Audi's A6 range was given a midlife nip 'n tuck in SA recently, together with a shot of adrenalin in the form of a new, supercharged three-litre V6 petrol engine to replace normally aspirated 3.2.
In the motor industry's seemingly never-ending quest to confuse the public with misleading nomenclature, the car's badge says 3.0T which suggests a turbo, not a supercharger. But anyway
The direct-injection FSi engine, which feeds all four wheels through a 6-speed Tiptronic auto transmission, is similar to the supercharged unit that will power the soon-to-be-launched S4 and wields 213kW and 420Nm - muscular outputs that make the old 3.2's 188kW and 330Nm seem quite neutered.
And the extra air stuffed into the engine by the charger means the car's basically as quick at altitude as at sea level.
Sometimes you wonder why every engine isn't force-fed.
In terms of how much power it's squeezed from a 3-litre engine Audi's achieved an impressive thing, although the execution could do with some work as this A6's power delivery is almost too instant and brutal.
Give the throttle anything more than a tickle and the
which is just what the doctor ordered when you're in a racy mood, but becomes a bit tiresome in normal commuting; you almost wish for a bit of turbo lag to smooth things out.
"RRING, RRING."
"Hello?"
READER: "Dude, you just criticised a car for being TOO responsive. Can I get you your pipe and slippers?"
DD: "Yes, I know what it sounds like, but believe me on this one. That power delivery's a bit manic for a luxury sedan and perhaps more suited to boy racers than the A6's more mature clientele."
READER: "Old fart! CLICK."
DD: Oh well, you can't convince everyone. But don't get me wrong, I'm taking nothing away from the car's distance-devouring ability. When your adrenalin dial is set to high the 3.0T really is a joy to drive fast, and in those quieter commuting moments I eventually learnt to feather the throttle and smooth out the driving experience.
The immediacy of power delivery results in a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.6sec which, although almost a second slower than Audi's 5.9sec claim, is still a very brisk feat for a heavy all-wheel drive car.
But the in-gear acceleration is perhaps even more impressive and the supercharged A6 roars from 60-120km/h in just under six seconds - no slower than the fire-breathing Audi RS4.
Actually, roars isn't the right word as smooth refinement is the gravy on the A6's performance platter. The big sedan glides along at vicious velocities with little noise intrusion, the insulating cabin allowing conversation among passengers at normal speaking levels.
That said, there's a hint of a sporty growl from the tailpipes which adds just a shot of aural excitement.
Between them the Tiptronic transmission's two settings - normal and sport - cater efficiently to all driving situations so efficiently and smoothly as to render superfluous the manual gear-change paddles on the steering wheel (except perhaps as passenger-impressing decorations).
Fuel consumption varied quite notably depending on the enthusiasm level of the driver's foot, but averaged out at around 11.5 litres per 100km which really isn't bad given the performance levels.
Fuel saving measures in the updated A6 include low rolling resistance tyres, widened gear ratios and improved aerodynamics, as well as power steering that only uses engine power when needed.
Our test vehicle had sports suspension fitted which costs an extra R4 100.
It gave the A6 a firm ride without making it teeth-jarringly uncomfortable, while sharpening the big sedan's cornering manners.
The car's quattro drive and an electronic stability programme ensures it takes some doing to get a tyre to squeal, and the ABS-assisted brakes are impressively powerful too.
The all-wheel drive makes for a big turning circle, however, and three-point turns become the standard order of play in this Audi.
The R583 500 car comes with an acceptable level of standard spec, but you'll have to dig deep into the kids' university fund if you want extras like satellite navigation, park distance control, and Xenon plus headlights.
About 100 grand's options were fitted to the test car, some of which we really thought should come standard.
The A6's interior received a minor upgrade in the form of new aluminium trim, softer door panel armrests and a new three-spoke steering wheel.
The biggest noticeable change is in the optional Satnav which now has 3D graphics, while the MMI (Multi Media Interface) - already one of the most intuitive in the business - is even easier to use.
In their revamp Audi missed the opportunity to upgrade the climate-control system, which can be annoying sometimes. I see the convenience of pressing a single "Auto" button to keep the cabin at a chosen temperature, and this works fine, but the problem is you aren't able to override it and set a fan speed of your own choosing.
When you select your desired blowing level, the fan invariably decides to start howling at its own pace a little while later.
Also, the electromechanical parking brake is a modern "convenience" I've been unable to get used to - give me an old school handbrake any day.
Outside, the nip 'n tuck has kept the A6 - already one of the better-looking cars in the executive sedan class - looking fresh and dapper.
There are slightly reshaped front and rear bumpers, new wheel designs and some subtle chrome bling, but probably the most noticeable tweak is the new LED tail-light design. There are LEDs in the front headlight clusters too, which stay on permanently and give the car some real road presence.
VERDICT
The supercharged A6 serves up refinement and responsiveness (at all altitudes) in an all-round classy package. At price slightly lower than less powerful normally-aspirated rivals from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus it offers good dash for the cash. - Star Motoring