Test Drive: 2007 Audi A6 4.2

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Audi’s head designer Walter de’ Silva described the company’s design philosophy as wanting “to appeal not only to the mind, but also to the heart and, as such, to people’s emotions.”

But there is a danger in playing with people’s emotions.

This would explain why I had such had a difficult time parting with my month-long A6 4.2 sedan tester. By the end of my time with the vehicle, I wasn’t sure whether I had discovered a new “favourite” or experienced my first automotive crush.

Its streamlined design first caught my eye; the one-piece single-frame grille pronounced itself flirtatiously in front of me as its dual exhaust hinted seductively of hi-octane fun to come. This was all before its leather seats embraced me and the heated, wood grain steering wheel was in my grasp.

“In 300 metres, turn left,” she’d say in a firm, but gentle tone. The memories. I will cherish them.

The latest generation of the Audi A6, in all its forms (also available as a wagon, a V6 sedan, a V8 sedan, and a V10 S6 bahnstormer) combines superior driving dynamics and sophisticated technology with exceptional comfort and equipment.

2007 Audi A6 4.2. Click image to enlarge

The A6 was also the first Audi to feature powerful Bi-Xenon adaptive headlight technology and continues the trend in the current version; and they’re standard on the 4.2 model.

The interior is a playground for the senses: the aroma and texture of quality leather, easy-on-the-eyes brushed aluminum and wood trim and a multi-media interface that is as functional as it is good looking. Luxury isn’t just a category in which to slot the A6, the car is the embodiment of the term.

After cursing yourself and sizing up your options you are left with the following: on one side of your vehicle idles a young punk in an after-market Civic with his eye on the prize, the other, a curb. The solution – get yourself an A6. Its 4.2-litre, direct-injection V8 engine will propel you past that wannabe Civic at the first sight of green with the help of 350 horses and 325 lb.-ft. of torque. You’ll actually want to be in that situation more often.

The potent engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic. This allows for the convenience of automatic shifting, especially in bumper-to-bumper traffic, with the benefit of manual gear selection whenever you wish. I rarely used the Tiptronic function, but you might – to each his own.

2007 Audi A6 4.2. Click image to enlarge

Those that have to deal with the white stuff six months of the year will be happy to know that Quattro all-wheel drive is standard on the A6. Quattro models come with a torsion centre differential that distributes engine torque in a flow of power to the front and rear axles – improving the dynamic performance of the vehicle and offering a little added safety cushion as well. Snowplow hasn’t ventured down your street yet? No problem.

Optional on all A6 models is Audi’s Adaptive Air Suspension system. Using the MMI interface, the driver can choose between three different ride settings; comfort, dynamic, or automatic. There is also a lift mode to assist the A6 in avoiding taller objects in its path. The system automatically lowers and raises the vehicle depending on speed to help increase high-speed stability and reduce fuel consumption. The “automatic” suspension was found to be the most convenient setting, although the “comfort” suspension did soften up the ride quite drastically – intended perhaps for those that want to own fine German engineering, but desire the ride of a Lincoln Town Car.

The A6 handles confidently and, considering that it is a large, heavy sedan, is quite nimble in the turns. Combine the “dynamic” suspension setting with the speed-sensitive Servotronic steering and you’ll be at the helm of quite the performance car. The Servotronic steering assists the vehicle at low speeds, altering the steering ratio so the car turns more with less input from behind the wheel. As speed increases, the system diminishes. It makes a tight U-turn manageable and the beautiful thing about it is that it almost goes unnoticed – that is until you get into a car without it.

2007 Audi A6 4.2. Click image to enlarge

Essentially, the only part of the interface that really bothered me was the inability to enter navigation data while the car is in drive. Now, I understand that this is a safety feature, but often (and I’m sure I’m not the only one out there), the passenger comes in handy when it’s time to enter navi co-ordinates on the fly, and when they can’t even program it, then what? Tiny lessons in preparing ahead of time brought to you by Audi.

As we have come to expect from premium cars, the sound system is spectacular. Standard on the 4.2 is a Bose Premium sound system with 13 speakers and six-disc changer. The CD changer is in the glove box (not the best location, but workable). One of its most unique features is a dynamic radio station list that continually updates stations based on signal strength.

I already mentioned the leather seats, brushed aluminium and wood grain trim that surrounds the cabin. That is to be expected from Audi. The heated leather seats were the best I’ve ever experienced. It’s a good thing I was able to test this vehicle in sub-zero weather, because I really noticed how fast the seats heat up. More often than not, it takes the duration of a short trip for the seats to heat up in most vehicles, but not in the A6. On the high setting, you’ll be just short of a rump roast in minutes. Trust me, this is a good thing on cold winter mornings. Rear heated passenger seats are also available. The heated steering wheel was also a convenience, keeping the wheel just noticeably warm enough as to feel comfortable.

2007 Audi A6 4.2. Click image to enlarge

There is plenty of room for passengers in the back seats and a deep, roomy trunk makes the sedan perfect for all their stuff. The power glass sunroof adds even more light to the already bright interior. The rear passengers have access to HVAC controls in a separate console on the back of the centre console. The trunk also has a cargo net with four tie-down eyelets to keep your belongings secure. I find this feature, which isn’t available on every car, to be extremely convenient – especially when grocery shopping. I think every manufacturer should include one.

Styling-wise, the A6 is upper crust. Its fluid design, set upon standard 17-inch, 16-spoke turbine-esque wheels is unmistakably Audi. It hints towards Audi’s racing heritage, straddling the line between sports and luxury sedan: the dual exhausts, sloping front end, body colour bumpers, pronounced grille, and aluminium door sills. The A6 is what the Mercedes-Benz E-Class should aspire to look like.

There seems to be a limitless list of convenience features on the new A6 and the engineers didn’t skimp on the safety features either: driver and front passenger advanced dual-stage airbags, dual front seat-mounted side airbags in front seat backs, “Sideguard” head curtain airbags and dual rear seat-mounted side airbags available as an option. The rain sensing wipers and massive sweep area ensure visibility in the worst weather conditions as well.

This car has it all: convenience, comfort, performance and safety. When you want a sports sedan, you won’t find it lacking in any way; when you want to look the part of the successful executive, it’s a powerful statement; and when you want to take the family away for the weekend, you’ll have more than enough comfort and room to keep even the most fickle travellers at bay.

De’ Silva wasn’t kidding when he said Audi’s mission was to appeal to buyer’s emotions. Once you sit behind the wheel of the A6, you’ll want to hang on to it for as long as you can.

Trust me, this one’s a heart breaker.

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1. Test Drive: 2007 Audi A6 4.2
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3. Test Drive: 2007 Audi S6
4. Test Drive: 2007 Audi Q7 4.2L Premium
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