Now A6 Avant powers up with plug-in drive
THIS is the Audi A6 Avant 55 TFSI e quattro, a plug-in hybrid version of the firm’s largest estate. It will be available to order in the UK later this year priced from around £63,000.
The A6’s powertrain comprises a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, a 14.1kWh lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor, and power is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Total system output is 362bhp and there’s 500Nm of torque – which gives the A6 Avant a claimed 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.
Economy of up to 148.6mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 44g/km are claimed, while the car will cover 32 miles on electric power alone, at speeds of up to 84mph.
When plugged into a 7.4kW charging point with Audi’s supplied Mode 3 cable, the A6 Avant 55 TFSI e will recover a 100 per cent charge in around two and a half hours. The PHEV powertrain’s regenerative braking system also constantly tops up the battery under normal driving conditions.
The plug in A6 Avant does have a compromised boot, though. There’s a capacity of 405 litres, with 1,535 litres available with the back seats folded. That’s less than in the standard car, which offers 565 litres and 1,680 litres respectively.
Audi has yet to confirm UK specifications of the plug-in, but given its positioning near the top of the line-up, equipment should be generous. European examples get 19-inch alloy wheels, red brake calipers, Matrix LED headlamps, black door mirrors, four-zone climate control, 12.3-inch digital instruments and a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen.