2007 Audi A6 Allroad

What’s inside?

Supreme sportiness, luxurious comfort and ergonomic perfection are the order of the day for the cockpit in the new Audi A6 allroad quattro. The fine lines and forms together with the colour scheme convey an impression of supreme quality and harmonious aesthetics. The first taste of this is provided by the new aluminium door sill trim inscribed with the "allroad quattro" lettering. The door sill trim comprises three sections, with the blend of highly polished, brushed and matt surfaces producing a fascinating effect.

New two-tone, hard-wearing Fresco carpeting covers the floor inside the A6 allroad quattro. Four interior colours are available to choose from, including the new paranut brown and cardamom beige, which can be combined with six seat fabrics and five inlays.

The sports seats have a two-tone design. The range of inlays includes the familiar Walnut brown, Walnut mid-brown matt finish and Fine grain birch wood beige wood panelling as well as the new standard material, Aluminium Axial, and the new optional inlay Californian Vavona wood assam grey (standard on the top-of-the-range 4.2 FSI). The sports seats are finished in a two-colour look.

A joint cover connects the instrument cluster with the upper part of the centre console, which is angled slightly towards the driver, to form a single unit. The high, wide centre console, with controls and switches within perfect reach, emphasises the sporty interior architecture that integrates the driver as the central player. The instrument cluster echoes the styling in the A6, as does the overall cockpit. The instrument cluster distinctive teardrop-shaped surround allows the coolant temperature and fuel gauges to be positioned on the outside next to the rev counter and speedometer dials.

The latest generation of Audi steering wheels from the A6 now make their debut in the new A6 allroad quattro too. The centrepiece of the three and four-spoke steering wheels is the unmistakable form of the trapezoid-shaped grille with the four rings.

The skeleton of the steering wheels is made from diecast magnesium, a material that combines extremely low weight with high strength. As an alternative to the standard leather-wrapped rim, customers can also opt for a fine-wood variant. All versions of the steering wheel can be ordered as an option with multifunction buttons and, on tiptronic models, with shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. The four-spoke multifunction steering wheel is also available with an optional heated rim.

The electromechanical parking brake fitted in the Audi A8 and A6 was also the engineers’ choice for the Audi A6 allroad quattro. The inclusion of this technology opens up extra styling scope for the design team. Doing away with the conventional handbrake lever permits a more freehanded console and armrest design that results in an extremely practical, ergonomic layout.

Positioned behind the gear lever within comfortable reach of the driver’s hand is the operating terminal for the MMI system. This is the user interface with which Audi is now also offering an infotainment platform and operating concept for the new A6 allroad quattro that combine ease of operation with perfect positioning and a consistent inner logic. As confirmed by the numerous tests conducted by the motoring press, the intuitive operation of the MMI system is markedly superior to the solutions used by Audi’s competitors.

MMI in the first instance comprises the terminal in the centre console with a large control button that can be turned and pressed. The softkeys arranged around the control button have specific control functions in the various menus.

On either side of the terminal there are a total of up to eight function keys with which the user can call up the most important main menus directly, as well as the Return key for exiting the menu level. The functions are subdivided logically into four groups: the Entertainment sub-group comprises the RADIO and CD/TV functions, the Communication sub-group is made up of TEL and NAME (address book for telephone numbers and navigation functions). NAV and INFO (for traffic information) form the Information group; CAR and SETUP are the Control group.

The second central MMI component, the MMI display, is located at the top end of the centre console exactly in the driver’s line of vision. The basic screen layout corresponds exactly to the arrangement of the controls on the MMI terminal, permitting an intuitive association between the on-screen display and the driver’s hand movements. The MMI system is available for the A6 allroad quattro in three different configurations: MMI basic (standard), MMI basic plus and the full MMI version.

Even in standard guise, the Audi A6 allroad quattro comes with MMI basic, featuring the terminal, a 6.5-inch monochrome display, as well as an integrated radio and single-disc CD player. Music output is via a 2x20 watt amplifier and two-way speakers in the front doors. Even the basic system comes with speed-dependent volume control and excellent radio reception courtesy of the diversity aerial. Furthermore, numerous vehicle functions such as interior light configuration, the deluxe automatic air conditioning and various warning signals can be controlled via the MMI basic terminal. The terminal itself is networked with the vehicle electronics via a high-speed MOST bus, allowing it to take care of a whole series of checking functions.

The audio system can be upgraded to include additional components by opting for the more sophisticated MMI basic plus version. A TP memory function, for example, is able to record traffic announcements lasting up to four minutes. Sound reproduction is the task of an advanced 6-channel sound system incorporating a total of ten speakers (two three-way combination speakers at the front and a pair of two-way combination speakers at the rear).

On top of this, MMI basic plus can also be combined with a CD-based navigation system featuring visual route guidance using arrow pictograms and additional text information displayed directly in the driver’s line of vision in the driver information system. Destinations may be entered directly or, for added convenience, from the MMI address book.

Route planning takes all information on tailbacks and any warnings provided by TMC traffic radio messaging into account.

In the deluxe full-specification version, MMI comes with a 7-inch colour monitor in the new Audi A6 allroad quattro. In addition to the high-quality audio system already featured with MMI basic plus, a double tuner and a six-disc CD changer are also included as standard. A further option available in combination with MMI and MMI basic plus is the surround sound system from US audio specialists BOSE that promises a new dimension in listening pleasure: no fewer than eight amplifier channels distribute the sound around the listener for a true concert-hall experience. The system also adapts dynamically to the vehicle’s background noise levels with the help of the BOSE AudioPilot®, enabling it to provide optimum sound in all situations.

As an option, MMI can be expanded to include a DVD-based navigation system. A DVD provides more than ten times the storage capacity of a conventional CD-ROM. This is enough to fit almost the entire Western European road network on a single disc, meaning that the driver no longer has to change the CD when crossing borders.

The quicker access times also mean that the navigation system calculates the route much more swiftly than CD-based systems. This allows the user to smoothly zoom in and out or quickly move the map in any direction. Destinations and route options are entered in the conventional way via a menu in the MMI. As an alternative, the navigation system can also be operated using the optional speech control system. A TV tuner may also be added on request.

The Audi parking system advanced, a sophisticated visual parking aid which works based on a rear-view camera, is yet another high-tech feature that can be found in the list of optional extras. The ultra-light-sensitive camera is integrated into the tailgate’s handle and has a wide angle of coverage of up to 130 degrees. Its rectified image appears in the MMI display.

When reverse parking, the system indicates the correct course to take dynamically using various guidance lines and fields. In the case of parallel parking, for instance, the areas highlighted in blue indicate the space required by the

A6 allroad quattro. Blue lines show the driver when to apply full lock and counter-lock. When a perpendicular parking manoeuvre is called for, orange lines indicate the correct course. The camera’s image also shows the rear bumper and a trailer hitch, if fitted, allowing the vehicle to be guided beneath a trailer drawbar with pinpoint precision.

The Audi A6 allroad quattro comes as standard with deluxe automatic air conditioning featuring a recirculation and pollen filter as well as a sun sensor. Temperatures may be set separately for the driver and front passenger, and there are air vents on the back of the centre tunnel for passengers in the rear.

Even greater comfort and well-being is available by opting for the deluxe automatic air conditioning plus system (standard on the 4.2 FSI). This system uses a temperature sensor that can gauge the position of the sun, an air quality sensor and a humidity sensor to analyse the specific climatic conditions inside the car. The centre vent comes with separate temperature control allowing, for example, warm air to be directed at the side windows through the side vents to prevent them from misting over and cool air to be supplied at head level through the centre vent. Perforated grilles at the top of the dashboard allow the occupants to enjoy practically draught-free ventilation. and there are additional ventilation louvres in the B-pillars for the rear.

Previous page

1  2  3 4 5 6

Next page