The insane, access-all-areas 580bhp RS6 has been grabbing all the Audi-related headlines of late.
But it bears remembering that this thundering, steroid-pumped road weapon started life as an understated but extremely accomplished A6 luxury saloon.
It’s been flying under the radar somewhat with the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Lexus GS being the default choices in this segment.
But the A6 has always had the depth and range of ability to stare down these rivals. It just needed some slightly sharper clothes.
And, now, it has them.
The car, essentially, had a nose and tail makeover.
A6’s plush cabin has plenty of kit to pamper the driver.
The bumpers and valances at both ends are now subtly crisper, and the air intakes at the outer extremities of the front air dam are more pronounced and assertive.
While the headlamps retain the same shape, they each now incorporate a strip of Audi’s trademark cool-looking LED daytime running lights.
It has become an Audi signature – see a car with an illuminated strip of tiny, day-blue lights underlining each headlamp and you instantly know it’s an Ingolstadt product.
The most visible difference, though, is in the rear, where the tail lamps are now LED-lit, and slimmer and wider than before, with part of each tail lamp extending onto the boot lid.
There’s also a slight lip at the trailing edge of the boot lid and a chrome strip on the rear bumper to spice things up.
Inside, things have been freshened up with a new colour palette for the seats and trim materials, and higher-resolution graphics for the instrument display.
The rest of the car’s spacious, user-friendly cabin remains unchanged.
And build quality, as ever, is faultless.
The mainstream engine range of the A6 remains book-ended by the 2-litre turbocharged four-pot (170bhp) at one end, and the 4.2-litre V8 (350bhp) at the other.
Between these two sit a couple of 2.8-litre V6s (190bhp and 220bhp respectively).
And beyond the “regular” A6 range, there lurks the 435bhp S6 with its Lamborghini-derived 5.2-litre V10, and the aforementioned RS6, which flaunts a preposterous 580bhp from a twin-turbo version of the same engine.
But perhaps the most significant engine of the lot is the one tested here: Audi’s new 3-litre supercharged and intercooled V6, which it calls the 3.0 TFSI.
It’s the same engine as the one fitted on the recently announced S4 sports saloon, and which will soon make its way into the S5 coupe as well.
It looks set to be a mainstay of Audi’s engine range.
While this engine delivers 333bhp in the two “S” models, it’s tuned more for driveability than outright power in the A6, and delivers a (still impressive) 290bhp between 4850rpm and 6800rpm.
Its thumping 420Nm of peak torque arrives at 2500rpm (400rpm less than it takes for torque to peak in the “S” models) and only starts to abate after 4850rpm.
On paper, the 3.0T seems so effective that it renders the flagship 4.2-litre V8 practically redundant.
Despite the V8 boasting a 60bhp and 20Nm advantage over the V6, the 0 to 100km/h sprint time for both cars is identical – a stonking 5.9 seconds.
Even the 5-litre V10 S6 is only 0.7 seconds swifter to the ton.
The 3.0T absolutely feels as quick as the figures suggest.
It’s supercharged, so there’s absolutely no turbo lag.
Power delivery is completely linear right from a standstill.
And although there’s never a noticeable kick point in the delivery, the big Audi is accelerating with real venom by the time you hit 3000rpm or so.
In fact, subjectively, it feels marginally keener from step-off than the mighty RS6, which does exhibit a bit of initial lag before the monster shove from the twin-turbos arrive.
The easy accessibility of the supercharged engine’s power is perhaps its greatest draw.
Whether you’re just bumbling along in town or cruising at three-figure speeds, boot the throttle and the extra urge is readily on tap, even without your having to drop a gear.
Speaking of gears, the car’s 6-speed automatic with manual select is an excellent mate to the engine.
Upchanges are quick and smooth, while part throttle downchanges are smartly executed.
But for greater control, use of the steering-mounted paddles is still preferable.
At cruise, the cabin is a quiet place to be, but not quite as eerily hushed as that of, say, a Lexus GS.
The engine note is distantly audible, but it’s a pleasant sound – not as silky as the best BMW straight-sixes but creamily urgent, and building with stridency as the revs near their 6800rpm redline.
Locally, the 3.0T comes with the sporty S-line body kit and sports suspension as standard.
The latter lowers the car by 20mm by way of shorter, stiffer springs.
And the upshot of this is a firmer-than-standard ride quality and a touch more jiggle than some class rivals.
Chrome wheels are an acquired taste.
It’s hardly uncomfortable – bumps are still well smothered, damping control is excellent and things never get harsh or crashy.
Rather, the dash of firmness serves to hint at the car’s sporting intent.
And that sporting intent is amply exhibited when the corners arrive.
Despite its size and weight (nearly five metres long, and over 1.7 tonnes), the 3.0T changes direction very keenly indeed and with very little roll.
The steering is a bit lacking in weight and feel, but the response of the front end to steering inputs is deliciously sharp and linear.
And once into the bend, you can really lean on that chassis with tremendous grip from the 245-section tyres and the quattro drivetrain, allowing you to get on the power mid-bend without fear of the car either washing into ugly understeer or, conversely, attempting to swap ends.
Supercharged V6 now makes its way into the A6 model.
Really push it and the car will eventually start to edge wide nose-first, but it’s all very progressive and predictable. Very impressive indeed.
It’s a mild surprise to find a mainstream A6 serving up so sporting a drive.
The big Audi has hitherto been more about cruising than charging.
But with its superb new engine and tweaked dynamics, this car plays the sports saloon every bit as ably as it plays the luxury express.
The RS6 may be the big brother, but in its own way, the 3.0T stands every bit as tall.
New LED tail-lamps and subtle boot spoiler complete the makeover.
2009 AUDI A6 3.0T (A)
DRIVETRAIN
Type V6, 24-valves, supercharged
Capacity 2995cc
Bore x stroke 84.5mm x 89mm
Compression ratio 10.3:1
Max power 290hp at 4850-6800rpm
Max torque 420Nm at 2500-4850rpm
Power to weight 168.1hp per tonne
Gearbox 6-speed automatic with manual select
Driven wheels All
PERFORMANCE
0-100km/h 5.9 seconds
Top speed 250km/h (governed)
Consumption 10.5km/L (combined)
SUSPENSION
Front Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Rear Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs
TYRES
Type Michelin Pilot Sport 2
Size 245/45 R18
SAFETY
Airbags 6
Traction aids ABS, ESP
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4927mm
Width 1855mm
Height 1459mm
Wheelbase 2843mm
Kerb weight 1725kg
Turning circle 11.9m
BUYING IT
Price incl. COE $238,000 (after $10k VES surcharge)
Warranty 3 years/100,000km
+ Sparkling performance, keen handling, sharper style
– Uncommunicative steering, excessive weight, optional chrome wheels
