Nick L

Yesterday I finally test drove back-to-back an A6 2.7TT 6-speed vs. the new BMW M3 (demos weren't available at dealers until the past week or so). Yes, I know, it's a *very* unusual pair of cars to be considering, but, I have very eccentric tastes in cars (I like fun, stylish, fun-to-drive cars with personality, not necessarily of a specific type). I was shocked and suprised, but the M3 was a disappointment. After all the hype over it, I was underwhelmed. I liked the A6 2.7T *much* better.

The engine, suspension, and performance of the M3 were great. Fabulous sound, great power (though it didn't feel like a 4.7 sec 0-60 car), impressive handling. To some, that's all that matters. But to me, owning a car is a lot more than a 30 min test drive.

What disappointed me was the build quality. IMHO, the BMW just felt cheap. I'm not an engineer, but am a major car fanatic. I've owned 93 cars in my life, and have taken many of them apart and restored several, so I tend to look at the small details as to how a car is put together. It broke my heart, but I just saw lots of signs of little cost-cuttings on the M3. The interior felt cheap, with low grade plastics. Cheap trim throughout, inside and out. Doors that sound tinny and don't close with a solid "thunk". Thin carpets, and even thinner in the trunk. Low grade weatherstripping and seals. Sloppy, rubbery shifter. Non-linear clutch. A small, cramped interior, clearly not going to be very comfortable on a long drive. The M3 was *fantastic* to test drive. But, it just didn't feel like a $53,000+ car. Overall, the M3 felt like a fantastic engine and upgraded suspension in an otherwise mediocre car, one built to a price standard rather than a quality one.

The A6 2.7TT 6-speed, on the other hand, felt immediately comfortable to me. The difference in build quality vs. the M3 was amazing - I was astonished that for $12k less, the A6 felt so much better built. I feared that the A6 might feel too "big" or clumsy, but it felt "just right" to me. It didn't feel too big, and felt very tossable. The 6-speed was also amazingly slick (much smoother than a S4 I also test drove - I know they're probably the same trans, perhaps just inter-car differences?) - much smoother than the M3 shifter.

Overall, the A6 felt to me like a fantastic combination of fun to drive, power, comfort, luxury, and not too outrageously priced (well, at least not compared to the M3).

A couple of questions. The only thing I didn't particularly like about the A6 was a somewhat floaty suspension, and light (over-boosted?) steering. I test drove a standard suspension (the dealer didn't have any sport suspensions). Do the sport suspension and 17" wheels make a noticeable difference? Does it reduce the floaty feeling cornering on uneven surfaces? Is it noticeably stiffer?

Also, is there anything that can be done to tighten up the steering?

I assume that the same mods that are available for the S4 (intake, chip, exhaust) are also applicable to the A6 2.7T. For those of you that have done them, how noticeable is the increase in power? Any suggestions for modifications to imporve the performance or handling of the A6?

Thank you in advance for any thoughts and comments!

Nick L

SF2.7T

Yes, 17" wheels, responsive tires and sports suspension make a huge difference, and are just what this very dynamic car needs.

I got a standard (non-sports) 2.7T because I didn't think my wife would like the sports seats. I agree that the standard suspension is too floaty for a car with the 2.7T's engine. With aftermarket wheels, tires and springs (Eibach Pro kit), the suspension and the engine are much better matched and the car's a lot more fun to drive.

earache

The overboosted steering can be remedied by simply removing the infamous 605 servotronic relay under the dash. There is an excellent "how-to" article in the tech area for adding a switch to turn this boost off and on. (I chose this route as my wife likes the lighter steering.)

StealthMobile

in cornering. The car stays very flat and the suspension overall is much tighter. However, the car still has much more squat/dive than I would have liked.

The sport suspension also transmits much more "noise" as you drive over tar strips and expansion joints.

If you don't like the sport seats I recommend skipping the sport package and getting a good progressive-rate coilover setup - possibly adding the sport suspension rear bar after you have some time on the coilovers.

Regarding the steering, wider tires may give it a tighter feel. You can also reduce the boost of the power steering - see the tech. section of this site for details.

Nick L

Thank you!! I looked in all the tech sections, and couldn't find the article you mentioned. Which section is it in?

Thanks!

Nick L

Doug2.7

Many chips available for the A6, APR, PES, etc. Check out the Mechandise link and look up each of the sites for information. Good luck in your purchase...<ul><li><a href="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec35.shtml">https://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec35.shtml</a</li></ul>

LMGotts

I've owned an A6 4.2 for three days. It has the sport suspension and is really nice and flat in the corners even when pushing hard.

The ride is not at all too firm on the freeway or around town, in fact my personal tastes would call for a bit more firmness dialed in at all times.

The seats are great too! I'm 6' 210lb, and they are not uncomfortable in any way.

Definitely get the sport suspension!

RIAH

Roomate has APR 306HP 348ft/lb silky smooth brings tears of joy!!!

DWP

Keep in mind it comes with the sport seats too! If you're wide at the hips, you may find them uncomfortable for long trips. My plan is to avoid the sport seats and fit aftermarket suspension parts as suggested below.

rchaas

Agree with above, except i love the sport seats, better than the standard, but understand the size issue. Defintiely get the sport package, for me easier than searching out and installing a variety of aftermarket stuff (but if i had the time, that could be fun too!). I have also found that the steering boost, for whatever reason, feels different on the pst/psk cars, although there are no steering mods noted in the sport package.