The A6 is getting on a bit now and you can really see that when you hop in to the cabin. Compared to the pared-back interior of the new Audi TT, the A6 cabin seems a little aged and last-gen. That said, there's still an awful lot of good stuff going on here - it's incredibly comfy, knocking off repeated round-trips between Dublin and CompleteCar's Belfast office (L'Officine Du CompleteCar Nord - or my front room as it's better known) without any apparent effort.
Without any apparent fuel burn either - you see this is an A6 Ultra, which means that it has a greater content of high-strength (but lighter) steel and aluminium than standard. This is Audi's attempt to draw a thick, black line between its all-conquering (and ruddy marvellous) Le Mans 24hrs success and its workaday motor cars. So lightened, and fitted with the latest 190hp version of the venerable 2.0-litre TDI engine, this big, spacious, luxurious, comfy saloon romped along getting an easy 60mpg even on a motorway cruise. It did drop a bit in sluggish town driving, but only to about 45mpg; impressive stuff for something this big.
While Audi has also had a crack at the suspension, the A6 still feels a little adrift of its competition in driving terms. Really, to get an A6 that is truly enjoyable and engaging to drive, you need to upgrade to the 3.0-litre V6 TDI with quattro. This front-driver is lovely and relaxing behind the wheel, but a touch unrewarding when the roads get twisty, at least compared to a BMW 5 Series or Jaguar XF. The steering, even in Dynamic mode, is just too light and finger-tip-y - comforting when you're not being enthusiastic, but alienating when you want to have some fun.
The fact that it came with a manual gearbox was also slightly odd - you just expect a car of this size and type to come with a zero-effort slusher, don't you? Not that it was a particular hardship - the shift quality is light, accurate and easy - but, it's just, I kept stalling it as I came to a halt, forgetting that there actually was a third pedal down there. Ahem.
Still, sit back and feel the quality, eh?
Key tech specs:
- Pricing: €47.250 for this one
- Engine options: This was the new 190hp 2.0-litre TDI and it's a belter - refined and super-economical
- Emissions: 114g/km for this manual Ultra model - you needed a Prius to get those kind of emissions when I were a lad...