Virat Kohli unveils the new Audi A6 in style

Husein Haveliwala

For car-lovers, the festive season just got better, as Audi launched their uber-cool A6 in Mumbai. The launch that happened last Thursday on the 24th, showcased the sedan’s technology and performance report card, with a whole lot of style. The power-packed event saw Indian cricket star Virat Kohli unveil this latest entrant to Audi’s luxurious fleet.

The launch show was a tech-fest of sorts, as the attendees were greeted by an interactive wall that took the guests through a virtual journey of the evolution of the A6 model. The latest one is an eighth-generation car, the first A6 model was launched in 1994. 

Adding the entertainment dose were the Kings United India, a renowned dance group that enjoys international popularity. The troop clubbed technology and dance moves to showcase the acrobatic performance with the use of LED screen and lights.

Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India, who has taken charge of the German giant merely less than two months ago, took over the stage to explain the features of the new car. To unveil the luxury sedan, Dhillon and star skipper Virat Kohli drove the car to the stage. He believes that this A6 will be one of Audi’s bestselling models in the country owing to its high quotients of sportiness, comfort, elegance and digitalisation. “This is the luxury sedan to upgrade to,” says Kohli.

Performance specifications include a 2-litre TFSI engine that allows the car to zoom from 0 to 100 kmph in 6.8 seconds with a top speed of 250 kmph, by generating 180kW (245 horsepower) and a torque of 370Nm. It has a 7-speed S-Tronic automatic DCT gearbox. Fuel efficiency-wise, the car has a consumption of 14.11 km/l, while also being a mild hybrid (with a 12V subsystem) and BS-VI compliant.

The exterior of the new A6 is sleek like never before with a taut roofline, a wide and low-set signature Audi single-frame grille, and new matrix LED headlights. The car is available in the colours Ibis White (for solid) and Mythos Black, Vesuvius Grey, Firmament Blue and Seville Red (for metallic).

An electric trunk lid reveals a 530-litre luggage compartment. The clean interiors feature newly developed leather seats (in upholstery colour options Okapi Brown and Mother of Pearl Beige), four-zone air conditioning and eight airbags. It also shows off a funky new ambient lighting feature that enables users to change the contoured cabin lights to one of many available colours.

Audi doesn’t forget the new-age consumer’s utility of luxury cars. “Many car owners follow the trend of being chauffeured around on the weekdays while taking the wheel over the weekends,” says Dhillon. To this end, the new vehicle keeps digitalisation at the forefront. Dhillon believes all the next-level in-built technology is of no worth unless it is easily usable by drivers and passengers.

The car has the Audi Virtual Cockpit; a 1920×720 pixel full HD screen behind the steering wheel, displaying everything from the speedometer and tachometer to the satellite navigation and entertainment information. This can be controlled from the steering wheel, but also extends to the car’s two-screen multimedia interface (MMI) with haptic touch response and natural language voice control, allowing you to control a wide range of infotainment options.

The digital technology also reaches your smartphone, with the myAudi Connect app, allowing to analyse driver’s behaviour like hard braking or sharp turns. It also enables tracking the car’s live geo-location, connecting to SOS and roadside assistance in case of an emergency, book or check car service records and connect to an exclusive Audi concierge. As part of the inaugural offer, Audi India is offering this service complimentary until the end of this year.

This latest model, the Audi A6 45 TFSI, is priced at ₹54.20 lakh, going up to an ex-showroom price (India) of ₹59.20 lakh.