<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/4706/1-3378.jpg"></center><p>This picture and the following text are from the news section of the UK web site for AutoEspress. Could clearly be someone board playing with the software on their PC or there may be some truth in it.

"This is the startling redesign Audi has in store for its A6 - and it looks set to raise the temperature of the executive car market to boiling point. Out to rival the likes of the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class, the new car is due to hit showrooms in just 18 months' time.
The company's designers have taken their inspiration from a number of recent concepts, including the Avantissimo, which we featured last week, and the Project Rosemeyer supercar we showed in issue 606 of the magazine.

Built around an aluminium spaceframe chassis, it's expected that three versions will be available - saloon, Avant and coupé. The new engine range will include a mixture of V6 and V8 petrol units plus new turbodiesels. Entry-level cars will be powered by a choice of two engines - either a 160bhp V6 2.4-litre petrol or a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel. Flagship machines will offer either a 300bhp 4.2-litre V8 or a 200bhp 3.0-litre diesel. Also being developed is a high-performance all-wheel-drive S6 quattro edition of the car, and for this Audi's performance specialists are working on a 400bhp twin turbo V8, which would be shared with the forthcoming A8. This offers a BMW M5-rivalling 0-60mph sprint time of under 5.5 seconds.

It's also possible that Audi will serve up a 300bhp V8 diesel engine in a driver-oriented chassis, but this would not be ready until 2004. Transmissions will include five and six-speed manual gearboxes plus multitronic CVT.

The tiptronic shift is being upgraded to include a new sport programme. Vastly improved equipment levels and refinement are expected, and insiders have confirmed eye-catching spoilers and new alloy wheels are also destined to be part of the project. Prices are expected to start at around £20,000 for the entry-level 2.4-litre V6 model, with the quattro 4x4 system likely to add around £2,000."

 

I posted 3 pics including this one circa 3 weeks ago....

 

Clearly what goes around comes around!

 

Hope not. It ain't pretty.

 

Well, the picture/angle may be ugly, but I kind of like the drawing.

Before everyone goes off on me, let me say I've had blower/turbo cars since my first new Saab in January 84 and I like turbos. But I like the 4.2Q A6 even better, the S8 more, and the M5 BMW best (Too bad that M5 engine isn't in the A6!). I would even enjoy (blasphemy) a 502 GENIII big block in an S8....more is better.

Clearly, 400hp from the V8 is attainable and maintainable on the street...the twin turbo setup is more complicated, runs hotter, and has higher maintenance costs (not to mention the temptation to overboost/chip a turbo V8!)

 

I like it!

 

The pic is fake. No doubt about it. It is an artists conception (see the signature in the lower right).

Furthermore, no full production sedan is going to have different front and rear wheel sizes as this vehicle does.

 

This same picture already appeared in one of the Auto magazines, but can;t remember which one.

 

You can not get the same torque on the naturally asperated engine as the turbo. This is the main reason that the 2.7t will accelerate as well as an A6 4.2 that has more HP. The RS-4 is another example, it has only slightly more HP than the S8 and weighs only a few hundred lbs. less but it is much faster. The torque on the turbo motors, at least Audis, is almost flat from below 2000 rpm all the way to 6000.

 

Teutonic version of a Pontiac kiddy car.