| Launch Report Audi A6 Avant |
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The A6 Avant, like its saloon sister, is no oil painting. From its gaping grille and heavy jowls to its tank-like flanks and bustled tail it looks exactly what it is - a heavyweight big hitter. It’s the "more" car - more volume, more choice, more quality, more fun and, controversially, more bulk. That final point begs a question. In an already car-swamped country like Britain, is there room for an estate which occupies so much road space?
Negotiating one tiny village, with streets like concrete-lined canyons, a local Post Office van failed to make it past me unscathed. Although I was stopped he attempted to squeeze past and narrowed his Renault by a good centimeter by rubbing it along the side of a building. He posted his annoyance with one finger and a scowl! Clearly he suspected I was nothing more than a wide boy - he was right. Size apart, the Avant is hard to fault. Construction is meticulous and on the road the car is taut, quiet, comfortable and great to drive. Active and passive safety is unimpeachable with two-stage front airbags, sideguard head airbags, side passenger airbags and front active head restraints all part of the standard package. Then there's an ultra-strong cabin structure, advanced electronic stability programme, massive brakes with powerful ABS, a new suspension system to improve handling in extreme conditions and speed-sensitive Servotronic power steering. It all adds up to ensuring the Avant remains under the control of its driver and, should the worst happen, offers the best-possible protection to the occupants.
Driving the big estate felt no different to the excellent saloon which spawned it. Response to throttle, brakes and steering on the petrol and diesel versions I drove at the launch left me forgetting I had a hangar tacked on to the back. There's no induced tail swing on hard corners, no squatting under acceleration and interior noise levels were as refined as on the booted car. If there was any fault to be laid it has to be on the ride. Audi has purposely set up the Avant to be firm. It's by no means uncomfortable, and for keen drivers it will enhance the experience behind the wheel, but there's no escaping the thump over some road ruts and an uneasy fidgety feel on uneven surfaces. |
Audi thinks the answer is Yes. The Avant's wheelbase has grown by three inches compared to the outgoing model to increase passenger space. The firm is responding to customer demands for a larger vehicle; cite "safety in size" as a selling point and underline the car's unmistakable presence on the road. But I wonder. Driving this finely-honed monster on narrow roads in rural France, I was constantly reminded of the Avant's two-metre width and an overall length which is 5.5 inches greater than than that of the new Range Rover Sport.
