Audi prices A6 from $95,500 BOCs
BY RON HAMMERTON | 10th Jul 2019
AUDI’S all-new A6 luxury large sedan will be priced from $95,500 plus on-road costs when it lands in Australia next month, undercutting equivalent models from German rivals.
The Ingolstadt company claims the most affordable A6 at launch in Australia, the 45 TFSI quattro, gets $13,000 of additional features over the superseded equivalent, the 2.0 TFSI quattro, that was list priced at $99,500.
By contrast, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series equivalents with similar 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engines, the E300 and 530i, are priced at $110,500 and $111,900 respectively.
The eighth-generation A6 will be launched with a choice of two turbocharged petrol engines – a 180kW/370Nm 2.0-litre four cylinder in the 45 TFSI and a 250kW/500Nm 3.0-litre V6 in the 55 TFSI S line – with both hooked up to a seven-speed S tronic automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel-drive system.
Both engines come with mild-hybrid assistance – 48-volt for the V6 and 12-volt for the four-cylinder. The 48-volt system operates as the V6’s main electrical system while recuperating up to 12kW of power and assisting with stop-start driving.
Revealed at the Geneva motor show in March last year, the new A6’s styling is an evolutionary change, even though the car is said to be new from the ground up.
High-definition matrix LED headlights are standard, as is the new Connect Plus infotainment and connectivity system – a first for Australia.
Standard features on the A6 45 TFSI are 19-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, sat-nav, twin screens – 10.1 – and 8.6-inch – wireless phone charging and music interface with two USB sockets in both front and rear seats.
Like all new Audis, the driver sits in front of a fully digital instrument screen that offers a variety of styles.
Buyers can step up to the S line version of the 45 TFSI for $105,200, gaining the S line exterior trim, bigger 20-inch wheels, adaptive damper suspension, sports front seats sheathed in Valcona leather, head-up display and illuminated door sills.
The $116,000 A6 55 TFSI has the same features list as the 45 TFSI S line, but of course gains the bigger V6.
For another $9800, buyers can opt for a premium package that adds S line interior, privacy glass, panoramic sunroof, Bang & Olufsen sound system, electric steering column adjustment, electric bootlid operation and colour ambient interior lighting.
As the A6 has already received a five-star European safety rating, expect Australia’s ANCAP independent safety watchdog to follow suit.
Safety features include adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, 360-degree cameras and a wide range of assistance systems to avoid trouble when turning, changing lanes, reversing and even opening the door.
Other A6 variants, including the hot S6 sedan and Allroad off-road wagon, will follow in 2020.
With A6 in run-out this year, sales have barely bothered the scorekeeper – just 16 units in the first six months compared with 172 in the same period of last year.
The segment leader, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, has clocked up 691 sales (-11.5%), while the new BMW 5 Series has made up ground, to 621 sales (+43.8%).
2019 Audi A6 pricing*
2019 Audi A6 pricing*
| 45 TFSI quattro (a) | $95,500 |
| 45 TFSI quattro S line (a) | $105,20 |
| 55 TFSI quattro S line (a) | $116,000 |
*Excludes on-road costs