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Important improvements for a luxury-sedan leader.
Car & Driver
October 2014
By: Jens Meiners
When we first saw pictures of the face-lifted 2016 Audi A6, we weren't immediately thrilled. One of the brand's more conservative designs looked to have received a lukewarm makeover to the styling it has worn since the current generation arrived as a 2012 model. Yes, the A6’s flowing lines are popular with customers, but to our eyes they always lacked tension, falling just short of Audi’s standards. There was little elegance in the details; its LED headlights were somewhat crude, the overbite of the taillights downright strange.
Audi has cleaned up these details, added rectangular exhaust outlets, and left the rest alone. Now having seen the revised car in person, we are pleasantly surprised. The inner workings of the headlights are subtly handsome, the lower front air intakes look better resolved, and the taillights are more tidily integrated. Audi also added several new, more appealing wheel styles. Without touching the sheetmetal, the designers made a somewhat stale shape more elegant. More importantly, this midterm update goes deeper, improving one of our favorite sedans (it has notched three 10Best appearances and two recent comparison-test victories) in significant ways.
Our first drive in Germany showed that, dynamically, the A6 remains much as it was, a finely hewn road machine that can reward a driver on his favorite back lanes or carry company out for a night on the town in style and comfort. It’s the powertrain upgrades that raise the car’s game to match the crisper appearance.
Full article available at link.
Car & Driver
October 2014
By: Jens Meiners

When we first saw pictures of the face-lifted 2016 Audi A6, we weren't immediately thrilled. One of the brand's more conservative designs looked to have received a lukewarm makeover to the styling it has worn since the current generation arrived as a 2012 model. Yes, the A6’s flowing lines are popular with customers, but to our eyes they always lacked tension, falling just short of Audi’s standards. There was little elegance in the details; its LED headlights were somewhat crude, the overbite of the taillights downright strange.
Audi has cleaned up these details, added rectangular exhaust outlets, and left the rest alone. Now having seen the revised car in person, we are pleasantly surprised. The inner workings of the headlights are subtly handsome, the lower front air intakes look better resolved, and the taillights are more tidily integrated. Audi also added several new, more appealing wheel styles. Without touching the sheetmetal, the designers made a somewhat stale shape more elegant. More importantly, this midterm update goes deeper, improving one of our favorite sedans (it has notched three 10Best appearances and two recent comparison-test victories) in significant ways.
Our first drive in Germany showed that, dynamically, the A6 remains much as it was, a finely hewn road machine that can reward a driver on his favorite back lanes or carry company out for a night on the town in style and comfort. It’s the powertrain upgrades that raise the car’s game to match the crisper appearance.
Full article available at link.