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2006 Audi A6 4.2 Road Test

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Justin Pritchard
Soul Meets Muscle

(Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com)
A magnificent stereo serenading your ears with your most loved music collection. The sunroof open overhead with the night sky beaming down upon you. Active xenon headlights directing crisp illumination into each corner. Your right hand calling up gears in a six speed automatic transmission that knows what its doing. And the ride: soft and calm but yet somehow connected and communicative at the same time. How could it get any better than this?

Check off the "4.2" option on your Audi A6 order sheet, and you'll see for yourself with a 335-horsepower, 5-valve-per-cylinder V8 engine.

The styling is a step forward, not that the A6 needed a whole lot of improving. The application of the new family fascia treatment, squared-off taillights and less bubbly-looking body really make the new model stand out. The body flows effortlessly over big wheels, the styling is low-slung and penned in an elegant yet powerful way that exudes both muscle and brains at the same time. The visual brunt of this car screams power and authority, commanding a great deal of respect. If you went to Burger King in your A6 and ordered a Big Mac, I'll bet you'd get one.

Only the Germans have really got this look just right--simple and to the point. Concise. Understated.

(Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com)
Whatever it is, it sure clears out the fast lane in one heck of a jiffy, that's for sure. A6 drivers are like Moses parting the Red Sea--with slower-moving traffic replaced the discolored body of water. And if Moses drove an A6, he wouldn't have been lost in the desert for so long, because the navigation system would have directed him straight out.

One thing which becomes apparent with every Audi I drive is the pride taken in their interiors. Every time I board one, I scan my surroundings only to be pleasantly surprised by the perfect assembly of every piece. A masterfully assembled selection of wood, aluminum, chrome and leather awaits the driver. It's broken up by LCD displays, and a center console that puts fighter-jet like controls all at your fingertips. The accent lighting at night is especially nice--with cool blue or red accents pointing at your feet and illuminating the door-mounted armrests.

I've visited less-inviting living rooms, none of which having been equipped with a stereo like the Bose unit in the A6. The system fitted to my tester was staggering. The sound that fills the cabin from its ten speakers is unbelievable. Until now, the only way to hear this level of crispness and detail in your tunes was with headphones--this stereo is head and shoulders above any other I've laid ears on.

The interior isn't just a beautifully-made and spacious concert hall either, but it's functional and practical too. Headroom, even in back, is generous considering how the sunroof chews up space in the ceiling liner. Rear passengers also get separate climate control and heated seats. Getting in and out is a cinch, the doors open wide and there is plenty of space around their openings. Storage space inside is adequate, though the center armrest is a little annoying, having to be opened fully before
(Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com)
closing it again, and the 6-CD changer eats up room in the glovebox. The trunk space is more than adequate to make up for these slight limitations. Five people and their bags on a weekend trip to the ski hill? No problem, even if you don't know where you're going, because the car does.

The navigation system comes as part of a $4,200 technology package which includes the voice command unit and color driver info display. If you've yet to try navigation you'll be impressed with the impeccable accuracy while driving in a well-mapped area.
Justin Pritchard
Justin Pritchard
Automotive expert
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