After revealing the latest generation of the A6 saloon last month, Audi swiftly brings the load-carrying sibling to the market.
That’s a nice-looking wagon!
Welcome to Audi’s new A6 Avant which the brand hopes will outshine the BMW 5 Series Touring, Jaguar XF Sportbrake, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate and Volvo V90 on the catwalk.
The first thing Audi is talking about in its latest load-carrier is design. Key elements include a long front end, gentle sloping of the roofline and lightly raked rear.
It certainly looks the part, although Audi has ensured that profile isn’t too sporty because that’s the job of the A7 Sportback, the latest model from Ingolstadt to launch in Thailand.
With an overall length and wheelbase measuring nearly 5m and 3m accordingly, the A6 Avant is claimed to offer class-leading levels of elbow and knee room for all occupants.
The boot is measured at 565 litres and can be enlarged to 1,680 litres when the rear backrests fold down (with the ability to tuck away 40:20:40).
Does it get mild hybrid tech?
Yes it does, just as what has happened in the A6 saloon, A7 Sportback and A8 flagship limo. The 48V mild hybrid allows for coasting between 55-160kph and start-stop system kicking in already at 22kph.
Two V6 engines mated to eight-speed torque-converter automatic and four-wheel drive are available initially: 286hp 50 TDI diesel and 340hp 55 TFSI petrol, the latter being chosen for the latest A7 Sportback and A8 in Thailand.
Four-cylinder options are set to come at a later date with seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. These would eventually form the bulk of sales of not only the A6 saloon and Avant but also the A7 Sportback.
New options for the A6 Avant include four-wheel steering, torque-vectoring for the rear wheels (when specified with Quattro all-wheel drive), plus sport and adaptive suspension.
But it won’t be a big seller in Thailand…
That’s most likely the case, although the A6 Avant will chase niche buyers wanting a stylish estate when sales start later this year after the introduction of the saloon variant.
With the exception of the XF Sportback, all rivals are being sold in Thailand with four-cylinder power in the 4-5 million baht price bracket.
The Audi importer Thailand is currently in the stage of evaluating what potential Thai customers are looking for. This explains the barrage of new models coming to its showrooms recently.
A company executive was quick to point out that the main focus would eventually be on SUVs, aka Q cars in Audi speak, and sporty ones like the TT.
