Test driving the Audi A6 35 TDI Matrix

My first memory of the word Audi goes back to the days when cricketer Ravi Shastri was presented with one With no internet or computers for that matter I had tried to imagine what this unfamiliar sounding car would be like The only thing I didnt have to imagine were the four interlocked rings on the grillePrice Rs 495 lakh exshowroomNow I find myself staring once again at those four rings interlaced through each other Moving back a couple of steps I realise that the A6 is familiar too yet not quite Behold the new Audi A6 35 TDI Matrix which the German company launched in grand style via a rather unconventional video press releaseThere are several changes For starters the singlepiece grille is wider and its six corners appear a little more striking than before The bumper is a redesigned unit But far more important the A6 now benefits from Audis Matrix LED headlamp technologyOn the inside its cabin has been upgraded with new wood inserts Theres also a new nougat brown colour for the highquality Milano leather seats Fourzone climate control is standard fitment The A6 also gets Audis new nextgeneration modular infotainment platform its signature MMI Touch is also available as part of this system Under that lithelooking bonnet Audi has plonked in its twolitre TDI diesel unit now with seven per cent more power which Audi claims is five per cent more fuelefficientPeak power rating of this new engine is 190 PS which is available to your right foot between 3800 and 4200 rpm Maximum torque is 400 Nm at 1750 3000 rpm Transmission to the front wheels is taken care of via a sevenspeed S Tronic twinclutch gearbox On the 0100 kmh acceleration run the car breaches the 100 kmh mark in less than 10 seconds Numbers however tell only half the storyNew to the A6 is the 7speed S Tronic gearbox PicsSanjay RaikarWe clocked a genuine 211plus kmh on our testrun before running out of road and even then the car felt as if it could log on about 10 more kmh The other remarkable bit is the cars power delivery it is like a straight line drawn with a ruler Theres power available at every part of the revrange to propel this 1830kg machine ahead with an intent that could prove to be a serious problem for many a sporty carIn true Audi spirit the A6 is a brilliant handler Corners switchbacks sweepers straights mdash none of it is a problem Even at our very high testing speeds the car held its line as if it was on rails Theres excellent feedback from the steering which feels light at low and moderate speeds but weighs up nicely as the velocities rise This car gives you confidence when you see that bend ahead that even an average driver feels like an expertThe air suspension also works its magic on the surface beneath the 24545 R18 tyres Ruts patchwork potholes and the like are kept well away from the passengers who sit ensconced in the luxury of the cars spacious and rather silent cabinThe car was launched at R495 lakh exshowroom and at that price the Audi A6 is not overpriced compared to its competitors The thing is at that price it isnt highly competitively priced either As a result the A6 doesnt become the automatic or obvious choice but is one more option in that segment However as an option its a brilliant one