New Audi A6 unveiled

Well, we glibly say new. Spearheaded by the awesome 572bhp RS6, the new Audi A6 isn’t so much new, as restyled, and ready to do battle with its old upper-medium executive saloon adversaries over the next 12 months.

Looking over its nicely-sculptured shoulder recently, the Audi could just about make out the 2009 shapes of the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, so it knew it had to act fast if it were to continue its good record against fellow Teutonic competition whence battle resumes later this autumn.

So, expect more of the same, but with some new twists when it’s officially unwrapped at the Moscow Motor Show later in August, before being run out in October, with prices expected to start at around £24,800 for the ultra-efficient 2.0-litre TDI 'e' saloon.

Standing staring at it, you’ve got to tilt your head a fair few ways before that light bulb-pinging moment, when everything becomes clear. Ish. The new A6 is sleeker, its bumpers have been molested and it’s definitely received a new grille and fettled air intakes, that much can be made out.

But to getter a better illustration of just what’s altogether new and improved on the Audi A6 saloon, you have to flip the bonnet lids and peer inwards.

A 285bhp 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petroleum-flavoured power plant has never been seen before in this guise under an Audi roof, and being direct-injection, means that it will assist the entire car toward its initial 62mph destination in but 5.9 seconds. Yet for all this urgency, it will still manage 29.7mpg.

Other petrol engines worth pointing out at this stage include the 168bhp 2.0-litre TFSI lump and a 215bhp 2.8-litre FSI V6 unit, which puts variable valve timing to work to accomplish 34mpg.

On the oil-burning front, MT note an environmentally-fastidious 134bhp 2.0-litre TDi ‘e’ engine that the German car manufacturer assures us will return 53.3mpg, and that deploys just 139g/km of the sooty stuff skyward.

Pressing excited faces up against windows and gawping, and an upgraded version of Audi’s MMI cabin control system appears, as well as an optional new satellite navigation assemblage that supports its very own hard drive, technologically-prepared for mass musical storage.

Naturally, we’ll elaborate on many of these models individually in the coming weeks leading up to the late October launch.

A new – or should that be just ‘face-lifted’ A6 Avant estate will follow, as will a chunky, chassis-protected Allroad Quattro and aggressive, yet purposeful, S6 super saloon. Which will slot into the new range in close proximity to the new RS6.