Audi A6 - New lightness of being

MANILA, Philippines - It’s not written in stone, yet it’s always been considered a kind of natural law: New cars have to be bigger than their predecessors. And there was a reason for it: Customers wanted more room, engineers more space, and designers more latitude. It was a law that Audi used to follow, too, but now things are changing. One of the key missions in the brief for every new Audi is to reverse the weight spiral. After all, less mass means smaller engines, which in turn weigh less, use less fuel and so get by with smaller fuel tanks, which again cuts weight.

So reducing the dimensions of the body as well- as in the new Audi A6 – is only logical. The latest generation of the luxury class model is twelve millimeters shorter than its predecessor. Not exactly a quantum leap, you might say. But it’s more than that. It’s another statement of the four rings’ aspiration toward efficient premium technology. In this car, driver and passengers don’t have to do without-on the contrary. Thanks to the wheelbase which is seven centimeters longer and the front overhang which is eight centimeters shorter, the new Audi A6 actually looks longer than its predecessor, it’s even more spacious – and its “inner values” are even more attractive.

Advanced turbocharged engines with relatively small displacement and FSI@ or TDI technology guarantee refined performance and achieve even better efficiency in combination with the new seven-speed S tronic@. The new electromechanical power steering and the Quattro sport differential make handling a dream, lifting the large sedan to a new level of agility. The interior meets the highest standards, with a seat offering that even includes the option of the comfort seat with climate control and massage function known from the Audi A8, a large number of ergonomically placed storage spaces, an even more user-friendly Multi Media Interface (MMI@) and the deluxe automatic air-conditioning that allows individual temperature control for all four seats.

Added comfort in the new Audi A6 is provided by a number of not immediately visible details which are similarly designed to enhance the overall feel-good factor on the more. More insulation material and thicker side windows reduce noise levels in the interior, larger tires provide greater ride and suspension comfort. In addition, there are numerous electronic accessories to make driving safer. Advanced assist systems such as Audi side assist, Audi adaptive light, and innovative LED headlights help the driver to avoid critical situations. And if the worst comes to the worst, the Audi pre sense safety package guarantees the best possible preparation of vehicle and occupants for an impending collision.

Given all these added comfort and safety features, making the vehicle lighter as well is like squaring the circle. Fitted as standard in all versions of the new A6, the start-stop system on its own adds on ten kilos due to the need for more powerful batteries and the larger starter motor. But the four rings’ engineers accepted the challenge and met it by screening every part of the new Audi A6 for weight reduction potential. They found it almost everywhere. Optimizing the V6 TDI engine shaved off 20 kilos, for example, yet substantial weight savings were also achieved by the sum of numerous smaller measures, such as making the dash panel for aluminium rather than steel, or the battery cable from aluminium instead of copper.

But the biggest potential lay in the body. Audi enjoys an especially pronounced technological lead in lightweight body design – and so the developers set about refining an idea that has been a success for years in the Audi TT: a hybrid mix of different strength steel grades and aluminium parts. Wilfried Stocker, project leader in the development of the Audi A6, defines the principle thus, “Lightweight construction doesn’t mean leaving things out but creating an optimal relationship between material and function.” That’s why aluminium is used above all where it offers the greatest advantages: at the ends of the vehicle, for example, to concentrate the mass between the axles and so improve handling, or at the strut mounting points, where aluminium can be cast into compact shapes that are impossible to stamp in steel.

At other points, however, special steel proved the superior material. For example, the B-pillar of the new Audi A6 is the first to be made from two different steel grades: the lower part, where extreme strength is crucial, is made of hot-stamped ultrahigh-strength steel containing large amounts of boron and manganese, whereas the upper part uses a more ductile grade for greater deformation and optimized protection – a hybrid mix that provides an even better strength-to-weight ratio than with aluminium. The result: The bodyshell alone is 30 kilos lighter than on the predecessor model, even though the demands on its strength were significantly higher.

Audi unlocked further potential for weight reduction through close collaboration between individual development teams. Systematic lightweight design also involves combining components into assemblies that become more than the sum of their parts. For example, the axle beam of the Audi A6 is also used as a mount for the underbody guard and as stiffening for the body. Martin Schromm from the body development team, “The aim was not to shift weight from one assembly to another but to achieve an intelligent solution that benefits both.”

The results of these efforts are tasty, but don’t tip the scales. For generations, cars have always increased in weight. Now, certain engine and transmission versions of the new Audi A6 weigh up to 80 kilos less than the outgoing models. That’s progress.

For more information, please contact PGA Cars Audi Center Philippines: Audi Global City (28th Street corner 11th Avenue Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Tel. No. 553-9695); Audi Greenhills (201 EDSA Mandaluyong City Tel. No. (727-0381 to 85); and Audi Alabang (Commerce corner Filinvest Avenue Westgate Center, Filinvest Corporate City Alabang, Muntinlupa Tel. No. (771-2210 to 11).