Audi’s A6 comes in sedan and Avant versions. It is one of the most winsome mid-sizers to meet pavement, with some of the nicest handling this side of a BMW. In 2000, the moderate performance of this otherwise excellent, 3.0-liter V-6-powered, sedan was improved by the addition of two higher-performance versions: the 250-hp, 2.7T twin-turbo V-6 and the 300-hp, 4.2 V-8, both with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system. In mid-2003, major muscle came along in the limited-run RS 6-powered by a 450-hp, twin-turbo V-8-which immediately finished first in a C/D comparison test. A five-speed automatic with Tiptronic is standard on the 3.0 and 4.2; the 2.7T comes with a six-speed manual (the auto is optional). For 2004, A6s come wired for satellite radio (the receiver is optional), and a sunroof becomes standard on Quattro models.
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Audi A6 2.7T Quattro (Manual) Complete Report
November 25th, 2008 · No Comments
Audi A4 1.8T Quattro (Manual)
November 23rd, 2008 · No Comments
One of our favorite sedans, the Audi A4 was thoroughly reworked three years ago, and its looks and major components haven’t been tampered with since then, which is okay with us. But in a recent comparison test against an Acura TSX, a Subaru Legacy 2.5GT, and a Volvo S40 T5, the A4 1.8T came in fourth because of its aging engineering. Nevertheless, we liked the S4 performance model introduced last year enough to include it on our 10Best list (see Sports and GT Cars). The rest of this sedan’s mechanical family includes Audi’s 170-hp, four-cylinder 1.8T engine and a 220-hp, 3.0-liter V-6. Four different gearboxes are offered, either standard or optional: a five-speed manual, a six-speed manual, a five-speed Tiptronic automatic, and Audi’s smooth, continuously variable transmission. There are only minor changes in equipment options for 2005.
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Mitsubishi Colt XLS hatchback Road Test Report
June 20th, 2008 · No Comments
As the popular Mirage disappears from Mitsubishi’s local line-up, the Colt nameplate returns, ready to battle it out in the premium small car sector. Its stylish “mono-box” design, (more compact people mover than hatchback), features a panoramic front screen and upright abbreviated tail. Only one drivetrain is on offer for our market – the 1.5litre MIVEC four cylinder mated to Mitsubishi’s automatic INVECS III CVT (continuously variable transmission).
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