Portadown Audi The Audi A6 Saloon Independent review

Performance
There's a 2.4-litre V6 petrol engine, a direct-injection 3.2 V6 and a strong but expensive 4.2 V8 - plus 2.0-, 2.7- and 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesels. Both the 3.2 V6 and our pick of the bunch, the 3.0 diesel, are very smooth, with strong pull over a wide rev range, and six-speed gearboxes - auto only for the diesel.

Ride & handling
There's front- and four-wheel drive, and the aim is to make the sportiest cars in class. However, the ride is very firm over poor surfaces, although it is not uncomfortable. The car changes direction sharply, resists roll and clings on well. The steering is light and slightly hesitant as you start to turn to aid straight-line stability.

Refinement
Sporty the A6 may be, but refinement has not been overlooked. The 3.0 V6 diesel and 3.2 V6 petrol are remarkably hushed well beyond UK motorway speeds and the engines are wonderfully smooth, while the 4.2 V8 unit sounds fantastic. The auto gearbox changes ratios almost imperceptibly, but there is some slight baulking across the gate with the manual.

Buying & owning
Compared with rivals such as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class the Audi is expensive to buy and run. All engines meet Euro IV emissions standards, so diesels avoid the 3% company car tax penalty, however all petrols are in the top two tax brackets. Resale values are likely to be respectable but no match for those of the A6's German rivals.

Quality & reliability
Everything has been polished to a level that marks this car out as the best-built executive saloon of the moment - and better than some luxury cars. Audi reliability does not always match its standards of assembly, though, so we'll be hoping for an improvement.

Safety & security
The new A6 has a stiffer body and stronger crash structure than before, and is fitted with skid and stability control, anti-lock brakes and six airbags. Options will include adaptive headlamps that can shine round corners, run-flat tyres and tyre pressure warning sensors. The bigger A8 has five-star anti-theft protection, so we have high hopes for the A6.

Behind the wheel
The A6 has masses of cabin space. The dash is well laid out and all versions have a rotary switch in the centre console to control various functions through a dashboard screen. However, the more features you add as extras, such as satellite-navigation and climate control, the longer it takes to learn your way around the car.

Space & practicality
Audi has built a car that fills the gap between executive cars and true limousines. That means huge amounts of leg- and headroom in the back. The boot has been stretched to a huge 546 litres, too, and split-fold rear seats are available for longer items.

Equipment
The range starts with SE trim, which is luxuriously equipped with standard features such as climate control, a CD player and automatic headlights and wipers. S line versions have stiffened suspension and sportier cabin trim.