A6 fits to a tee.

By Nick Jones

Having been invited by Audi to head south to test drive the latest iteration of their A6, I was delighted to be told the venue for the launch event was only a short drive from Wentworth.

A keen golfer, I wanted to have a look at one of the country’s most famous courses and, of course, to see how well the new A6 would fit in among the oppulence and luxury of the sort of motors I expected to see parked there.

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Don’t forget, among Wentworth’s more famous members is that stalwart of screen and stage Bruce Forsyth, although he lives so close he can walk in whenever he wants.

This is not, however, the sort of place you where you announce your arrival in a rusting yellow Nissan Micra.

So, first impressions: The first bite is with the eye and in this regard the A6 did not disappoint.

The single large grille still has appeal but the headlights have taken something of a swoopy turn and now have daytime running LED displays and optional LED headlights.

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It’s all gone a bit, well, A5 to me... but I think that’s a step in the right direction.

There’s a more protracted bonnet-line and improved swage lines, everything’s colour-coded as well and I think the rump is quite attractive to boot.

To be honest, this looks like slightly more than a mid-life facelift.

Indeed, aluminium and high-tech steels make up most of the re-worked body, making it very light and strong. The 2.0-litre TDI I tested weighs in at just 1,575kg, an incredible figure given the size of the A6.

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In the UK, the A6 can be had with two 3.0-litre TDI units (pushing out 204ps and 245ps respectively), a 3.0-litre TFSI petrol delivering 300ps or the one I wanted to drive, which was the 2.0-litre TDI.

Heading off to Wentworth – sadly, without my clubs in the boot I didn’t even think about how fuel was in the car because this engine is so frugal I just knew there would be enough to get there and back. This top end motor can return 55mph with the standard manual six-speed box fitted but still has a top speed of 142mph and top 60mph from standstill in 8.7 seconds. Emissions are unbelievable at about 129g/km?

Internally, much of the interior from the non-facelifted model has been carried over, but that’s no bad thing as it is of an excellent standard and I one thing is for certain, you won’t find many more comfortable places to make long journeys.

This 2.0-litre diesel model is expected to account for about 75 per cent of all A6 sales in the UK, and I can see why. It’s smooth, capable, whisper-quiet and easy to work, when needed.

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For me, the big question was whether two litres would be enough to propel the big A6 about – would it have the poke? The answer is a very easy ‘yes’.

Easy answer to a difficult question: yes. Don’t let any inhibitions wander here, it works exceptionally well.

And with a starting price of just £30,145, it’s easy to see why many will make this A6 and the 2.0-litre diesel a wise double-act.

And was it liked at Wentworth?

Well, you can’t park outside the club house at all and many cars were immediately unceremoniously waved on – but not the A6.

I had an impromptu five-minute chat with the welcoming steward who was most impressed with it, like I was with the golf course.

And that sums the car up to a tee, with no pun intended.

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