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2006 Audi A6 4.2 Quattro Road Test

Dont Mind If I Do

Hello, my darling A6. My, my, whats that under your bonnet? A throbbing 4.2L V8? Lets go.

Thats how we met, and for one week, we were inseparable, taking to the streets with wild abandon... Uh, just kidding, Audi, actually we were very well behaved. Im doing my best innocent face impression right now.

If anything, the A6 made me want to put on a 4-button suit, a crisp, starchy shirt and a power tie and drive down to the opera to catch a show. Its just such a great formal car, especially in tuxedo black. I actually spent some time in a silver A6 as well, but I have to say that black suits it like, well, black on a tux.

For some reason, I had a hard time writing about this car simply because I just didnt know where to start; its list of features has got to be as long as

A6 with 335 horsepower V8 is just about the right car for any occasion. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

Woodward Ave... OK, maybe not, as the overachieving Phaeton likely out-features the A6--probably because the Phaeton has buttons that activate the buttons--Im telling you, nothing in that car is manual, Im shocked that the doors dont open themselves--seriously, how come we dont have more cars that open their own doors, when so many trunks can open and close themselves and minivan sliders are now automotaed, why not driver doors? Did I get distracted there? Sorry, I just remembered the Phaeton and that always just turns my brain down roads that neednt be traveled, sort

It may be smaller than the Phaeton, but it packs nearly as many features, if you make a trip down the options list. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

of like VW making a $70K car. Nice, yes, but kinda silly. Those silly, overachieving German engineers.

As opposed to VWs Phaeton, this somewhat unspectacular yet amazing vehicle ideally serves Audis luxury reputation, which is already well established. Why unspectacular? If you think thats me being mean, its not. First of all, youll know when Im being mean, and secondly, Audis dont need to be overtly spectacular, unless there is an R attached to an S ahead of its numeric designation. Audis have a habit of making the extraordinary seem ordinary thanks to nearly supernatural grip and stability, and this big, midsize A6, with its incredibly indulgent

MMI system controls audio, stereo and other vehicular functions. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

power, graceful 6-speed Tiptronic transmission, and quattro all-wheel drive brought order to any chaos I could throw at it.

Twisty high-speed transitions on the express way, chicanes on surface streets due to construction, hairpins coming off cloverleafs onto inner city roads, and ripped up semi-repaved sections of the highway were no match for the A6s handling and composure. Granted, the ride on the standard steel-sprung suspension is firm, possibly too firm for many in the market for a conventional luxo-barge, but it is well worth the bump that is felt in exchange for also feeling like youre strapped onto the road with body-hugging memory foam instead of a mass of pillows or rubber bouncy balls. Give me road feel or give me my bicycle. But for those who cant take a bit of road communication, the A6 is also

A6 4.2: for a luxury sedan, its extremely fun to drive. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

offered with a state of the art adjustable air suspension system.
Despite the A6s substantial thirst for premium, I couldnt resist taking it out for a highway spin almost every night that I had it in my possession, a treatment reserved only for true drivers cars. To say the A6 is a "drivers car" doesnt do it complete justice, mind you, as its form-fitting comfort, safety, and technological amenities are also important to consider, as well as how these aspects have been so smoothly integrated.

Its not without its faults. While I like MMI, Audis systems interface, its not for everyone. Although I found it simple and straightforward for the functions I commonly use (audio, navigation, climate), the fact that you must go through menus means that it takes more time, and more effort to do simple adjustments. From a driving perspective, the steering comes through a little light despite the excellent car control, but

Cockpit of an airliner? Bridge of a nuclear submarine? No, its the inside of the A6 at night. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

Ive yet to experience a variable power steering system that was its match. And as mentioned before, the gas bills start to add up with frequent visits to the pump, especially with all the joy rides I couldnt stop myself from taking.

Its a big engine (we save adjectives like massive for Hemis and LS2s) for an almost big car, and its 335 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque suited its effortless character just fine. Fine enough to keep me coming back for more, thats for sure. The 3.2 V6 available on the A6 does the job adequately, but the V8 breathes heady power into the mix, with power to spare at every point in its rev band. All the gears are also properly spaced to keep things mellow or hot, and traction is always ready and willing to harness the most lead-weighted of right feet.

I had the option of shifting the Tiptronics six gears for myself, but without paddle shifts the gearbox spent a great deal of time dropped in S-Mode (Sport, which holds gears longer and downshifts earlier in the braking process) letting the electronic brain

A6s classy rear end contains LED lights and splashes of chrome. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

do most of the thinking, not that there is really much to think about with so much power on tap.

Of course, the A6 isnt just about power and properly harnessing it, its also about safety, which it has in spades. I would say the ace of spades, but King is more like it since it earned a silver and not a gold medal from the IIHS for its all around performance in the frontal offset and side-impact collision tests. Keep in mind, a silver rating is nothing to shrug off; this means that its actually in the top three safest midsize sedans to be tested in 2006 (so far); something that Volvo or Mercedes-Benz have yet to achieve.

What more could you ask for? Keyless ignition? A power-operated trunk? A heart-stopping surround sound system? Theyre all available, but for me theyre unnecessary. Like I said in the beginning, the only thing I would really ask for is a drivers door that open itself. And more horsepower. While itll still be some time before my first request is granted, the second one is something Audis already working on. Starting this summer, the new S6 will be available with a Lamborghini Gallardo-sourced V10. But that would just be silly.

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