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Manufacturer Brochure - 1998 Audi A6
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| AUDI'S REVOLUTIONARY A6 REDEFINES THE GERMAN LUXURY CAR |
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| Updated |
Jun 3, 2004 17:14:33 |
| Rating |
 579 ( -74 -12.78% ) |
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Description:
With its totally new A6 sedan, Audi seeks to take the mainstream German luxury sedan segment into the future and even change the way people see cars on the whole.
The new A6 establishes a new prestige. A prestige marked by superior design, dimensions and dynamics. It asks and answers the question "Can one car change the way you look at all cars?"
Being introduced to North America this Fall, the A6 richly rewards its driver and passengers with dynamic, controlled performance, abundant room, unique, elegant appointments, and class-exclusive technology. With a longer wheelbase and improved equipment levels over the previous A6, it delivers on the promise of the A4 sport sedans and the premium, luxury as, and reestablishes the heart of Audi's product line up with the new standard for luxury touring sedans. This is only fitting, as it was the predecessors of the A6 that established Audi as a brand on this side of the Atlantic.
Powered by Audi's 2.8 liter V6 engine with five-valve technology, the new A6 delivers 200 horsepower at 6000 revolutions per minute and 207 lbs.ft. of torque at a low 3200 rpm. Couple the standard five-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic and Audi's advanced four-link front suspension to either Audi's class exclusive FrontTrak front wheel drive or quattro all wheel drive drivetrains, and you have a driving experience that places its owner squarely in the 21st century.
Can One Car Change The Way You Look At All Cars?
When Audi designers began work on the new A6 they arrived at the question "Must a sedan look like a sedan?" Their answer was to design a sedan with the style and elegance of a coupe. An eye-catching curvaceous whole that pushes interior space farther than ever while cheating the wind with an impressively low .28 drag coefficient.
From its striking front end, the new A6 is instantly recognizable as a full-fledged member of the Audi family. Its headlights, hood and bumpers blend together to reveal a familiar face while its advanced lighting technology, visible behind polycarbonate lenses, give this car a definite gleam in its eye.
The sweeping roofline glides in an arc from hood to trunk defining an interior space that offers increased volume (+6.6 cu. ft.) with increased headroom (+1.2 inches front and +.3 inches rear) and rear legroom (+2.1 inches). With its flush-mounted bumpers and body colored exterior accents, nothing interrupts the A6's clean, precise lines.
Taking its cue from the stunning Audi TT sports car, the rear of the A6 gives the car a breathtaking finish. A combination of distinct lines, smooth surfaces and three dimensional rear lights make the A6 unmistakable and give it class-leading trunk volume (17.2 cu. ft.) in a stylish package.
Striking design, however, does not preclude advancements made beneath the skin of a car. Utilizing a new body assembly process, the torsional rigidity of the new A6 has increased an impressive 50 percent and exterior body seam gaps have been reduced 33 percent (to just 3.0 mm). Even the connection with the road, Audi's revolutionary four-link front suspension, has been further advanced from its earlier applications in the A4 and A8. All of these changes result in a car with superior driving dynamics and ride comfort. Clearly the beauty of the new A6 is more than skin deep.
Personalized Luxury
In the new A6, Audi takes the concept of personal luxury to an all-new level. Audi is the first non-custom automobile manufacturer to offer buyers, at no extra cost, the opportunity to select an entire interior environment for their car to match their own personal style, not simply an interior color. Called "Atmospheres," Audi's three distinct environments are named Ambition, Ambiente, and Advance. Each atmosphere surrounds its occupants with a distinctly different character--distinguished by the texture and appearance of the seat upholstery, the color and type of genuine wood and aluminum trim, and even the sew pattern of the upholstery. Ambition evokes memories of classic touring sedans with its rich, dark wood and classic, muted colors. Ambiente is more Mediterranean in feel with its fine supple materials, lighter wood and bolder colors. Advance brings out the natural side of the A6's character with open pore wood trim and soft upholstery in warm, earth tones.
Each atmosphere is available in at least two color choices and can be specified in leatherette, leather (an extra cost option) or, in the Advance atmosphere, a Jacquard cloth.
Luxury means more than what a car's interior looks like. That's why the new A6 offers more space and higher levels of standard equipment than any A6 ever before. Class leading rear headroom, rear legroom, and trunk volume mean that five adults can travel in comfort. With 98.3 cu. ft. of interior space, the A6 takes the standard of luxury touring cars to new dimensions. Its 17.2 cu. ft. of highly usable trunk space (15.4 cu. ft. on models equipped with quattro) surpasses its nearest competitors (the BMW 5-series with 11.0 cu. ft. and the Mercedes-Benz E320 with 15.3 cu. ft.).
Standard amenities abound in this spacious interior. Twelve-way power seats with electric lumbar adjustment for both front occupants and 60/40 split folding rear seats with locking backs are now standard. A new, 140-watt 8-speaker sound system with a trunk mounted subwoofer and new "Concert" radio provide the best standard audio experience ever available in an A6. A standard dual zone climate control system with pollen filters offers independent temperature settings for the left and right sides, and employs two sunlight sensors for complete accuracy.
Other standard features, to name a few, include 15" forged aluminum light alloy wheels, power windows with all four windows featuring Audi's innovative one-touch up/one-touch down control with pinch protection, power mirrors with defog, power central-locking system with selective unlocking, a radio frequency remote locking system with remote trunk opening and panic function (integrated into a new folding ignition key), a convenience key close and open for power windows, retained accessory power, electronic cruise control, a remote power trunk release, front and rear reading lights, and pre-wiring (including speaker and microphone) for an optional voice-activated Motorola hands-free telephone.
Luxury can also be felt in the little touches. That's why Audi includes large front and rear area lights inside the car with fade-in and fade-out feature, four footwell lights, soft, nighttime overhead lighting for the center console and "puddle" lights in all four doors so no one has to wonder what's below when they step out. It's also the reason the luggage compartment was designed with a luggage net using four integrated tie down eyelets and a completely flat bottom for easy access over a scratch-resistant loading lip.
Leadership Through Innovation
Audi has always used advanced technology and engineering to go beyond the obvious needs of the driver and the passenger to deliver more like fully galvanized body panels, FrontTrak front wheel drive, quattro all wheel drive, and five-valve engine technology. In the case of the A6, this means more power from a 2.8-liter 30-valve V6 engine with twin dual overhead cams, variable intake valve timing and a variable geometry composite intake manifold. This combination of winning engine technologies
delivers 200 horsepower at 6000 rpm and its full 207 lb. ft. of power at 3200 rpm, at least 650 rpm lower than the nearest competitor, for better off the line acceleration. It means more control from a standard five speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic. This transmission can be used like a normal transmission or moved into its special shift gate where the driver can upshift and downshift manually without a clutch.
Building on some of Audi's best technology, engineers took the multi-link front suspension that has earned such acclaim for its driving feel and precision in the A4 and A8 and made it even better. By incorporating numerous cast aluminum parts, such as the fixture brackets for the springs and all guide arms, along with a new tubular sub-frame made of lightweight steel, the weight of the front suspension assembly was reduced by over 22 lbs. compared with the previous version. This suspension virtually negates the effects of torque steer, giving the driver a rear wheel drive sensation with all the inherent safety and traction benefits of front wheel drive. Two new rear suspensions were developed for the A6 (a torsion-beam rear suspension for use on FrontTrak versions and a double-wishbone for quattro versions) to provide outstanding comfort and greater dynamic stability while taking up less space to maximize available cargo capacity in the trunk.
Drivers can choose from two Audi exclusive drivetrains. FrontTrak front wheel drive with its ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) system delivers full-time, all-speed traction control. For the ultimate in traction and control, buyers can opt for quattro all wheel drive. This stand-alone option automatically shifts up to 65 percent of the available torque to whichever wheel has the most traction. This system assures the driver maximum contact with and power transfer to the road in all driving conditions.
As a pioneering force in automotive aluminum technology, Audi is now using aluminum for the door frames, bumper mounts, driver's area frame module, side impact beams, as well as the hood of the A6. This is the first occasion on which Audi has used the material for a large exterior part on a high-volume production car. While gaining 20 percent in terms of torsional rigidity, it is 36 percent lighter than conventional hoods. On the interior, Audi is using fiber optics to illuminate switch symbols and the door handles. For increased night visibility, the surfaces of other controls in the center console are illuminated by dimmed, indirect lighting emanating from two diode lights integrated into the roof lining.
Even the key has been considered in this new car. It folds away into a fob which controls the remote locking system and activates the interior lights and alarm system.
Exceeding Expectations
While equipped with an extensive list of standard features, the A6 offers several option packages unlike any in the industry. First is the Warm Weather Package (available only together with the Convenience package) which includes insulated, break-resistant glass, a solar sunroof to power interior blowers when the vehicle is parked in the sun. and an electric rear sunshade. The Enhanced Security Package offers rear seat mounted side airbags with occupant detection for outboard positions and Xenon high intensity discharge headlights, a first for Audi in North America.
A Convenience Package includes a glass slide and tilt sunroof with sunshade, four-position memory for the driver's seat and outside rearview mirrors and an auto dimming rearview mirror. With January 1998 production, this package will be expanded to include auto-dimming outside rearview mirrors and a Home-link remote transmitter located in the driver's sunvisor.
Two popular option packages continue in the A6, the Cold Weather Package and the Audio Package. The Cold Weather Package includes heated front seats, a heated steering wheel (which activates with the driver's heated seat) and a ski sack. The Audio Package now includes a 250 watt Bose3*** premium 8-speaker sound system including a trunk-mounted subwoofer for uncompromising audio quality. A 6-disc, trunk-mounted, CD changer completes the package.
Stand-alone options are few with a car this well appointed. They include the quattro all wheel drive system, 16 inch "wine glass" design alloy wheels with H-speed-rated all season tires, leather upholstery, a hands-free mobile telephone (located in the center armrest) and a 6-disc trunk mounted CD changer (dealer installed).
To complete one's definition of personalized luxury, new exterior colors have been added. In addition to Audi's signature Pearl White (an extra cost option), there are ten standard colors: Brilliant Black with Clearcoat, Aluminum Silver Metallic, Melange Beige Metallic, Europa Blue Mica, Volcano Black Mica, Casablanca White, Racing Green Mica, Andorra Red Mica, Jaspis Green Metallic and Cashmere Gray Mica. A comprehensive interior design guide is available at Audi dealers for customers to select exterior colors in combination with their choice of available interior atmospheres.
Safety is Standard
As a leader in automotive safety, Audi kept occupant safety and passenger cell integrity as primary goals during the design of the new A6. That's why the list of standard passive and active safety systems is longer than on any A6 before and longer than most cars in its class. The A6 incorporates five three-point safety belts (with height adjustments and automatic pretensioners that tighten to position all occupants in case of an accident) and next generation airbag technology. The A6 includes driver and front passenger next generation airbags. There are also front seat mounted side airbags for increased protection. Side airbag protection is also available for the rear outboard seats as an option. These side airbags are mounted in the seats so that they can always protect the occupant regardless of how they adjust their seat position.
For an added measure of protection, each seat has an adjustable headrest. Even the central locking system now has a safety unlock feature to unlock all doors and turn on the interior lights in the event of an airbag deployment.
To better secure child safety seats, each passenger safety belt in the new A6 has ALR--an automatic locking retractor consisting of a ratcheting mechanism for conveniently securing a child seat. Child-safety rear door locks are standard as well.
The previous A6 scored five stars for both driver and front passenger safety in U.S. Government NCAP crash tests--a feat no luxury car has equaled. With its extremely rigid body structure and side impact beams at the front and rear, the new A6 should do well in its own right.
Safety is also augmented through increased visibility. That's why the A6 utilizes headlight washers, electrically adjustable and heated outside mirrors, active reflectors in the rear of all doors and a rear fog light for extreme situations. Since we don't live in a perfect world, a standard emergency warning triangle is located in the trunk for emergencies.
The best way to remain safe is to be able to avoid an accident. That's why every A6 delivers precise handling, the security of front or all wheel drive, and the latest in ABS braking technology.
For Added Peace of Mind
Because proper maintenance and repair should not be viewed as a luxury, every Audi comes standard with the remarkable Audi Advantage. This top-rated--and sometimes imitated--ombination of warranties and protection includes:
Three-year/50,000 mile no charge scheduled maintenance.
Three-year/50,000 mile limited new vehicle warranty.
Ten-year limited warranty against corrosion perforation.
24-hour Roadside Assistance for three years (services provided by the Professional Dispatch Group). |
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