[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by S350L-E240

And please don't anyone start a brand war here, I'm not dissing Audi, just saying there is not much to brag about, and I am not sure how much weight does additional 15L of fuel tank matter but over all I am not so impressed,

E250 Kerb Weight : 1650, A6 2.8 FSI : 1685!
E350 Kerb Weight : 1825, A6 3.0 Q : 1815! (10 Kgs not a huge diff)

Note, Fuel Tank in the A6 is 65L and E350 4 Matic is 80L.

E350CDI : 1845 4Matic : 1900, A6 3.0TDI Q : 1795!
E250CDI : 1735, A6 3.0TDI 150Kw : 1720!

In 350CDI am also including the normal car weight as thats the car we get in India.

Hey S350,
Been quite good, hope the same for you as well.
Thanks for the charts, guess I spoke too soon. Quite surprised to see these figures, and I am sure many out here will be as well.
While I don't want to start a brand war, I still stick to what I personally feel - that Mercedes has lost the plot in this segment (as much as I love it, barring the seats comfort, I don't see anything to draw me back to Mercedes), and I do want to point out that the BMW 5 would actually be the all rounder in this segment. I personally prefer the A6 in this segment, and that has more to do with the exclusivity, interiors and exteriors. The Air suspension is a bonus, but lets hope it doesn't crop up with niggles.

Originally Posted by PlatzdaTurbo

I know your car is still fairly new but ill be very surprised if your Audi troubles you with regards to reliability. Cut off from reality or not, iv personally never really heard Audi ownership horror stories as such. Have you ?
Lastly you could take my car as an example. In a little more than a month sh will be turning 2 and its been 35k+ km of hard driving (like she is meant to be driven) and i have faced no trouble whatsoever.
Should be smooth sailing for you IMO

Thanks for the reassuring tip bro! What I meant rather was that Audi is new in India - relatively, and so not many owners have completed over 4-5 years of ownership. Our BMW will be starting its fourth year - with no issues so far, and the Merc gave us a bucketload of them in the 4th year (and till date, barring a new turbo - no mechanical issues, only electronics like the AC and such).
But either ways, let's hope that we are not in for any nasty surprises. It is a fear that is on the back of my head every time I recommend a german car - maybe due to overhyped reports/poor personal experiences with what was already an unreliable car (E270 - though I haven't faced any horror stories that I have heard from others). Either ways, picked up Audi Car Life for 3rd & 4th year of ownership @ Rs. 50K.

Originally Posted by androdev

The little bit of TD'ing of SUVs I have done on, I felt that sedans are a lot more comfortable and relaxing - in terms of NVH, fit-and-finish. Sedans also seem to offer much better equipment level for the same price. And I would like to see myself in a Sedan. Would like to stick to the Germans for now.

I am little concerned about the robustness of the CVT and air suspension. Audi has a philosophy of "vorsprung durch technik" - I want these in MMI sort of things but as far as engine and mechanicals are concerned I would prefer old-school.

In fact, I am very worried about crazy techniques being employed to win the fuel efficiency war - engine start-stop, small ORVMs, air-suspension (for less drag), regenerative-braking, low rolling resistance tires, no spare-wheel and tons of other things. And then there are emission control things. How can one hope to buy a car that lasts for a decent number of years!

Great! There is no doubt that if you want an SUV that is as well equipped and good to drive, you would be shelling out considerably more over an equivalent sedan. I kind-off agree with you about the old school technology, as they are less prone to niggles, but at the same time, the new technology does offer a lot more convenience in the form of a more relaxed engine (due to the CVT), better FE, comfort & GC (air suspension). Then again, if I had a choice between a more reliable, tried and tested alternative, I would be in a frenzy - the extended warranty did help us overlook the reliability criteria a fair bit.
PS: I am not a big fan of a lot of these fuel saving techniques either, and I am sure most owners would prefer to switch it off as well.

Either ways, there are some new pics. Hope you guys enjoy.
I apologize for not being able to help out a lot with the discussion - I have only driven her 100kms so far, so still trying to get familiarized with her. At the moment - as much as I curse her - the W211 has me a little busy.
There is an interior pic though - which shows the wood finish clearly.

[S350L-E240]

Yes yes, even though my handle and avatar are all about Mercedes, there are very few at present which I like and the worst for me are C , E , R so in the segment absolutely no ways would I even recommend the E, even more in India because for some bloke's bad calculation they still push 5 speed onto us, my only point about weight was while the E does not appeal to me, Mercedes has taken a lot of steps in weight reduction,

Also never knew you got the A6, Congrats you will be fine with it, VAG had issues with transmissions earlier but they are pretty well sorted out now, only air suspension I don't have much details for, but hey enjoy the car,

Regards,

P.s : while I'm not fond of the E, I do love the E350's panorama roof, something I really wish BMW starts offering on sedans,

Originally Posted by lamborghini

While I don't want to start a brand war, I still stick to what I personally feel - that Mercedes has lost the plot in this segment (as much as I love it, barring the seats comfort, I don't see anything to draw me back to Mercedes), and I do want to point out that the BMW 5 would actually be the all rounder in this segment. I personally prefer the A6 in this segment, and that has more to do with the exclusivity, interiors and exteriors. The Air suspension is a bonus, but lets hope it doesn't crop up with niggles.

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Thanks for the reassuring tip bro! What I meant rather was that Audi is new in India - relatively, and so not many owners have completed over 4-5 years of ownership. Our BMW will be starting its fourth year - with no issues so far, and the Merc gave us a bucketload of them in the 4th year (and till date, barring a new turbo - no mechanical issues, only electronics like the AC and such).
But either ways, let's hope that we are not in for any nasty surprises. It is a fear that is on the back of my head every time I recommend a german car - maybe due to overhyped reports/poor personal experiences with what was already an unreliable car (E270 - though I haven't faced any horror stories that I have heard from others). Either ways, picked up Audi Car Life for 3rd & 4th year of ownership @ Rs. 50K.

NOW i completely understand where you were coming from with all those praises for this shade of blue Sanjay ! Its majestic and beautiful to say the least ! WOW ! Im smitten...
I always wished Audi offered something on the lines of BMW's interlagos blue offered on the M5 and i think they do offer some shade as beautiful but only on RS cars IIRC, but i'd be more than just happy with this instead.
Make sure she gets her regular pamper & polish sessions bro. You know the headaches of owning a dark shade in Bombay
Btw, did the dents/scratches the w211 had near the headlight area finally go away ?

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by PlatzdaTurbo

NOW i completely understand where you were coming from with all those praises for this shade of blue Sanjay ! Its majestic and beautiful to say the least ! WOW ! Im smitten...
I always wished Audi offered something on the lines of BMW's interlagos blue offered on the M5 and i think they do offer some shade as beautiful but only on RS cars IIRC, but i'd be more than just happy with this instead.
Make sure she gets her regular pamper & polish sessions bro. You know the headaches of owning a dark shade in Bombay
Btw, did the dents/scratches the w211 had near the headlight area finally go away ?

Thanks man!
Like I said, I absolutely LOVE the color!
Will be getting an annual polish session for sure, with the regular shampoo once a week, and is cleaned with a dry cloth twice a day.
Personally, I love the interlagos blue on the M5, but don't know how that would look on a regular 5 series. Similarly, doubt such a color would complement the A6 - but would definitely look insane on an S6/RS6 whenever that's launched in India.
The Merc is what really started it all, but its actually not that bad barring the turbo replacement. That was just the one major trouble, rest being small niggles like the AC giving up several times, and so on. The scratches are still there, but there is only a small dent on the grill thankfully! Got the color out, but the only option for the scratches is to replace the headlights, and I can live without that added expense - doesn't make sense as the car will probably be sold in a couple of years, so trying to keep the costs low on blemishes - in hopes of getting a beast as a replacement (or the E60 525d).

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Thanks man!
Like I said, I absolutely LOVE the color!
Will be getting an annual polish session for sure, with the regular shampoo once a week, and is cleaned with a dry cloth twice a day.

I like the colour too. But please call Kamyo when you get them polished next, your cars have swirls and need a pro Also the dry cloth would be causing swirls, unless a microfiber is being used.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

I like the colour too. But please call Kamyo when you get them polished next, your cars have swirls and need a pro Also the dry cloth would be causing swirls, unless a microfiber is being used.

Will do bro!
You notice a lot bro! One time you saw the car. Even I haven't noticed!
But either ways, I would prefer it being done by a good detailer.

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Just saw the pic of the rear cabin...
Is that a 4-zone climate control i see or are those just fancy vent adjustors ?

[S350L-E240]

Lamborghini,

Does the car now have the electrical steering column adjuster? That was a huge bummer at launch and they were talking of getting in the next lot of kits?

Platzda,

Yup 4 zone AC, been standard on A6

Regards,

Originally Posted by PlatzdaTurbo

Just saw the pic of the rear cabin...
Is that a 4-zone climate control i see or are those just fancy vent adjustors ?

[lamborghini]

As S350 said, that was actually a selling point for the car. The E60 doesn't have it, and only the W211 E has it.
I'll get back to you about that. I haven't checked it out.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by S350L-E240

Lamborghini,

Does the car now have the electrical steering column adjuster? That was a huge bummer at launch and they were talking of getting in the next lot of kits?

Regards,

Ours still has the manual adjust according to the driver.
As i mentioned before, I don't get to drive her much

[Harbir]

The A6 2.0TDI has a CVT, not a DSG.

all A6 models have manual steering column adjust.

I consider the A6 to be superior to the 5 series except in whipping the car around corners at high speed.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by Harbir

The A6 2.0TDI has a CVT, not a DSG.

all A6 models have manual steering column adjust.

I consider the A6 to be superior to the 5 series except in whipping the car around corners at high speed.

My bad in assuming it to be a DSG!
Verified the manual steering column adjust.

The A6 is a superior car to the 5 series no doubt, especially due to its design, interiors, some equipment and attention to detail on Audi's part. However, the 5 seats might be more comfortable for tall people, and for spirited driving, nothing comes close to the 5, mainly due to the steering and engine. I was under the impression that your 3.0 TFSi might be better then the 5 around corners due to its quattro.

[Harbir]

The A6 has surprisingly narrow seats that make large people less comfortable over time than the 5er's seats do. It is certainly an issue. but legroom is not so much an issue because the seat slides back quite far enough. The A6 does have an incredible narrow pedal area that is slightly problematic for people with very large feet (I wear UK size 12).

In handling, the quattro helps tremendously over the fwd models mostly on acceleration out of corners but is still no match for the 5 because the BMW has a much more responsive and reactive feeling helm (which comes about as a combination of steering and suspension design and tuning.) The A6 is numb in fast corners by comparison.

However, as I have said, that still leaves the A6 is the choice in this class because if handling in fast driving is such a critical factor, none of the cars in this class are all that good at that task and the keen driver should look elsewhere. but I can also respect that for some people the combination of the BMW badge, the 5's looks, and perhaps its handling make for a more desirable package than Audi A6

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by Harbir

The A6 has surprisingly narrow seats that make large people less comfortable over time than the 5er's seats do. It is certainly an issue. but legroom is not so much an issue because the seat slides back quite far enough. The A6 does have an incredible narrow pedal area that is slightly problematic for people with very large feet (I wear UK size 12).

In handling, the quattro helps tremendously over the fwd models mostly on acceleration out of corners but is still no match for the 5 because the BMW has a much more responsive and reactive feeling helm (which comes about as a combination of steering and suspension design and tuning.) The A6 is numb in fast corners by comparison.

However, as I have said, that still leaves the A6 is the choice in this class because if handling in fast driving is such a critical factor, none of the cars in this class are all that good at that task and the keen driver should look elsewhere. but I can also respect that for some people the combination of the BMW badge, the 5's looks, and perhaps its handling make for a more desirable package than Audi A6

Legroom is never the issue in these cars! Just the seats are a little narrow, and low IMO. The footwell, surprisingly, is an issue I never noticed, even with my large sized shoes (size 11-12 UK/US I don't know )
The steering IMO is what really makes the difference with the 5. On an open road, this wouldn't be as much of an issue, but given the width and light steering, I found myself extra cautious when it came to overtaking cars.
Don't get me wrong, I love the A6 over the new 5, especially as the 5 has taken a step back wards in some regards (IMO), whereas the Audi has improved on its predecessor. The A6's looks, interiors, features are why it would be my pick over the 5, but for my dad, the rear seat experience of the 5 is slightly better (not ride quality, but seats). So its each for their own. Personally, I think the A6 is better than the F10, and the W212. But if I had to pick a car from the garage, it would be the E60 (largely due to the engine alone - wish the A6 was a 3.0TDi), the W211 for comfort, and the A6 for a good all rounder that keeps me pleased driving, and my parents happy in the back!

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

if I had to pick a car from the garage, it would be the E60 (largely due to the engine alone - wish the A6 was a 3.0TDi), the W211 for comfort, and the A6 for a good all rounder that keeps me pleased driving, and my parents happy in the back!

Just goes on to show that even after the 3 have overlapped eachother's domains where Merc's have improved handling & BMW's have gotten more comfortable in the post-Bangle era, they still remain true to their original selling points - BMW for performance, Mercedes for comfort and Audi as the perfect blend of the 2.
Ofcourse you do have the last gen Merc and BMW while the Audi is new and the new A6 being what it is (extremely capable, drove it recently) it still slots itself perfectly between the other 2. Far more comfortable than the BMW but not as sporty to drive yet far more sporty than the w211 but not quite as comfortable.