Audi Puts A6 E-Tron Through the Paces at the Nurburgring
The A6 E-Tron is out in the wild, lapping the Green Hell and getting closer to launch!
Audi recently previewed the new A6 E-Tron Avant, revealing its sleek styling. Now, as reported by our sister site, MotorAuthority, it appears Audi’s putting the sedan through its paces. Last month the A6 E-Tron showed up in the Arctic Circle for range testing. And this week it showed up at everybody’s favorite high-speed playground – the Nurburgring.
Now, because we didn’t license the spy photos directly, we can’t show you the A6 E-Tron on the Ring. So can click on the link above to see yourself. Or imagine with us… the A6 E-Tron tearing around the corners under extremely heavy camouflage. The overall shape matches the sleek profile of the concept car but lacks definition. It’s like looking at a naked mannequin and trying to imagine it wearing clothes.
Anyhoo, rather than stare at a mannequin or a car camouflaged to hide in plain sight, why not gaze at these gorgeous concept images from Audi’s press page? Better, right?
In reality, the car hidden in plain sight appears to stay true to the original concept. It wears Audi’s new design language that debuted with the E-Tron and E-Tron GT. A large grille opening framed by recessed ducts on the outer edges covers the front. Split headlights match the profile of other future models. In back, basic tail lights added to the anonymity of the test car. But it’s not a stretch to imagine it wearing a narrow band of lights like the concept car or the other E-Tron siblings.
What we do know is the A6 E-Tron shares VW’s Premium Electric Platform. That puts it in good company with other electric vehicles from Audi, Porsche, and Bentley including other E-Tron models and the Porsche Macan EV. Power numbers are not final, but we hope to see the A6 E-Tron produced with the concept’s dual-motor setup. With an estimated 470 horsepower and 590 lb. feet of torque, it should sprint to 60 mph in under four seconds and provide a range of over 400 miles on a single charge.
We’d love to see the unofficial lap times from the Nurburgring outing and find out how close those numbers are. But we’d settle for seeing the A6 E-Tron in person and getting behind the wheel. Audi has not revealed the A6 E-Tron’s interior which we expect will be similar to the E-Tron GT. That means a well-appointed cabin with an all-glass dashboard layout including the instrument panel, a large central touch-screen, and physical buttons for essential functions.
Audi has yet to announce an official launch date for the A6 E-Tron. Depending on testing, it could be later this year or sometime in 2023. Realistically it will follow the Q6 E-Tron crossover’s debut and then be followed by an A6 E-Tron Avant.
Photos: Audi
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