First Drive: 2014 Audi A6 and A7 TDI

2014 Audi A6 Overall 4 Comfort       5/5 Performance       3.5/5 Fuel Economy       4.5/5 Interior       4/5 Exterior Styling       4/5

2014 Audi A7 Overall 4 Comfort       5/5 Performance       3.5/5 Fuel Economy       4.5/5 Interior       4/5 Exterior Styling       5/5

We came upon one Corvette, a handful of Porsches and some old British roadsters on our journey. None of them were being driven in a sporty way, and our frustration at being held up was equalled only by our horror that someone would drive cars like those on roads like that – and go so slowly!

Once unleashed from behind the wowsers we settled into a rapid but effortless rhythm, swinging from one corner to another the way a large primate might swing through the forest, the gentle grace of our sway from left to right corner belying our speed. The other thing which made the TDI Audis seem slower than they were going was the complete silence inside the cockpit.

I wrote of the Diesel Cruze that the sound deadening was good – the diesel rattle was barely present in the cabin. Next to these Audis that car was a banshee. Bizarrely, the quietness of the Audi engine isn’t only due to the sound deadening in the cabin though. The 3.0L diesels are whisper-quiet at idle even when standing right next to the bonnet.

2014 Audi A7 TDI & 2014 Audi A6 TDI. Click image to enlarge

On the fuel economy count we averaged 7.1 L/100 km across the A6 and A7 – that’s frankly brilliant given the caning we gave these rather large cars in the countryside. That figure came from more than four hours of driving – about 20 minutes of which was spent on highways. The rest was on winding country roads. The EPA gives the A6 and A7 each a city/highway/combined rating of 9.8/6.1/8.1 L/100 km. According to the same agency, the petrol editions are about 30 percent less efficient on the highway.

That economy is achieved by a high fuel injection pressure (2,000 bar), which Audi says comes directly from the work their motorsport department did during their six Le Mans victories. Fuel is delivered through eight 0.12 mm holes in the Piezo injectors. In Audi’s flagship TDIs the figure is boosted with automatic stop/start that shuts the engine off when at a complete stop, a feature we found faultless on the test drive – noting only that it fails to kick in if the draw on the air conditioner is too high.

2014 Audi A6 TDI & 2014 Audi A7 TDI. Click image to enlarge

Much was made of the fuel economy offered by a diesel during the event, but it wasn’t staged as a green-run. Instead Audi is caching its fuel economy performance in terms of convenience. At this end of the demographic scale that’s a smart play. Audi’s TDIs all enjoy class-leading range, and the tagline is that TDI drivers spend 30 percent less time filling up.

And before you think that they have employed an extra-large fuel tank to boost range, think again. Audi’s tank is 73 L, the Mercedes-Benz E350 Bluetec comes with 80.
The “waste less time at the pump” pitch is a good one for a set of luxury cruisers like this, and the strong, torquey diesel lends itself well to ultra-comfort cruising. It would be unfair though to label these cars “cruisers” though.

2014 Audi A7 TDI. Click image to enlarge

Both carry the gravitas and stately manner of a Mayor (not a Toronto Mayor, obviously) but have the loping athleticism of a seasoned thoroughbred. In short, they drive just like a regular car. A really, really good, regular car.

Pricing: 2014 A6 TDI
Base Price: $63,400
Base Price 2014 A6 Technik: $69,700
Options: Bang & Olufsen advanced sound system – $6,500, S Line Sports Package – $2,200, Driver Assist Package – $2,300
A/C Tax: $100
Delivery: $1,995
Price as tested:  $82,795

Pricing: 2014 A7 TDI
Base Price: $72,900
Base Price 2014 A6 Technik: $78,300
Options: Bang & Olufsen advanced sound system – $6,500, S Line Sports Package – $2,000, Driver Assist Package – $2,300
A/C Tax: $100
Delivery: $1,995
Price as tested:  $91,195

Competitors (A6):
BMW 535i xDrive
Infiniti Q-something Hybrid
Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic BlueTec
Jaguar XF 3.0L AWD

Competitors (A7):
BMW 640i xDrive
Porsche Panamera 4

Crash test results
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)