Audi is expanding its A6 model series with a classic business Sedan. It sets standards in design and aerodynamics and makes innovation and comfort in the premium full-size class tangible in every detail. Its drag coefficient of 0.23 is the best value for a combustion-engine production model in Audi history. Modern gasoline and diesel engines with MHEV plus mild hybrid technology ensure increased efficiency with improved performance. In combination with sophisticated suspension technologies, the A6 Sedan impresses with its qualities for everyday and long-distance driving: both the adaptive air suspension and all-wheel steering combine driving comfort and agile handling to the highest degree.

The body of the new A6 Sedan is clear and functional. The reduced, brand-typical design combines elegance and sportiness. The curve of the windows’ upper contour gives the streamlined body its special character. The striking front end, with sleek headlights and prominently positioned Audi rings, is defined by the large, low-positioned Singleframe. Behind this is a sophisticated airflow concept. The most important element for the aerodynamics at the front are the side air intakes that have been optimized in terms of form and function. The so-called air curtains achieve better airflow and give the business sedan a powerful appearance. Furthermore, a front spoiler in the front bumper reduces front-axle lift and, together with panels on the underbody, ensures controlled airflow under the vehicle.

Like the front end, the elongated and slightly upward-sloping rear end also conveys prestige. The two rear lights with their precise graphics and the continuous light strip lend the new A6 Sedan a sense of presence, as does the vertical brake light.

The special shape of the notchback also contributes significantly to the vehicle’s outstanding aerodynamics. The sharp curvature of the tailgate, together with the hollow groove in front of it, creates an optimal stall. In combination with the large, wide diffuser, the result is an ideal balance between lift at the rear axle and drag, which enhances driving dynamics.

With the optional adaptive air suspension, the A6 Sedan perfects the synthesis of sportiness and comfort. As well as regulating body height and shock absorption, this air suspension system also offers a further advantage in aerodynamics. Compared to the standard suspension, the vehicle is 20 millimeters (0.79 in) lower in normal mode. In dynamic mode, the ride height is lowered by another 10 millimeters (0.39 in) for a sporty driving feel. To reduce drag, the A6 Sedan uses the low level even at high speeds in balanced and efficiency modes.

The optional all-wheel steering makes for agile handling and precise maneuvering. Coupled with the stiffer progressive steering, there is a significantly improved and more direct steering response with increased feedback from the road. At low speeds, the all-wheel steering turns the rear wheels up to five degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels, improving maneuverability in city traffic and tight bends. At medium and higher speeds, the rear wheels turn in the same direction, resulting in stable and even more precise handling.

The drives with mild‑hybrid technology MHEV plus play a major role in the outstanding driving experience. In addition to the 2.0 TDI four-cylinder engine with 150 kW (204 PS)1 the 3.0 TFSI six-cylinder engine with 270 kW (367 PS)2 also features this type of partial electrification. The MHEV plus system supports the combustion engine, enhances performance and driving comfort, and reduces CO2 emissions. It enables fully electric parking and maneuvering. The A6 Sedan also runs on electric power when driving slowly in the city, in slow-moving traffic, or outside city limits when coasting to the next village. Furthermore, the MHEV plus technology generates an additional drive torque of up to 230 Newton meters and up to 18 kW (24 PS) of power when starting off or overtaking. Up to 25 kW is recuperated when decelerating.

Sound insulation inside the A6 Sedan has been improved by up to 30 percent compared to its predecessor – and this increases driving comfort. More tightly sealed windows and optimized door seals ensure more pleasant acoustics in the interior; a tailgate seal also significantly minimizes wind noise. Moreover, all tires 19 inches or larger are equipped with so-called noise absorbers. Newly developed engine and transmission mount bushings make for a smoother and quieter ride.

The new A6 Sedan will be produced in Neckarsulm and sold worldwide. It can be ordered starting in mid-April 2025. With the entry-level TFSI 150 kW3 engine, the A6 notchback will start at 55,500 euros. Deliveries to customers will begin in summer 2025.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

Audi will celebrate the world premiere of the new A6 Sedan on April 15. The classic business sedan sets standards in design and aerodynamics and brings innovation and comfort to life in the premium full-size class. Now there is a first detailed look at the vehicle.

With the A6 Sedan, Audi is expanding its successful model family and demonstrating how form and function join in perfect harmony to create a first-class driving experience. Strides have been made through meticulous attention to detail: The lower the drag, the higher the efficiency. The better the aeroacoustics, the greater the driving comfort. The more balanced the suspension and drive, the more precise, controlled, and dynamic the driving experience. The new A6 Sedan is outstanding in every respect.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

The new Audi A6 Avant stands for first-class travel. Adaptive air suspension, all-wheel steering, MHEV plus, and other technologies make for a comfortable ride and dynamic handling. Engineers drive countless test kilometers to gather subjective impressions, which are then reconciled with objective evaluation criteria. The result: perfectly calibrated and balanced driving systems.

When you drive an A6 Avant, you feel it right away: this is a real Audi! Thanks to its extremely comfortable ride, the vehicle’s strengths are particularly apparent on longer journeys. The A6 Avant embodies the business class experience like no other model. Adaptive air suspension and all-wheel steering for the quattro variants make a key contribution here, significantly improving maneuverability at low speeds and noticeably increasing precision and stability at high speeds. The standard and sports suspensions – both with steel springs – and the adaptive air suspension all feature a new tuning. The latter in particular lets the driver experience the wide range of options between Audi drive select modes comfort, balanced, and dynamic.

“The A6 Avant focuses on combining a very smooth, comfortable ride with sporty handling,” says Peter Knauer, who is responsible for the development and validation of suspension characteristics at Audi. “Whether on long stretches of highway or winding roads, on even routes or bumpy surfaces, in stop-and-go traffic or when passing: the A6 Avant delivers a first-class driving feel in all situations,” Knauer adds.

The result is a perfect blend of driving characteristics typical of Audi: precise, controlled, solid, connected, and well-balanced. This DNA can be experienced in every Audi, but the configuration varies in each model, depending on its concept. “After we determine a model’s basic setup during the concept phase, each individual crew fine-tunes their contribution, such as the ESC control system, shock absorber tuning, and torque vectoring,” explains Peter Knauer. “Only when all systems are perfectly balanced do we achieve the typically Audi driving experience.”

Extensive fine-tuning: how evaluations are performed

To achieve this, computer simulations and extensive test drives yield both subjective and objective evaluation criteria. Basic target measurements must be met, but not every aspect can be verified by numbers alone: the subjective evaluation of experienced Audi developers is not only an included, but a necessary component.

Examples of evaluation criteria include steering feedback, steering effort, and tracking in specific driving situations such as ABS braking from different speeds and with different friction coefficients – e.g. aquaplaning, icy conditions, and high grip. The models are also tested on rough roads with transverse and longitudinal irregularities, where the vehicle must stay stable and exhibit comfortable suspension and damping. “When driving over large corrugations, we make sure that the suspension has harmonious expansion and compression action,” explains suspension designer Knauer. “The new A6 seems to float over the road, especially with the comfortable air suspension.”

High-speed tests and handling courses also help to achieve the perfect balance between stability and steering precision. Among other things, Audi defines controlled handling through precise, predictable turn-in when cornering. In load transfer situations, the A6 Avant is designed to respond more comfortably and less agilely than a model focused only on sportiness, although both vehicles have to meet predefined target specifications and values. Finally, the vehicle’s excellent maneuverability at low speeds in city traffic and straight tracking at high speeds on highways make the A6 Avant easy to control.

Important factor for handling: MHEV plus technology

To ensure a typically Audi driving experience, all driving systems must interact harmoniously. The engine and transmission management as well as the suspension control systems in the new A6 Avant are fine-tuned to work perfectly together. In terms of setup, the hybrid powertrain offers new possibilities and poses new challenges. “We had to balance comfort and spontaneous responsiveness as much as possible,” says Steffen Zäpfel, driving and energy system developer at Audi. “MHEV plus technology makes partially electric driving possible, provides additional torque, but also allows the vehicle to recovery energy. The powertrain generator switching on and off is completely unnoticeable to the driver. But he or she will notice the more spontaneous and more direct response to the accelerator pedal, which a result of the additional power, while maintaining the same level of traction,” explains Steffen Zäpfel.

As with acceleration, sophisticated technologies working together intelligently are also used during deceleration – without the driver noticing at all. The MHEV plus system feeds electrical energy with up to 25 kW of power back into the battery. The integrated, blending-capable brake control system ensures pressure-free braking and the best possible regeneration, in most cases without the use of the friction brake. The vehicle does not apply friction braking until the brake pedal is pressed harder. From day one, development focused on achieving the perfect balance between the systems to provide the highest possible level of ride quality.

The developers document all fine-tuning work in the form of a radar chart – a pattern that is used on a model-specific basis for every Audi in the portfolio. At the end of the day, the more balanced and sensitive the suspension and drive are calibrated to each other, the more controlled and dynamic the driving feel – both in everyday driving and at the handling limits.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

A world first at Böllinger Höfe: Audi is using a virtual programmable logic controller from Siemens on the Edge Cloud 4 Production (EC4P) platform in the body shop. The TÜV-certified network of virtual programmable logic controllers works with a security function specially developed by Siemens.

With this solution in the body shop, Audi is setting new standards in fully networked factory automation, having already successfully tested the local server solution EC4P in the assembly of the Audi e-tron GT. “The use of virtual programmable logic controllers in the body shop is an important productivity leap in our 360factory strategy for efficient and data-driven manufacturing,” says Audi Board Member for Production Gerd Walker. “We want to bring the local cloud for production to all plants and leverage advances in digital control systems in the process,” Walker adds. As a technology partner, Siemens is responsible for the virtual control system, which offers TÜV-certified safety functionality in production.

"Controllers are the 'brains' of machines and factories. Now we are virtualizing these brains and bringing them to the cloud. This accelerates the digital transformation at Audi and increases agility, efficiency, and security in production - for more flexible, future-proof manufacturing. Together, we are taking automotive production to a new level and significantly strengthening competitiveness”, said Cedrik Neike, CEO of Digital Industries and Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG.

Virtual PLC replaces hardware-based control

The EC4P with virtual programmable logic controllers from Siemens is used for a Lamborghini model whose body is manufactured in the Audi Sport production facility at Böllinger Höfe. The virtual programmable logic controllers replace the previous hardware-based programmable logic controllers in the automation environment. Once again, the Böllinger Höfe facility serves as a real-world laboratory for digital technologies. With the new TÜV-certified virtual control system from Siemens, Audi is laying the foundation for flexible and data-driven production, and can control and monitor production in real time, regardless of location.

The virtual programmable logic controllers enable the rapid introduction of software and new functions that can be updated and managed centrally. With the EC4P, the efficiency and speed of production processes can be significantly increased.

Four companies as technology partners on an equal footing

Audi developed the virtual programmable logic controller for the body shop as part of a technology partnership with Broadcom, Cisco, and Siemens. “Together with our partners, we are realizing the world's first interaction between virtualization platform, network and automation technology in automobile production,” says Pascal Schirmer, Planning Technology Development. Broadcom is providing the virtualization software for the servers, with a newly developed, real-time capable “industrial virtual switch”. This is a software component and enables real-time communication with industrial protocols between the platform and the systems. In order to meet the high requirements in the field of automation technology, Cisco supplied the network infrastructure “Software-Defined Access” as part of the partnership, which was extended to the industrial network.

Following the successful introduction of the virtual programmable logic controllers in the body shop at the Böllinger Höfe, Audi is planning to introduce the technology at its Neckarsulm plant as well. Preparations for this are already underway, including the use of the technology in the body shop for the new Audi A6.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com