Around the turn of the millennium, Audi took an A6 Avant, gave it a set of high heels, and glued on some plastic cladding to create the A6 Allroad. Even though it developed a reputation for going wrong constantly, it was and still is as cool as a walk-in freezer. A lifted, ruggedized, turbocharged or V8 wagon with a properly handsome silhouette. While Audi’s offered subsequent generations of A6 Allroad, none have quite captured the X-factor of the original. Until now.
Because simply slapping cladding on an A6 Avant wouldn’t be enough, Audi went the extra mile by running the classic play of a proper widebody. Some 4.3 inches wider than a standard A6 Avant, and much of that’s in the metal. Those front fenders have shades of RS5 to them, and the pumped rear haunches provide an outrageous view from the rear.
Then there are the wonderfully concave six-spoke alloys, a strong face design fitting Audi’s stance alterations. Track width runs a serious 2.9 inches wider up front and 2.75 inches wider out back, perfect for accommodating up to 285-section tires. Make no mistake, this thing has stance, big-time.
Speaking of the stance, the A6 Allroad normally sits 1.34 inches higher than a standard A6 Avant, largely due to its new air suspension. Air ride’s been a hallmark of Allroads ever since the first generation, and this latest model features 2.16 inches of height adjustability. A little bit of flexibility for highway cruising and gravel crushing. Hit the switch to raise the ride height further, and you’re looking at nearly two inches of extra clearance. Not bad.
Could these wide fenders be a preview of the next RS6? It’s quite possible, but Audi’s not saying right now. What Audi has said, however, is perhaps even more interesting. The new A6 Allroad isn’t just something to gaze at longingly, wishing to import when it’s finally legal. Audi has already announced it’s bringing it stateside.
While we don’t yet know what will power the new A6 Allroad when it makes it across the Atlantic, it should be available with four-wheel steering and a choice of 19-, 20-, or 21-inch wheels. All the mod-cons you’d expect should be offered too, from massaging seats to four-zone climate control to a Bang & Olufsen sound system. That’s all well and good, but the look of this thing might just be the big story.
Roughly fifteen years ago, Audi was on top of the world. Iron Man was driving its supercar, the S5 and A7 were instant objects of desire, and even the A4 just made its two main German competitors look old. Audis were clean, crisp, and cool. Then the novelty faded, with models like the B9 A4 largely just iterating on Walter de Silva’s mold-breaking language.
When it came time for something new, the marque went all blobby, resulting in recent debuts like the new Q5 and the anticlimactic third-generation A5. Sales have been in a spiral for years, and the only way to fix that is to build great cars. The new A6 Allroad elicits a level of visual desire I haven’t felt from an Audi in ages, and if it and the new Q7 are any indication, Audi seems to be finding its footing again.
Top graphic image: Audi
Very nice, but sorry it’s an Audi.
Apologies in advance, but it looks a bit like me in tight jeans. There your weekend is well and truly spoiled. Thank you for your attention in this matter.
You have to imagine these cars were developed roughly side by side. How do you get the A5 so wrong but the A6 and Q7 so right? Assuming the powerplant is the same 3.0T that powers everything else, it should scoot, too.
It doesn’t matter. Iwantitiwantitiwantit. I know what’s replacing my S5 in 2031.
That is a big ass in the best possible way.
Now I just await VAG to give it ridiculous pricing and then say no one buys wagons.
Is it me, or do the photos make the front fender look like it’s not attached properly?