The New A6

[Ti Kan]

David writes:
> Have you seen the pics of the new 2005 A6?
> 
> http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/500/2478Clip_8.jpg
> 
> http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/500/2478Clip_9.jpg
> 
> Question for those "in the know" of what is going on at Audi...When did they hire Chris Bangle?

Like it or not, that's the new corporate front grill treatment
for all upcoming Audi models.  It started with the Pikes Peak and
Nuvolari concept cars, and debuted on the A8L W12 6.0 production.
Now it's filtering down to the A6 line.

I think the nose will take a little getting used to, but the new
A6 is otherwise quite nice.  It borrows a lot of the muscular cues
from the Nuvolari concept.

No doubt that these new cars are different, but I remember when the
current-gen C5 A6 first came out, many thought it was butt-ugly, but
somehow we've all adjusted to it, and it has aged well.  Same thing
for the new A4, some lamented that it didn't look as nice as the
B5 cars before it, yet seeing more of them on the street now, we
get used to them.  In fact, I think the new A4 looks fantastic
with the sports suspension and low profile wheels.  It has a low, wide,
hunkered down stance, and makes almost everything else in its size
class look frail and meek (well, maybe except the E46 M3 with those
ultra wide tires).

I don't think the new A6 is as radical a change from its family roots
as Chris Bangle's "makeover" at BMW.  Audi's new designs are very
clean and minimalist, devoid of the gratuitous "styling touches" found
on the new BMWs.  For example, the funky humpback on the new 7 and 6 series,
or the S curves on the headlights on the new 5, or those zig-zag creases
on the Z4...

-Ti
2003 A4 1.8T multitronic
2001 S4 biturbo 6-sp
1984 5000S turbo
1980 4000 2.0 5-sp
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