New Audi A6 e-tron breaks cover

This is the second Audi based on the PPE architecture; expected to arrive in India in 2025.

Published On Jul 31, 2024 04:30:00 PM

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Audi has globally unveiled the new A6 e-tron in Sportback and Avant guises. This is the second Audi model based on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture and is closely related to the Q6 e-tron SUV that debuted in March this year. Co-developed with Porsche, the PPE platform will be used to underpin a host of VW Group cars in the coming years.

In line with Audi’s new naming convention — odd alphanumeric names for ICE cars and even for EVs — the A6 e-tron can be thought of as an electric equivalent to the recently unveiled A5 sedan. The new A6 can be traced back to the A6 e-tron Sportback and Avant concepts from 2021 and 2022, respectively. Additionally, there's a high-performance S6 e-tron variant that will also be available in both Sportback and Avant body styles.

Audi A6 e-tron exterior design and styling

In typical Audi fashion, the design is understated, but a close look reveals some interesting details, especially with the lighting elements. It adopts the split headlamp design from the Q6 e-tron, but with slimmer upper LED DRLs to match the car’s sleek profile. The LED signatures are even customizable, while the main headlamps below are Audi’s familiar Matrix beams.

S6 e-tron gets sportier looking bumpers to mark it out from the regular A6.

Apart from the lighting, what’s cool is the gloss black fascia that contrasts well with the sealed-off, trapezoidal grille finished in body colour. The bumper also appears smoother than the Q6 e-tron that has sharper edges and is more angular. Meanwhile, the bonnet features two sharp character lines, extending from the LED DRLs to the A-pillars, adding some muscle to the overall look. The S6 variants are marked out by sportier inserts on the bumpers.

The new A6 e-tron's silhouette is reminiscent of the ICE-powered A7.

The side profile is arguably the nicest angle to view the new A6 e-tron from, in both Sportback and Avant body styles. Audi chose a Sportback design over a traditional 3-box sedan, like on the ICE-powered A5, to help with aerodynamic efficiency. Audi claims a drag coefficient of just 0.21cd – making it the most aerodynamic Audi ever – and says the design maintains interior space and allows for a large opening for the boot. The Sportback closely resembles the ICE-powered A7, while the Avant has a nice squat stance with its pronounced rear fenders and low-slung design.

The doors feature contrasting cladding below to reduce visual bulk, while the smooth but deep curves give it a nice sensuous flair. At the back, there’s the now-familiar continuous light bar, but the highlight is the new second-generation OLED tail lights with variable patterns that can even be used to communicate with following vehicles. The tailgate features a stepped design and a subtle diffuser at the bottom rounding off the look. The illuminated four-ring Audi logo is unique to the A6 e-tron, and is not offered on the Q6 e-tron.

The A6 e-tron Avant looks particularly nice from the rear quarter with its squat stance.

As for dimensions, the A6 e-tron measures 4,928mm in length, 1,923mm in width, 1,527mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,946mm. There’s a 27-litre frunk up front and 502-litre boot at the rear. As standard, both Sportback and Avant variants ride on 19-inch wheels, and can be upgraded up to 21-inch units.

Audi A6 e-tron interior and features

The interior of the A6 e-tron is quite similar to the Q6 e-tron, carrying over the all-new electronic architecture that debuted on the latter. It features a single curved display that includes an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch central infotainment unit running on an Android-based operating system. Additionally, there is a separate 10.9-inch screen for the front passenger, designed to be out of the driver’s view to avoid distractions. The A6 e-tron also comes with a HUD with augmented reality displays and the Audi assistant now gets AI support with voice commands, which, the company says evolves as per usage.

The interior remains largely unchanged from the Q6 e-tron.

A standout feature is the ambient lighting strip positioned at the base of the windscreen. It wraps around the entire dashboard and extends onto the doors, where the screens for the camera-based ORVMs are located — another unique aspect of the A6 e-tron compared to the Q6 e-tron. The lighting strip not only changes colour to suit your preferences but also serves as a charging indicator, turn signal, and displays welcome and goodbye animations.

The new squarish steering wheel replaces the buttons with touch surfaces. There's also a new touch-based control panel on the driver’s door pad that houses mirror, seat, and light controls. The control panel has indents to guide your fingers around but buttons would have just been better. Meanwhile, the center console features a new toggle switch for the drive selector, though some might miss Audi’s traditional gear lever with an integrated palm rest. While the center console retains a physical rotary dial for media controls, the HVAC settings are fully integrated into the touchscreen.

All seating, light and mirror controls are housed in a touch panel on the driver's door.

A notable update in the A6 e-tron is its entirely leather-free interior. The dashboard has a mix of fabric, satin silver, and gloss black finishes with contrast double stitching, while the seats are wrapped in fabric upholstery. Other key features include a premium 20-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, a full ADAS suite, a powered tailgate, a 360-degree camera, and a panoramic glass roof that can switch between transparent and opaque at the touch of a button.

Audi A6 e-tron battery, range and specifications

Both Sportback and Avant models will initially be offered in three variants: a base RWD one with 282hp, a Performance RWD variant with 362hp, and a top-spec Quattro AWD with 422hp. The S6 e-tron models are positioned higher, featuring Quattro AWD and delivering 496hp of power (543hp with launch control).

A6 e-tron gets two battery pack options with up to 756km of range.

The front axle of the AWD variants features an asynchronous electric motor that produces 188hp and 275Nm of torque. The rear axle is equipped with a permanent magnet synchronous motor that delivers 375hp and 580Nm of torque. Audi claims a 0-100kph sprint time of 6.0 seconds for the base RWD variant, 4.5 seconds for the Quattro AWD variant, and 3.9 seconds for the S6 e-tron models. The top speed is limited to 210 kph for the regular A6 e-tron, while the S6 e-tron reaches up to 240 kph.

Regarding the battery pack, two options will be available: the base RWD variant uses an 83kWh battery with a WLTP-claimed range of 610km, while the rest of the range gets a larger 100kWh battery, offering a range of 647km to 756km, depending on the variant. With up to 270kW at 800 volts, the 100kWh battery can go from 10 to 80 percent in 21 minutes. Audi claims a range of 310km can be topped up in just 10 minutes. Onboard AC charging speed is only 11kW, but an option of 22kW will also be offered. Uniquely, the A6 e-tron includes charging ports on both sides for added convenience, and adaptive air suspension will be offered as an optional extra.

The A6 e-tron is expected to arrive in India sometime in 2025.

Audi A6 e-tron India launch and price

The A6 e-tron will go on sale in international markets in early 2025, starting with Europe, its home market. A launch in India is anticipated by mid-2025. Audi has indicated a starting price of around €75,000 (approximately Rs 68 lakh, before taxes) for the A6 e-tron, while the S6 e-tron is expected to be priced at around €1,00,000 (approximately Rs 91 lakh, before taxes). Upon launch, it will find competition from the BMW i5 in India.

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