The A6 Sportback e-tron offers us a very different kind of Audi A6. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

With this A6 e-tron, Audi reinvents its A6 model line as a full-EV. Offered in Sportback and Avant forms, it's one of the world's sleekest electric vehicles. And also looks to set fresh standards in terms of range, charging speed and cabin quality. BMW and Mercedes will be worried.

Background

Is this really the sixth generation Audi A6? Or actually a completely new kind of 'A6'-badged Audi altogether? We'd suggest the latter. The real successor to the outgoing fifth generation model will be badged 'A7', to meet Ingolstadt's new mantra that its combustion model lines must be designated by odd numbers. The A6 e-tron we look at here, in contrast, is quite a different thing, only offered as an EV and with a Sportback hatch body shape selling alongside the usual Avant estate in the model line-up. It shares nearly all of its engineering with the brand's Q6 e-tron SUV; which means use of the 800V electrical architecture and Premium Platform Electric chassis the Q6 shares with the Porsche Macan Electric. With the Sportback and Avant body shapes and the range of powertrains Audi plans to offer, the market reach here is wide; rivals could be anything from a Mercedes EQE to a BMW i5 Touring to a Porsche Taycan. Let's take a closer look.

Engines and Tech Spec

As you'd expect from such an aerodynamic car, all versions of this EV only design look very competitive on range. Even the smallest entry-level 83kWh battery (75.8kWh usable) which is borrowed from the VW ID.7 takes a car up to 384 miles; that standard version uses a 286PS rear-mounted motor (boosted to 326PS with launch control activated) and makes 62mph in 6 seconds. Most A6 e-tron customers though, are expected to choose the 'performance' version's larger 100kWh battery (94.9kWh of it usable), which is the most frugal variant in the range, able to take the car up to 464 miles between charges or (437 miles in Avant guise). Here, the rear motor develops 367PS (380PS with launch control) and gets the car to 62mph in 5.4s. Top speed is 130mph. There's also a dual motor AWD quattro version of this 100kWh model, which adds an extra front-mounted motor that pushes power up to 428PS (462PS with launch control) and drops the 62mph sprint time to 4.5s, though the extra weight means that range falls to a best of 440 miles. Much the same 100kWh / AWD format is also used by the sportier S6 variant, though here the motor tune is turned up to 503PS, so range drops to 407 miles. Using launch control in an S6 boosts that output for 551PS and gives a 0-62mph time of just 3.9s. Top speed is 149mph. An even faster full-EV RS 6 model will appear later in the production run. You'll need to make full use of the paddleshift two-stage energy recuperation system to get near those range figures, which when set at its fiercest is capable of sending up to 220kW of energy to the batteries as the car slows. Many customers will want to specify the optional adaptive air suspension system, which can change according to road conditions and will set the car's ride height at four different levels, the most economical one lowering the A6 by 20mm to improve aerodynamics.

Design and Build

The A6 e-tron clearly ushers in a new era of Audi design. Ingolstadt claims it 'establishes a new milestone in aerodynamics' for the brand, harking back to last-century models from the marque like the Auto Union Type C, the NSU Ro80, the Audi A2 and, most notably, one of this e-tron model's predecessors, the MK3 Audi 100, which was the sleekest car of its time. The A6 e-tron isn't quite that, but its 0.21Cd figure puts it close to the industry-leading Mercedes EQS and Tesla Model S. Visually, the cues are shared more with this car's Q6 sibling than with any previous A6 and the saloon body shape that characterised that model line since the Seventies is absent, replaced by a Sportback five-door hatch with a rear roof line that drops away sooner than that of the alternative Avant estate. Slim daytime running lights flank an inverted body-coloured grille and sit above LED headlights hidden within an intricate grille that emphasises the wide stance. Big wheels (19 to 21-inches) are pushed right to each corner, plus there are flush door handles and optional digital door mirrors. Large e-tron-branded lower door panels complete the effect. The rear has a full-width three-dimensional light bar with an illuminated four-ring Audi logo. Which is where you'll best appreciate the OLED lighting on top models which can shimmer like a rare jewel by the system gently igniting and extinguishing the unit's OLED crystals. Inside up-front, there's the expected screen fest, a curved fascia panel joining the two main monitors; an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch central touchscreen, to the left of which a further optional 10.9-inch display can be added for the benefit of the front passenger. There'll be a further little screen at each corner of the dash if the digital door mirrors have been specified. As with the A5, there's what Audi calls a 'softwrap' fabric panel flowing uninterrupted across the entire width of the dash that's supposed to give 'an enveloping feeling of space'. As you'd expect, the overall effect is very high end indeed. Helped by the lengthy wheelbase of the PPE platform, the rear is very spacious and the back seats are staggered like theatre chairs so those at the rear sit a little higher than those at the front. Headroom is better in the Avant version thanks to that variant's extra 40mm of rear roof height. Boot space is unexceptional - and it's disappointing that the Avant offers the same relatively modest 502-litre capacity as the Sportback (up to parcel shelf level). That bespoke platform also frees up further 27-litre under-bonnet 'frunk' space for the charging leads.

Market and Model

Prices start from around £62,000 for the smaller battery 83kWh version. For the 100kWh 'performance' rear-driven A6 e-tron model most will want, you'll need to budget from around £70,000 - with a premium of around £1,800 if you want the Avant body style. There will be the usual 'Sport', 'S line' and 'Edition 1' trim levels. Expect to need from around £97,500 for the top S6. All variants are generously equipped - and cutting cutting-edge media tech via the fitted Android Automotive OS-based infotainment system. The can be embellished with a range of apps from the built-in online store. These include Music, Video, Gaming, Navigation, Parking and Charging, Productivity, Weather, and News Services. You will want to keep some budget back for some essential extras. Maybe the augmented reality head-up display that projects navigation instructions, road sign information and speed onto the windscreen ahead of the driver. Or the electrochromic sunroof that can be switched from transparent to opaque at the flick of a switch. Maybe also the 20-speaker 830-watt Bang & Olufsen premium 3D sound system with its headrest speakers and highly efficient amplifier. Also tempting is the OLED light tech, which provides a range of customisable lighting signatures, including a setting that'll warn drivers behind to back off if they're following you too closely. As you'd expect, there's plenty of driver assistance technology too. All models get a reversing camera, a traffic sign-based intelligent speed limiter, adaptive cruise control and a driver attention monitor. And there's the usual semi-autonomous driving system that combines all of these functions to take control of the car on the highway under driver supervision.

Cost of Ownership

Audi reckons its electric motors are among the most efficient in the industry. In this car, the brand uses asynchronous motors in the front axle and permanent synchronous motors on the rear, these units featuring dry sump oil cooling for better efficiency and management of heat. The company reckons these motors offer 62% more power density and 33% greater performance than the earlier generation units fitted to the Q8 e-tron. This A6 e-tron's standard inclusion of a heat pump will preserve driving range in very cold conditions. Audi says in this case it adds around 19 miles of extra range in really cold temperatures. On to charging, for which, helpfully, the car provides ports on both sides, though only one port can accept the fastest DC charging rate. The main news here (as we told you elsewhere in this review) is the switch to an 800V architecture with the sophisticated PPE platform. This means that your A6 e-tron can be charged at up to 270kW if you can find the right ultra rapid charger. At a fast enough charger, a 10-80% charge can be completed in just 21 minutes; apparently, 197 miles of range can be added in as little as 10 minutes. The sophisticated electric infrastructure also means this A6 can benefit from so-called 'bank charging': that means that at feebler public chargers (of up to 135kW) that can't handle the PPE platform's 800V power, this Audi will split the battery in two and run each half at 400V, optimising battery replenishment speed and efficiency, so charging will still be super-quick.

Summary

As we said earlier, don't think of this A6 e-tron as a replacement for the long-running A6 model line; it's really something else entirely, as much a signpost for Audi's future direction as the EQS was for Mercedes at the beginning of this decade. That super luxury EV set new aerodynamic standards that this Ingolstadt all but matches. In fact, there's very little you get on a six-figure EV limo like the EQS that you can't all-but-replicate with this Audi. It's hardly inexpensive of course. And the digital door mirrors are to be avoided, so it's just as well that they're mainly optional. But this car looks arresting, has a high-end cabin, goes satisfyingly far between spells of battery replenishment and has the ultra-fast 800V charging system its BMW and Mercedes rivals lack. A pretty impressive CV? You might well think so.

Body Glass

Rear wiper

Windscreen with heat insulating and acoustic glazing

Acoustic glazing for front door windows

Brakes

Hill hold assist

Front emergency brake assist

Standard steel disc brakes front and rear

Carpets/Rugs

Black carpets

Black front and rear floor mats

Chassis/Suspension

Dynamic suspension

Communication

Audi smartphone interface

USB interfaces with higher charging capacity - 2 X 100 W in the rear and 2 X 60 W in the 1st seat row

Audi connect emergency call and service

Audi application store

Audi connect remote and controls

Driver Aids

Fatigue monitor

Audi drive select (Balanced/Individual, effeciency, comfort and dynamic)

Driver attention alert system

Audi assistant

Progressive steering

Front cross traffic assist

Swerve assist and front turn assist

Lane departure warning system

Driver Convenience

Luggage compartment lid with Electric opening / closing

Driver Information

Audi virtual cockpit plus with 11.9" OLED colour display

Augmented reality head up display

MMI navigation plus with high resolution 14.5" OLED touchscreen colour display

Driving Mirrors

Automatic dimming rear view mirror

Body coloured door mirrors

Electrically adjustable heated and folding + automatically dimming exterior mirrors

Embellishment Trims

Anthracite matt brushed aluminium inlays

Accent surfaces and control buttons in gloss black

Black dashboard

Interior accents aluminium look

Entertainment

Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System

Smartphone compartment with wireless charging

DAB Digital radio

Exterior Body Features

Electric charging cover

Rear side wing doors

Body colour radiator grille

Body coloured door handles

Black diffuser

Window trim strips in aluminium look

Electrically operated frunk

Door sill trims with aluminium inlays in front with illuminated

Exterior Lights

Daytime running lights

LED rear lights pro

LED headlights plus

Headlight cleaning system

LED third brake light

White rhombus logo projection light in exterior mirrors

High beam assist

Illuminated audi rings in rear

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Auxiliary air conditioning

Heat pump

3-zone deluxe automatic air conditioning

Interior Features

Manual steering wheel adjustment

Twin leather upholstery

Front centre armrest adjustable angle with four settings

Upper and lower interior elements in artificial leather plus

upper part of the instrument panel in black with contrast stitching

Twin spoke leather steering wheel with multifunction touch buttons

Rock grey cloth headlining

Packs

Assist package drive and park - A6 E-TRON

Ambient lighting pack plus with dynamic interaction light - A6 E-TRON

Safety

First aid kit with warning triangle and high visibility vests

Side airbags in front and rear with head airbag system and front interaction airbag

Manual child proof rear door locks

ISOFIX child seat mounting for front passenger seat and ISOFIX child seat mounting with Top Tether for outer rear seats

3 point seatbelts on all seats

Front passenger airbag deactivation

Acoustic vehicle alerting system

Tyre pressure loss indicator

Airbags - Front side, front and rear including head

Rear seat alert

Convenience key with safelock

Seats

Heated front seats

Standard front seats

Rear headrests

4 way electrically adjustable lumbar support for driver and front passenger

Front head restraints

Single front passenger seat

Manually adjustable front seats

40/20/40 split folding 3 rear seat bench in 3 parts with rear centre armrest

Security

Anti theft alarm

Anti theft wheel bolts

Digital key

Towing

Towbar preparation

Vehicle Charging

Industrial connector CEE 32A, 230V, long and straight for the e-tron charging system

Mode 3 charging cable for public charging, 22 KW (AC)

On-board charger up to 270 KW (DC)

Compact e-tron charging system

2 charging ports - Charging port via charging (mode 2 and mode 3) + Charging port via DC charging (mode 4) driver side

Household plug tyre G for the e-tron charging system

Wall mounted bracket for compact e-tron charging system

11 kW AC onboard charger

Wheels - Spare

Tyre repair kit

Electric Vehicle Data

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Charge Time (Mins): 3060

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Power Supply - kW: 2.3

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Percentage Change: 0-100

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Charge Time (Mins): 600

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Power Supply - kW: 11

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Percentage Change: 0-100

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Charge Time (Mins): 21

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Power Supply - kW: 270

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Percentage Change: 10-80

Coupler/Connector Type: CCS Type 2

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Years: 8

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Mileage: 100000

Battery Capacity in kWh: 100

NEDC Electricity Consumption kWh/100 km: N

NEDC Maximum EV Range Miles: N

Battery Leased: 0

Battery Type: Lithium-ion

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb: 739

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb - TEL: 744

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb - TEH: 727

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb: 14.4

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb - TEL: 14.2

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb - TEH: 14.6

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb: 4.3

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb - TEH: 4.3

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb - TEL: 4.4

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb: 459

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb - TEH: 452

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb - TEL: 462

Battery Capacity % guaranteed under warranty: 75

Charging Port Location: Right Side Rear

Usable Battery Capacity: 94.9

Maximum Charging Rate - kW: 270

Emissions - ICE

CO2 (g/km): 0

Standard Euro Emissions: N

Noise Level dB(A): N

CO: N

HC: N

NOx: N

HC+NOx: N

Particles: N

Engine and Drive Train

Cylinders - Bore (mm): N

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): N

CC: 1

Cylinders: N

Cylinder Layout: N

Number of Valves: N

Camshaft: N

Fuel Delivery: N

Catalytic Convertor: N

Engine Layout: N

Compression Ratio: N

Transmission: AUTO

Gears: 1 SPEED

Engine Code: GHAAC8

Fuel Consumption - ICE

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: N

EC Urban (mpg): N

EC Extra Urban (mpg): N

EC Combined (mpg): N

General

Coin Series: Sport [S+V]

Coin Description: Performance

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 60000

Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 3

Manufacturers Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 12

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Based On ID: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 44E

Service Interval Mileage: 999999

Service Interval Frequency - Months: 24

Timing Belt Interval Mileage: N

Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months: N

NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: 92

NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: 91

NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 75

NCAP Safety Assist %: 80

NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 5

Badge Power: 367

Badge Engine CC: 0.0

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Generation Mark: 7

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No

Performance

0 to 62 mph (secs): 5.4

Top Speed: 130

Engine Power - BHP: 367

Engine Power - PS: No

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

Engine Power - KW: 270

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 417

Engine Torque - NM: 565

Engine Torque - MKG: 57.6

Test Cycles

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

RDE Certification Level: N/A

Tyres

Tyre Size Front: 235/45 R20

Tyre Size Rear: 265/40 R20

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Wheel Type: 20" ALLOY

Wheel Style: 5 TWIN SPOKE

Alloys?: No

Space Saver?: 0

Vehicle Dimensions

Length: 4928

Wheelbase: 2950

Width (including mirrors): 2137

Height: 1455

Weight and Capacities

Minimum Kerbweight: 2175

Gross Vehicle Weight: 2750

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): N

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 2100

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750

Max. Loading Weight: 575

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 502

No. of Seats: 5

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1330

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 12.3

Exterior Body Features

Metallic paint

Panoramic glass roof with switchable transparency

Packs

Storage and luggage compartment pack - A6 E-TRON

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Glacier white

Metallic - Mythos black

Metallic - Typhoon grey

Metallic - Plasma blue

Metallic - Malpelo blue

Paint - Solid

Solid - Magnet grey

Towing

Mechanically swivelling trailer towing hitch

Trim - Part Leather

Twin leather - Black with steel grey stitching

Twin leather - Peal beige with steel grey stitching

Twin leather - Steel grey with steel grey stitching + Softwrap black centre armrest with anthracite stitching

Wheels - Alloy

20" 5 arm aero graphite grey gloss turned finish alloy wheels