Audi launches eighth generation A6 at a starting price of Rs 54.2 lakh

With the festive season at its peak right now, Audi has decided to finally launch the Audi A6 at a price point of Rs 54.2 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Premium Plus variant and Rs 59.2 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Technology variant.

The eighth-generation Audi A6 is the company's first all-new launch in over a year now, and while Audi has confirmed a new model every quarter, the A6 has been in dire need of an upgrade for quite a while.

Aesthetically, the new A6 is designed more aggressively with sharper lines running throughout the car, a larger grille and more angular LED headlamps complete with DRLs. The rear has been updated too to feature a chrome strip connecting the tail lamps that are also LED. This new A6 gets slightly larger dimensions too when compared to the outgoing car and features a new set of larger 18-inch alloys.

Mechanically, Audi has only the petrol variant on offer in India while the diesel is expected to be launched some time later. The 2-litre TFSI engine powering the petrol car is a Bharat Stage-VI compliant motor that churns out 248 PS of power and 370 Nm of peak torque, and is mated to a seven-speed S Tronic automatic transmission.

The interiors of the car, too, has been updated. You get two large touchscreens as your centre console. While the higher one handles the infotainment system, the one at the bottom is you command central for the car's other interior functions such as the four-zone climate control system.

Of course, rear passengers get their own dedicated controls. Audi has also packed in the 12.3-inch virtual cockpit for the driver. Safety features have been provided to the top, with the new sedan including eight airbags, hands-free parking system and lane departure warning.

The new Audi A6 is only available in the Premium Plus and Technology variants in India. In terms of rivals, it competes with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 series.