new Audi A6 vs E60 my review
05-10-2004, 01:30 PM
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I took the new Audi A6 for a test drive this weekend.
I drove the 3.2 Quattro which I guess is Audis answer to the 530i.
Here?s my review, I hope you guys find it interesting to read.
Exterior
The exterior of the new A6 is nice but a bit conservative. The E60 looks more high tech than the A6 in my opinion. The sideview of the new A6 look almost exactly like the old A6 and the rear is also very similar to the predecessor. In my opinion the E60 looks looks better than the A6. Gaps between body panels is tighter than on the E60.
Interior
Fit and finish of the interior is a step above the E60 and feels significantly more well built. The gaps between the panels are tighter and the buttons have a nicer feel. Quality of materials seems to be higher than in the E60 and the metal knobs of the HVAC is metal instead of the metall looking silver grey plastic found in E60.
Driving
The A6 handle very well and the grip during acceleration is excellent thanks to the all-wheel drive, Quattro. Both handling and steering feel has improved compared to the predecessor but the E60 still handle better and feels more nimble. Steering feel is though good, still not as good as in the E60. The suspension of the A6 is firm and the ride isn?t as smooth as in an E60 with dynamic drive. The new 3.2 litre engine is very good and in my opinion better than the BMW 3.0 litre engine in the 530i which feels a bit underpowered in this car .
The new A6 is faster and delivers more torque than the 530i. Audis 3.2 litre engine also sounds as nice as BMWs 3-litre engine. The tiptronic gearbox seems to shift a bit slower than the BMW Steptronic.
The MMI
Audi I-drive MMI is a disaster in my opinion. The menu structure is too complex and there is no default Menu like on the BMW I-drive. The MMI controller doesn?t have the 4 directions of the I-drive instead the MMI knob just spins around in a 360 degree circle.
The 8 different menu buttons around the MMI knob (INFO, SETUP, CAR, RADIO CD/TV etc) are stupid, whats the point of an I-drive/MMI system if you still have a lot of buttons?
All togheter the MMI have 15 !! buttons + the MMI controller knob.
It?s also hard to remember which order the 8 buttons are arranged and they all feel the same and are located next to each other on both sides of the MMI knob. To know which menu button to press you have to look down on the centerconsole, which is needless to say not very safe while driving.
The BMW I-drive in the E60 is a lot better than the Audi MMI and easy to use.
Verdict
The new A6 is a a nice car and a serious competitor to the E60 but steering feel handling and handling doesn?t match the BMW. The 5-series also offer a smoother ride.
Fit and finish of the A6 is superior to the e60. The A6 is roomy but the BMW 5-series still offer more room both for passengers and luggage. The short trunklid and small opening makes the luggage compartment difficult to use on the A6.
The A6 3,2 enfine is great and doesn?t feel underpowered like the 530i.
BMW 5-series is however still the drivers car and the ultimate driving machine
and the A6 doesn?t match that even though it?s a great car and compared to the MB E-class a superior car.
I drove the 3.2 Quattro which I guess is Audis answer to the 530i.
Here?s my review, I hope you guys find it interesting to read.
Exterior
The exterior of the new A6 is nice but a bit conservative. The E60 looks more high tech than the A6 in my opinion. The sideview of the new A6 look almost exactly like the old A6 and the rear is also very similar to the predecessor. In my opinion the E60 looks looks better than the A6. Gaps between body panels is tighter than on the E60.
Interior
Fit and finish of the interior is a step above the E60 and feels significantly more well built. The gaps between the panels are tighter and the buttons have a nicer feel. Quality of materials seems to be higher than in the E60 and the metal knobs of the HVAC is metal instead of the metall looking silver grey plastic found in E60.
Driving
The A6 handle very well and the grip during acceleration is excellent thanks to the all-wheel drive, Quattro. Both handling and steering feel has improved compared to the predecessor but the E60 still handle better and feels more nimble. Steering feel is though good, still not as good as in the E60. The suspension of the A6 is firm and the ride isn?t as smooth as in an E60 with dynamic drive. The new 3.2 litre engine is very good and in my opinion better than the BMW 3.0 litre engine in the 530i which feels a bit underpowered in this car .
The new A6 is faster and delivers more torque than the 530i. Audis 3.2 litre engine also sounds as nice as BMWs 3-litre engine. The tiptronic gearbox seems to shift a bit slower than the BMW Steptronic.
The MMI
Audi I-drive MMI is a disaster in my opinion. The menu structure is too complex and there is no default Menu like on the BMW I-drive. The MMI controller doesn?t have the 4 directions of the I-drive instead the MMI knob just spins around in a 360 degree circle.
The 8 different menu buttons around the MMI knob (INFO, SETUP, CAR, RADIO CD/TV etc) are stupid, whats the point of an I-drive/MMI system if you still have a lot of buttons?
All togheter the MMI have 15 !! buttons + the MMI controller knob.
It?s also hard to remember which order the 8 buttons are arranged and they all feel the same and are located next to each other on both sides of the MMI knob. To know which menu button to press you have to look down on the centerconsole, which is needless to say not very safe while driving.
The BMW I-drive in the E60 is a lot better than the Audi MMI and easy to use.
Verdict
The new A6 is a a nice car and a serious competitor to the E60 but steering feel handling and handling doesn?t match the BMW. The 5-series also offer a smoother ride.
Fit and finish of the A6 is superior to the e60. The A6 is roomy but the BMW 5-series still offer more room both for passengers and luggage. The short trunklid and small opening makes the luggage compartment difficult to use on the A6.
The A6 3,2 enfine is great and doesn?t feel underpowered like the 530i.
BMW 5-series is however still the drivers car and the ultimate driving machine
and the A6 doesn?t match that even though it?s a great car and compared to the MB E-class a superior car.
05-10-2004, 03:12 PM
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you really think it doesn?t match at all ? have you compared a Dynamic drive + active steering E60 to a normal 3.2 A6 ? oh.. and you forgot something.. the consumption... Audi?s FSI does make a difference
05-10-2004, 03:22 PM
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oh... and a question... would you buy the 3.2 V6 FSI Audi or the 525d Touring ? (this isn?t for me, is for a friend of mine who is also thinking about getting himself a 525d touring.. but he saw the A6 and is getting some doubts about the BMW..)
05-10-2004, 10:40 PM
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you really think it doesn?t match at all ?
I?ve compared a A6 with sportsuspension to a 530i with Dynamic Drive + active steering. Yes, it?s not an 100% even match maybe but since Audi decided against Dynamic Drive I rekon they think the A6 doesn?t need a similar system.
The 5-series without Active steering still has better steering feel.
Fuel consumption, I don?t know about since the A6 was brand new and not broken in.
would you buy the 3.2 V6 FSI Audi or the 525d Touring
The 530i is a better match to the 3.2 but the A6 3.2 has an engine that better suits the car compared to the 530i. The BMW 4.4 valvetronic V8 in the 545i however is another thing, more powerful and faster than the Audi 4.2 V8 engine.
Which one to choose is always matter of personal preference. The BMW is as I said still the drivers car that also offers a smoother ride and more interior and trunk space. The Audi is significantly more upscale in the fit and finish department and the 3.2 is nicer than the 530i. Audi also offers all-wheel drive.
05-12-2004, 10:23 AM
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a real quick run thru the 'configure your new car' section on both the BMW and Audi sites, quickly comparing the e60 530d with the new Audi A6 3.2quattrodiesel, and outfitting with similar options (eg. the audi diesel seems standard with nav, which requires mmi, which requires 2 disc drives which requires the Bose stereo which requires something like ?3k + onto the sticker, so i added the proNav and proLogic to the BMW to equalise)
the comparison showed me that similarly kitted cars, with only the options added to make them as much the "same" as the other, that the new Audi a6 would actually cost more than the 5er
i would choose the 5 over the a6 even if it were the other way around, but certainly my calcs, assuming correctness, would make the decision financial as well as emotional
the comparison showed me that similarly kitted cars, with only the options added to make them as much the "same" as the other, that the new Audi a6 would actually cost more than the 5er
i would choose the 5 over the a6 even if it were the other way around, but certainly my calcs, assuming correctness, would make the decision financial as well as emotional
05-12-2004, 10:46 PM
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Several things
I agree about the new A6 being expensive, I went to the website and started adding options on.... the price rise was quite scary
It is a gorgeous looking car though, and following my recent accident (and the insistence by my wife that my new car was jinxed - 2nd in 4 months), I started looking @ other cars, including the A6 (but she changed her mind in the end)
The experience of driving the 5 once it got back from the bodyshop banished all thoughts of owning any other car (I was driving a replacement Mondeo / Mini during the period - the Mini was 'Fun')
I agree about the new A6 being expensive, I went to the website and started adding options on.... the price rise was quite scary
It is a gorgeous looking car though, and following my recent accident (and the insistence by my wife that my new car was jinxed - 2nd in 4 months), I started looking @ other cars, including the A6 (but she changed her mind in the end)
The experience of driving the 5 once it got back from the bodyshop banished all thoughts of owning any other car (I was driving a replacement Mondeo / Mini during the period - the Mini was 'Fun')
05-13-2004, 01:08 AM
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I used the car configurator to price out the closest spec to my e60 and it came out ?3500 more and that was before my 7% discount on the e60
so, once again audi makes a quality product but also makes it too expensive....not to mention the really poor value-retention track record they have here in UK.......glad to have gone with the BMW
so, once again audi makes a quality product but also makes it too expensive....not to mention the really poor value-retention track record they have here in UK.......glad to have gone with the BMW
05-18-2004, 03:20 AM
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maybe, in the U.S., but here, a 530D costs about 67000 euros with manual and RWD, standard, and the Audi 3.0 V6 TDI, costs 69700 euros with automatic gearbox and AWD (quattro).. it also comes with Bi-Xenon with the dynamic lightning, if I?m not mistaken...
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