wheels
BMW 6 Series (new)
BMW 6 Series (new) Another elegant and luxurious newcomer is from BMW. The latest 6 Series is sure to please the Chinese market, so much so that apart from the convertible and coupé, already unveiled and on sale, there will be a four-door Gran Coupé version, too, a study of which was shown at the Beijing Motor Show last year. For the moment, only petrol engines are available. However, a gutsy diesel is not far away. The car is equipped with all the latest driver aids, which a keen driver may find a bit over-possessive, though the head-up display is very useful. Present engines are an in-line six-cylinder 3.0-litre
turbo petrol with 320bhp and a 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 with 407bhp. Not too many years ago, a similar car would have needed a V12 of at least 5 litres to get 400bhp, showing how much progress has been made by BMW engineers in the past few years. Although the new model weighs in at just over 1800kg, performance is impressive, with 100km/h easily reached from rest in under six seconds. Despite such strong performance, fuel consumption is far from excessive, thanks to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a stop/start system
on the 640i. This gives Band E road tax, at just over €600 per annum. These figures are helped by extensive use of aluminium in the car's structure, not to mention carbon fibre, which have limited extra weight to a rea- sonable level. The design is very elegant in the case of the convert-
ible, whether the car is open or closed. The interior is set out with four well-designed seats but, in truth, those rear seats are best left for children or small
teenagers. The length of the body ensures a well-sized boot, with respectable space remaining even when the hood is folded down. Hood up, silence is remarkable. With the car open, all that is missing is a good sporty rasp from the engines, which are very discreet, even when opened up fully.
Audi A6 (new) In the business car segment of the market, the new Audi A6 is sure to attract attention, even if it is more a very extensive re-editing of the best of A7 and A8, rather than a completely new car. This is no bad thing, as the aforementioned are fine vehicles by any standards. One area where the new A6 stands out – at least at the top end of the range with all the options – is the plethora of the latest technology with which the car can be equipped. It is possible, indeed, to have Wi-Fi access with a Google Earth navigation inter- face, while music lovers can specify a 1,300W Bang & Olufsen sound system. For the present, entry engine is a four-cylinder diesel with Band B taxation. Not resting on its laurels, before the end of this year or early next year, Audi will introduce a hybrid power train to the A6 range, which will lower emissions even further. For those who got badly stuck in the winter snow, Quattro four-wheel drive is optional on certain models. In sum, the new A6 is yet another example of how Germany has shrugged off a near-global recession, with no noticeable effect on the country's engineering and production excellence.
Spring 2011 Irish Director 73
Audi A6 (new)
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84