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Did the 2009 Audi A6 just get back from vacation? It looks so...refreshed.
It might look very similar to last year's A6, but after closer inspection, we notice that some minor nipping and tucking have gotten this aging Hollywood starlet prepared for another red-carpet season.
But that's not the only reason the 2009 Audi A6 is looking so perky and uplifted. Besides new headlights, it has a more efficient V6 engine with a supercharger.
A Supercharger, You Say?
Isn't that word reserved for modified American V8 dragsters? What's a supercharger doing on an upwardly mobile six-cylinder Audi sedan? The answer: providing power in a more efficient package.
Replacing last year's normally aspirated V6 that produced 255 horsepower, this new supercharged 3.0-liter V6 is capable of 300 hp, getting close to the V8's 350 hp but for $10,000 less.
Despite worldwide sales that outpace its main competitors, the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, Audi sold only 12,000 examples of the A6 in the U.S. last year, so it hopes that this blast of power will spur some market interest. But can a midsize sedan with a supercharged V6 be relevant in these fuel-conscious times? According to the EPA, this new, efficient Audi V6 is rated at 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. While on paper this is only 1 mpg better than last year, it's important to remember that this new V6 is producing 50 hp more.
Back to Its Roots
Audi has a long tradition in auto racing, and now that it's celebrating its 100th anniversary, the company makes references to its famous supercharged Auto Union racing cars of the 1930s all the time. You know, supercharged power. But aside from the heritage thing, a supercharger is also a little easier to package with the 2009 Audi A6's V6 engine than a turbocharger, and this compact, Roots-type compressor easily fits inside the vee between the cylinder banks of the V6.
As with any supercharger, it's the quick response that you notice. With short intake tracts after the compressor complemented by direct fuel injection, the power builds quickly without the typical lag of a turbocharged engine.
Full Story: Edmunds - 2009 Audi A6 3.0T Quattro Follow-Up Test and Video
Still a very handsome car, and I really like the engine.
M
