The previous-generation Audi A6 seemed a bit on the small side for its class, and the new model addresses that. The 2005 A6 is nearly 2 inches wider. It's just an inch longer overall, but the wheelbase is significantly longer (by 2.3 inches), which results in a roomier interior.
Clean, flowing lines give the new A6 a more upscale, more masculine appearance than the rounded lines of the previous generation. A giant grille dominates the front of the car. Most people seem to like it, but the design has drawn criticism from some quarters. AutoWeek magazine ran a head-on shot of the yawning A6 aside a highly publicized photo of a panicked Macaulay Culkin from the movie Home Alone. We think the new A6 looks much better in person than it does in photographs. The grille makes sense when viewed as part of the progression of A6 design over the years because it essentially joins what had previously been upper and lower grilles into one large one. The chief designer for the A6 told us while conducting a walkaround that Audi spent a considerable amount of time and effort designing the grille to work with U.S. license plates. A6 models sold in states that do not require front plates get an elegant blank panel with two chrome strips. In spite of the grille controversy, the A6 is a study in excellent design. It has the look of a four-door coupe. It's a slippery design with a drag coefficient of 0.28.
Much of the beauty of the A6 is in the details: Body panels fit more closely together around the doors, hood and trunk lid, as well as along places such as the bottom edge of the tail lamp. It's a result of closer tolerances. You won't find a rubber strip at top of windshield, nor strips on the sides of the roof. Door jams, the trunk flange and other areas normally hidden are Class A surfaces, smooth and painted as on the exterior body panels. Not everyone will notice these details, of course, but most will perceive a general look of quality.
Aluminum was used for key body panels to save weight, though not to the extent of the expensive all-aluminum A8. The lever-style outside door handles are stylish, but we find they aren't as easy to operate as the grab handles that don't require flipping your hand over. That's a personal preference on our part. Overall, The A6 sets a benchmark in quality of materials and build quality.
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