.
The current A6 range is still in the roll-out phase and that doesn’t just mean for additional engines and gearboxes, though quite a few of those are coming. It means more body styles.
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Four body styles for C8 series A6 range
Barely a month after the arrival of the sedan as a world premiere at last year’s Geneva motor show, the Avant was announced to the media. Both cars are built at Audi’s Neckarsulm plant in Germany. Later this year, their production line will gain a third derivative: the next A6 allroad. While Audi wouldn’t confirm to me that the crossover estate will be a world debut at the Geneva show in March, it seems likely. We’ve already seen of the styling detail: remember the prologue allroad?
The allroad will be the fourth A6 in the C8 generation series, the third one having gone on sale only this week. That’s the L sedan, which, like the previous edition, is manufactured in and for China. The wheelbase measures 3,024mm compared to the standard sedan’s 2,924mm. Built by FAW Volkswagen at a factory in Changchun, the first variants are powered by 2.0-litre and 3.0-litre petrol engines. The latter, a V6, has a 48V electrical system.
What MLB Evo means
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By GlobalDataOne of the things which makes the A6 unusual in its class is the layout of the architecture. While the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class and Jaguar XF are based on rear-wheel drive platforms, the Audi is another Volkswagen Group model for the company’s MLB Evo platform. That’s not to say it’s identical in principle to one other car chasing the same set of customers though. No, while the Volvo V90 has a conventional east-west mounting for its engine, Modularer Langsbaukasten mandates a longitudinal layout. The Evolution version has been around for a few years now, with the Porsche Macan the sole vehicle which remains on the original MLB.
The A6’s architecture is not only used also by the A4; multiple Volkswagen Group SUVs are based on it too. Vehicle length, wheelbase, engines and gearboxes can be varied, while the firewall, windscreen angle and pedal mounting points are fixed. As the company accelerates plans to build multi-brand models in many of its plants, so architectures such as MLB Evo and the transverse layout MQB will bring ever more cost savings. This is why, even if the volumes of the Avant and future allroad seem modest compared to the number of A6 sedan and L sedans produced, the estate and crossover will likely also be money spinners.
The curse of WLTP
In Britain, Audi had an awful final few months of 2018 due mainly to WLTP. December saw the brand’s sales volume plunging by 41 per cent to 6,310 vehicles. For the full year, the damage was limited to a decline of 18 per cent and deliveries of 143,739 cars, crossovers and SUVs. Against that backdrop and considering that the A6 was on a model changeover year, plus the continued move away from E segment cars towards similar sized SUVs, the range did remarkably well. Saloon deliveries were 5,765 (2017: 6,599) and combined Avant/allroad numbers were 4,441 (6,169). There are too many variables to predict with confidence what will happen in 2019, two of the major ones being ongoing stock issues due to WLTP and a potential backing off of investments in business and staff by companies due to the B-word.
Rivals, including a non-premium one
If the future is uncertain, better then to look at what is known: the new A6 Avant acquits itself well compared to the strongest existing cars in the E-estate size class. Which means the 5 Series Touring, E-Class T and the Jaguar XF Sportbrake plus of course the V90. If lower pricing and a different kind of brand image don’t get in the way, a case for the Superb Combi can also be made. What’s more, the car supplied for review by Audi UK came with an engine which is also available in the big Skoda.
The only area in which the A6 Avant 2.0 TDI falls down, at least in as-tested 204PS form, is an excess of torque. Well, it’s not that there’s too much of it. Rather that damp January roads and drive to only one axle trying to manage up to 400Nm can make for a lot of slipping and torque steer. Audi’s constant promotion of quattro all-wheel drive isn’t just a way of inviting buyers to pay more money for their cars, it rightly encourages a technology which has inherent safety advantages.
On dry roads, the front-wheel drive A6 is absolutely fine. Sure there’s a touch too much body roll even in Dynamic, the firmest of four electronic settings controlled by the push of a button on the centre console. Not excessive, just more than the equivalent Jaguar and BMW have. Even on what are optional 20-inch wheels – worth the additional GBP1,550 they look so great – this 5m long estate will flow through long corners with little in the way of judder through the steering wheel and all occupants professed themselves happy with the ride comfort. Roundabouts need to be taken at slower speeds than in this car’s RWD rivals though, due to the body roll.
Deep carpets, soft plastics
The interior contains luxurious feeling and looking materials everywhere, and the business class ambience continues with legroom in the back which is as good as what you’ll find in…a Skoda Superb. The dashboard and controls are pure Audi: minimalist, elegant and each in just the right place. Some of us miss the MMI dial but that’s a personal preference. The glass touchscreen for HVAC controls needs firm presses and as with all such systems, your eyes are off the road too long compared to the superior physical buttons still to be found in, for example, BMWs.
Bonus points to Audi for making the rear seats split in a 40/20/40 arrangement standard. Once you’ve owned a car with this percentage flexibility, it’s hard to go back to 50/50 or 30/70. The automatic load cover is another piece of intelligent thinking, while the load bay is long and wide and deep with especially plush carpeting covering it.
What’s it cost?
The A6 Avant 40 TDI 204PS S Line s tronic (7-speed dual clutch) costs from GBP43,210 (ex-on road charges) which, when compared to direct rivals, represents decent value. The CO2 average is 124g/km and typical economy of 50+mpg is easily achievable. Which just goes to show how much progress has been made in recent times, and why many people should better inform themselves about why diesel isn’t necessarily the fuel of the devil. This big Audi hold-all proves you can have all the benefits of a large luxury car with the economy of what had once been restricted to the A3 size and weight class.
