After a hefty wait, the Audi A6 E-tron is lastly right here. Coming to the U.S. in slinky Sportback guise as each an A6 and a scorching S6, is it going to be the considering particular person’s Mannequin S? Audi most likely hopes so.
The second Audi, after the Q6 E-Tron, based mostly on the brand new Premium Platform Electrical (PPE) the electrical A6 isn’t following the SUV development. As a substitute it’s extra of what you’ll be used to from Audi’s ‘A’ vehicles. 4 doorways, a sedan (err, “Sportback” in Audi parlance) physique, and a lowish stance, it’s the primary time Audi’s thrown electrical energy at a standard automobile. Outdoors of the U.S. an “Avant” wagon bodystyle is offered, too, for households on the lookout for a longroof. You may argue the E-Tron GT was already a ‘standard’ Audi EV, however the costly Taycan-based flagship isn’t one thing you’re more likely to see within the suburbs. It is best to, nonetheless, see some A6s within the ‘burbs. There gained’t be a gas-powered variant—from right here on out the even numbers in Audi’s line up are for electrical vehicles, whereas the odd numbers have fuel, diesel or hybrid powertrains beneath the hood.
48 Pictures
Audi
Beneath the ground is a 100-kWh battery (internet 94.9kWh) packing some fairly hefty recharge punch. Discover a charger that may hit its 270-kW peak fee and it’ll fill itself from 10-80% in simply 21 minutes. Audi additionally says it’ll take sufficient power on board to internet you 193 miles in simply ten minutes, barely sufficient time to seize a espresso and a sandwich. This could quell a number of of the ‘charging takes too lengthy’ voices. It makes use of the identical good 800-volt-class structure because the Q6 E-Tron, which means you want an 800-volt charger to get one of the best expertise. But when your chosen charger makes use of 400-volt tech, the battery will break up itself into two banks and cost every at speeds as much as 135kW. Beneath braking you possibly can handle as much as 220 kW of regen to maintain the battery topped up on the fly.
That battery feeds a wide range of powertrains. The A6 Sportback E-Tron efficiency comes with rear-wheel drive and 362 horsepower, firing it from 0-60 in 5.2 seconds and as much as 130 mph. The S6 Sportback E-Tron will get all-wheel drive and rolls with 496 hp more often than not. With launch management activated there’s 543 hp to play with and a claimed 0-60 time of three.7 seconds to attempt to match. It’ll high out at 149mph, too. To bridge the hole between the entry stage and the high quality, there’ll be an A6 Quattro all-wheel-drive mannequin, which kicks out 422 hp, clocks 60mph from relaxation in 4.3 seconds and can high out at 130mph. The assorted setups will probably do between 3.8 and 4.4 miles per kWh. If you happen to drive conservatively.
On the vary entrance Audi’s promising fairly large numbers. Audi says the bottom automobile will allegedly handle 466 miles on a cost, whereas the S6 can obtain 416 and the later A6 quattro sits neatly within the center with 435 miles. These are European-market figures, although, which are usually way more optimistic than U.S. EPA figures. Audi additionally says these figures are with EU-market wheels and tires, plus the trick digicam mirrors. Count on EPA figures to be considerably decrease, however nonetheless loads spectacular. Over 350 miles appears fully inside attain.
How’s Audi managed it then? Intelligent internals because of PPE and an enormous battery are one factor, however aerodynamics is one other. With the correct spec, the A6 E-Tron Sportback has a drag coefficient of simply 0.21. The precise spec bit is, sadly, an enormous caveat right here. That drag quantity comes with Audi’s camera-on-sticks digital wing mirrors, which aren’t coming to the U.S.. Nonetheless, at a preview of the automobile in Munich an Audi rep recommended old style glass slabs wouldn’t add a lot to the quantity.
Audi
These digicam mirrors will not be out there within the U.S.
To maintain issues on the straight and slim if you’re on the street, there are two suspension set ups. A standard set of springs tuned, says Audi, for agility, and non-compulsory (on A6, commonplace on S6) air suspension for every nook. Audi says it presents a broad unfold between consolation and sport, and can adapt to street situations. It’ll additionally let the automobile sit at 4 totally different trip heights relying on what you wish to do. In ‘effectivity mode’ it’ll decrease the physique by 0.8 inches relying in your velocity to help aero and preserve power consumption as minimal as potential. The S6’s all-wheel-drive setup, by the way, is rear biased ought to the will for hooliganism take you. Each the A and S6 include differently-sized entrance and rear tires to help stability.
In terms of the A6’s new form… it’s a looker. It’s fairly large, as you’d count on for a automobile with a whacking nice battery between its wheels, however not an excessive amount of greater than the present inside combustion A6. It measures up at 194 inches lengthy, 75.7 inches huge and 58.7 inches excessive. Importantly, it doesn’t appear to be a half used bar of cleaning soap as might be the best way with EV sedans.
Audi
Audi’s throwing some good styling cues at its EVs to assist them stand out within the crowd. The grille is available in an ‘inverted’ hue, differing it from the remainder of the automobile—a white automobile may have a darkish nostril, a darkish automobile will get a vibrant snout. There’s additionally a black insert within the automobile’s sill. It’s partly there to suggest there’s a battery lurking beneath, however it additionally goes a great way to cover some visible weight. There’s loads of metallic down the aspect of the A6, so breaking it up is a great concept. At every nook are pretty chunky quattro-style arches, which is a neat flourish, whereas its nostril is pleasingly dramatic and hides good aero touches to maintain that each one vital drag determine low.
With its newest era of vehicles Audi’s doing cool issues with lights. Very like the lately revealed A5, you possibly can select your individual journey with mild patterns entrance and rear. In different bits of the world you possibly can chop and alter them on the transfer, and even use the tail lamps as a strategy to talk with vehicles behind, however within the U.S. you possibly can’t actually do a lot. You possibly can swap up your patterns, however you’ll should be stationary to choose your favourite, and your selections will take impact the following time you flip the automobile on. No less than they’re LED up entrance and OLED on the rear. Talking of the rear, the sunshine bar stretches throughout the width of the automobile, which not solely appears rad, however emphasizes its girth. One neat trick the U.S. can have is an illuminated set of Audi rings entrance and rear, so folks can see what you’re driving even within the depths of evening.
Audi
Inside, the A6 E-Tron is an excellent return to kind for Audi. It appears and feels as if it’ll final by the yr 3000. There’s a neat wraparound design, and it feels spacious however with a touch of coziness. The star of the present is the MMI panoramic show, a part of one thing Audi calls the Digital Stage. It’s a curved OLED display that wraps itself across the inside of the automobile made up of an 11.9-inch digital cockpit and a 14.5-inch central MMI show. In case your passenger tires of your glowing dialog, they’ll benefit from the 10.9-inch MMI show only for them. They’ll watch films, stream Tik Tok and do many different issues. Because of a particular coating on their display, the driving force can’t watch together with them whereas they’re on the transfer. The motive force won’t thoughts an excessive amount of, as they’ll have an augmented actuality HUD to play with. It’ll present nav data, velocity and different such helpful issues. The Digital Stage comes with extra methods—there’s a ‘dynamic interplay mild’ that stretches throughout the cabin to indicate you varied issues like state of cost, and extra apart from.
On high of all of that, the A6 comes with loads of toys. U.S. vehicles will get an electrochromic panoramic roof as commonplace, which is a neat contact. Additionally, you are able to do the ‘wave your foot to open the trunk’ trick right here, however the automobile will shine a light-weight on the bottom to indicate you WHERE that you must waggle your limbs. Helpful stuff. And, after all, Bang and Olufsen sound is offered must you want (you most likely do).
Audi
All of the screens you possibly can ever need.
Full U.S. pricing remains to be TBA, however in Europe costs kick off at €77,250 ($83,549 at present trade charges) for the bottom A6 Sportback E-Tron efficiency, and rise to €99,500 ($107,614) for the S6 Sportback E-Tron. That’s roughly in keeping with BMW’s i5 vary, with which the A6 E-Tron shall be in direct competitors. Be aware that the BMW is cheaper within the U.S.—beginning round $67,100—and the A6 could also be too. U.S.-market pricing is rarely so simple as working the EU value by a foreign money converter.
Remaining specs, EPA figures and extra will make themselves recognized quickly, however should you’re tremendous eager on some A6 E-Tron motion, you may get an order in from September 2024, and the automobile will launch in spring or summer time of 2025.
