The new Audi A6 Avant sets design standards and stands for quality and comfort in the premium full-size class like no other vehicle. It impresses with a cleverly designed body concept and lots of variability, offering plenty of space for everyday life as well as for demanding recreational activities. The Audi A6 Avant models are based on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), powered by modern petrol and diesel engines that are more efficient and dynamic thanks to the mild-hybrid technology MHEV plus. Additional highlights include intuitive operating and infotainment concepts, new digital lighting technology, and intelligent driver assistance systems.
With its long wheelbase, large wheels, and sculpted body, the new Audi A6 Avant is perfectly proportioned. The interplay of clear surfaces and dynamic lines gives it an expression of elegance and sportiness. The combination of a wide track and strong shoulders with an extended hood contributes to this as well. The model’s reduced design vocabulary conveys a functional and timeless character.
The front is characterized by the low-positioned Singleframe, which extends to the lower edge of the front apron. Together with the sleek headlights and raised Audi rings, it gives the A6 Avant a striking, focused, and distinguished expression. Three-dimensionally modelled air curtains positioned under the headlights give the bumper a powerful and sporty look.
Three sweeping lines give the side view a dynamic character, with two of them forming the pronounced muscular sections that represent the quattro all-wheel drive. The blisters powerfully emerging from the shoulder surface at the front and rear wheels are reminiscent of the Audi Ur-quattro and a core element of Audi’s design DNA. “Making technology visible” is a central design principle of the brand. A third line runs across the sill, visually connecting the front with the rear and giving the A6 a sense of motion even when stationary. The powerfully taut roofline flows into a striking roof spoiler that spans the sporty, gently sloping rear window. The D-pillars, which are also steeply inclined and sit firmly on the rear blisters, underscore the sportiness of the A6 Avant when viewed from the side.
Like the front end, the sculpted rear end with its prominently positioned Audi rings also exudes prestige. The two sleek rear lights with their precise graphics and the continuous light strip emphasize the vehicle’s width. They lend the new Audi A6 a sense of presence, as does the vertical brake light flanking the rear. The large diffuser with its eye-catching trim piece rounds off the rear, integrating the tailpipes with their strikingly designed rectangular covers.
The A6 Avant in S line specification deliberately shows a lot of body colour and aluminium to highlight its elegance and sportiness. The Singleframe grille has a larger structure, and vertical frames accentuate the side air curtains to optimize airflow. Each of these elements underscores the dynamic character of the A6 Avant.
Drivers can choose between 10 colours for the A6, including the solid finish Arkona White. Glacier White, Mythos Black, Grenadine Red, Florett Silver, Firmament Blue, Ascari Blue, and Chronos Grey are available as metallic finishes, along with a new colour option called Midnight Green. The selection is rounded off with pearl effect Daytona Grey.
When it comes to wheels, Audi offers a wide selection of progressive designs from 18 to 21 inches for the A6 Avant. In the UK, the entry Sport specification comes with 18-inch wheels as standard and S line specification jumps up to a 19-inch 5-arm, platinum grey wheel. Top spec Edition 1 models get a 20-inch 5-arm alloy wheel finished in Graphite grey with a gloss turned finish; a 21-inch alloy is available as an option.
Furthermore, there will be various exclusive Audi options that enable even more customization in the A6 Avant. In addition to exclusive exterior colours, these also include new interior and leather colours.
To achieve this, the air control elements were made significantly more rigid. The unified interface for the air intake and for engine cooling also contributes to improved airflow around the body. At the rear, aerodynamic panels ensure a defined flow stall, assisted by the roof edge spoiler. The wide and aerodynamically optimized diffuser also makes an important contribution to the excellent drag coefficient. This enables the ideal balance between lift at the rear axle and air resistance.
Rounding off the sophisticated aerodynamic concept are optional aerodynamically optimized 18- inch wheels made of diamond-cut aluminium. The visible design of the rim is glossy, while the closed sections, designed to optimize aerodynamics, are black and blend inconspicuously into the shadows.
The aerodynamics and overall vehicle acoustics of the new A6 Avant are also first-class. For example, sound insulation in the vehicle has been improved by up to 30 percent compared to the previous model – with the weight of the materials remaining almost the same. More tightly sealed windows and optimized door seals ensure more pleasant acoustics in the interior, thereby enhancing onboard well-being. Newly developed engine and transmission mount bushings make for a smoother and quieter ride. The shape of the transmission gear teeth has also been optimized, which benefits the acoustics of the S tronic as well. Furthermore, all tyres on wheels 19 inches or larger have noise absorbers. These are foam rings on the inside of the tyre that reduce air vibrations there and thus have a positive effect on the noise level in the vehicle.
The new switchable panoramic glass roof, optionally available, further enhances the sense of spaciousness. It spans almost the entire cockpit and rear and allows the interior to either be flooded with light or effectively shaded. Nine segments form the basis for various patterns with areas that can be switched on and off to provide full glare protection. The “digital curtain” is operated via a button in the roof module.
The luggage compartment of the new A6 Avant has a capacity of up to 503 litres. Thanks to its width of 1,050mm, two large suitcases can easily fit in side by side. The standard 40:20:40 folding rear seats enable variable loading for items such as ski equipment. When the rear seat backrests are folded down completely, the luggage capacity increases up to 1,534 litres. A rail system, the storage and luggage compartment package, and a partition net are also part of the standard equipment of the A6 Avant and further increase its versatility. The electric tailgate is included as a standard feature. It opens and closes with a foot motion, with a projection light indicating where to “kick.”
The interior of the A6 Avant reflects the four characteristic features of the new Audi design philosophy. Firstly, the interior is designed to be “human centric,” meaning that it is systematically aligned with the needs of its users. The second special feature is the “digital stage,” which is laid out in front of the occupants in the form of the Audi MMI display.
With its “material-driven design,” the new Audi A6 fulfils the aspiration for a generous sense of space with a high level of comfort. The clear structure and logical operating concept ensure an overview in all situations and represent the fourth feature, “visual clarity”.
The digital stage revolves around the Audi MMI panoramic display and the optional MMI passenger display. The thin free-standing Audi MMI panoramic display has a curved design and OLED technology. It consists of the Audi virtual cockpit with an 11.9-inch display diagonal and the 14.5-inch MMI touch display. Audi complements the digital stage for the front passengers with the 10.9-inch MMI front passenger display (Edition 1 spec only), which is also perfectly integrated into the dashboard design. It enables the front passenger to look up websites and stream video content and also helps when navigating or searching for the nearest fuel station. Thanks to the dynamic privacy mode, distracting content such as videos cannot be viewed from the driver’s seat while driving. If the passenger display is not in use or if no passengers are detected, a digital background image is shown.
As a contrast to the digital and technical areas, the new interior of the Audi A6 Avant features a so-called Softwrap application. It extends from door to door across the entire width of the instrument panel, making the interior appear wider. Selected cloths, faux leather, or Dinamica in the door panels and armrests create a comfortable, refined ambiance.
The colours and high-quality materials of the interior are found not only in the Softwrap but also in the seats. The seats, Softwrap, door panels, and armrests are optionally available in sustainable materials such as the fabric Cascade and the microfiber material Dinamica, which are largely made of recycled polyester. The textile cover Cascade is reminiscent of natural materials such as wool and is not additionally dyed. It is partially made from recycled materials such as selvedge and recycled polyester. Dinamica looks and feels like suede, but about half of it is recycled polyester.
The distinct interior of the A6 Avant also makes an impression in the dark. The contoured lighting along the dashboard and in the doors accentuates the width of the interior, while the indirect light below the Audi MMI panorama display and in the centre console creates a visual effect of floating. The high-quality materials in the doors are also stylishly illuminated. And on vehicles with this feature, the Bang & Olufsen logo is even lit up.
As part of the redesigned interior and cockpit to create the digital stage, the dynamic interaction light facilitates communication between the vehicle and its occupants. Consisting of 84 LEDs, it is located below the windshield and is illuminated in a large arc extending from the left to the right A-pillar. In addition to a welcome function, the interaction light also features a special lighting sequence that is activated when the vehicle is locked or unlocked. It also supports safety by displaying the dynamic turn signal, but this only ever serves as an additional display and does not replace the turn signal in the Audi virtual cockpit.
The A6 Avant goes on sale in the UK on April 1 priced from £52,510 (OTR). First customer deliveries are due mid-June.
