Tony Davis

The latest A6 is a very solid competitor for the BMW 5-Series and Benz E-Class, almost certainly Audi’s best yet.

But if you opt for it, the dilemma is just the same. Which of the many engines should you take?

Even if you decide you want the biggest, which for the moment is a three-litre six, there are two very different versions.

The first is the supercharged petrol version, as tested here. The other is the turbodiesel.

The petrol A6 is a tiny bit quieter, and your hands won’t have that oily smell after visiting the pump.

On the other hand, they’ll smell of petrol more often. Because the diesel is markedly more frugal. On the other, other hand, for reasons no one can quite explain, diesel fuel is so much dearer than it should be in Australia, wiping out some of the savings.

Both engines have a V6 configuration. The petrol A6 is slightly quicker, but $5000 dearer. At $121,500 plus on-road costs, it tops the local A6 price chart.

The bottom line is that most of us would be happy with either the three-litre A6, or one of the smaller capacity variants. With subtle and elegant styling inside and out, beautiful build quality, and everyday practicality, there is a lot to like about this latest generation A6, first seen here mid- last year.

It’s a genuine five-seater family car, with a big boot and the refinement and safety you’d expect in a prestige car.

The 3.0T carries plenty of gear. Standard equipment includes sunroof, keyless entry and start, rain-sensing wipers plus, uniquely in this class, all-wheel drive.

Having all the wheels driven doesn’t quite provide the edge it used to, because stability control electronics have become so smart. Yet on what turned out to be a near tropical wet season in Sydney, it was good to have the extra reassurance.

And, just as two-wheel-drive cars are getting smarter at putting their power down, so are quattros.

The sophisticated electronics apportion torque more effectively than ever, and the majestic grip was further improved with our car’s optional sports diff, which can actively (rather than reactively) put more torque to the rear wheels when advantageous.

It seems to know what you are going to do next. It probably does know what you are going to do next – and all your log-ins and passwords. Some of the modern electronic systems are so smart it is almost creepy.

But, boy does this car hang on! The quattro system is rear-biased, giving it more sporty handling than the front-drive variants. The quattro models are more firmly sprung too.

With the 3.0T engine, the T could reasonably be expected to stand for turbo. It apparently stands for TSFI.

And what does TSFI stand for? It used to be “turbocharged stratified fuel injection”, and the acronym has become a hallmark of Audi’s top-line direct injected engines.

They’re not going to give it up just because they’ve changed the method of forced induction to supercharging; the TSFI term is now also used for the A1 Sport, which is both turbocharged and supercharged.

The 3.0T engine is a beauty, with so much low-down torque and such immediate throttle response it can occasionally be a challenge to keep it smooth. There’s 440 Nm available at 2900 rpm. Maximum power is 220 kW.

Considering the output, the official fuel figures are a knockout. The combined figure of 8.2 L/100 km/h is the same as a little Mazda3 auto.

Aiding this is the now common stop-start system to shut down the engine when stationary, plus an “efficiency mode” that acts on the steering, transmission, air-conditioning and other ancillaries, and brings about a noticeable dip in the throttle response.

Alas, in the real world on normal settings (and mainly in the city, to be fair), we didn’t come close to the official figures. Nor did other testers: the computer showed that over the past 1700 kilometres the car had averaged 15.1 L/100 km.

If we go back to that turbodiesel comparison, the 3.0 TDI’s lab figures are six litres/100 km and although you are equally unlikely to replicate that in the big bad world, it will still stay comfortably under the petrol.

With 180 kW and 500 Nm, the TDI is not quite as quick to 100 km/h on paper (6.1 seconds versus 5.5 for petrol), though in on-road conditions it feels mighty close.

Both cars are fitted with an impressive seven-speed S tronic rather than the constantly variable transmission, or CVT, fitted to lower powered models.

The steering – a new electro-mechanical system – is light-ish but pleasing. The 3.0T feels athletic and surprisingly lithe on a twisty bit of road; it weighs 1740 kilograms, or thereabouts, with much aluminium used in the body.

Aside from that, it is just so easy to live with.

You can jump in it and hit start (the keys need not leave your pocket at any point), it tells you where to go (in a polite way), plays your music with ease, whether off your smartphone wirelessly, or on CD or hard drive, and generally surrounds you with leather and tech. The so-called S-Line package fitted to our car ($6950) added a few restrained but noticeable cosmetic “go fast” body bits and fancier seats.

Ordering the heads-up display would be, for this reviewer, a bigger priority. It projects speed, navigation details and other things (if required) onto the windscreen and allows you to keep your eyes on the road.

It adds another $2950. A similar system is standard on the equivalent BMW, as those from Munich will quickly remind you. Audi would no doubt counter that quattro is not.

The Bang & Olufsen sound system is another delight – but costs $10,780 more than the Bose unit that comes as standard. Ouch! But then again, wow! The sound is wonderful and, hey, it all goes on the same bill.

With this car, Audi hasn’t necessarily leapt over the competition, but it has certainly landed right in their midst with its dukes up.

There’s more to come.

Stand by for a sports version or two and a hybrid to match those coming from the other Germans (and already a large part of the Lexus offering).

The Australian Financial Review