Base price: 3.0 CVT, $36,360; 3.0 Quattro, $38,110; 2.7T Quattro, $41,510; 4.2 Quattro, $48,460
Vehicle type: front-engine, front- or 4-wheel-drive; 4-door 5-passenger sedan
Interior volume, F/R/cargo (cu ft) 50-53/45-46/15-17
Wheelbase 108.6-108.7 in
Length/width/height 192.0-193.4/71.3-76.1/57.0-57.2 in
Turning circle curb to curb 38.3 ft
Curb weight 3500-4000 lb
EPA city/hwy mpg 17-20/25-27
Fuel-tank capacity/range 18.5-21.7 gal/315-369 mi
Passive restraints driver and passenger front, side, and head airbags; rear head and side (opt) airbags
POWERTRAIN
3.0-liter DOHC 30-valve V-6, 220 hp; twin-turbocharged and intercooled 2.7-liter DOHC 30-valve V-6, 250 hp; 4.2-liter DOHC 40-valve V-8, 300 hp; 6-sp man, 5-sp auto, continuously variable auto
SUSPENSION
F ind, multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar
R fwd: ind, integral trailing arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar; 4wd: ind, unequal-length control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
F/R vented disc/disc or vented disc
ABS standard
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AUDI A6
Over the past couple of years Audi has been working hard to boost the mild performance of its otherwise excellent executive sedan. In 2000 Audi added two higher-performance models — the 2.7T twin-turbo version rated at 250 hp and the 4.2 V-8 making 300 hp. Both come with Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system. For '03, Audi has simply juggled the option packages and changed some trim items. One notable deletion is the steering-wheel shift buttons, gone from cars equipped with the five-speed automatic. Only the hot-rod 2.7T has a six-speed manual, and a sport suspension becomes standard this year. Call us greedy, but we'd also like to have the 340-hp V-8 from the S6 Avant (wagon) in the sedan body. Even without the monster motor, the A6 is one of the prettiest mid-size road-eaters and has some of the best handling this side of a BMW.
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