Friday. Gecen..e7 19, 1997 — North Shere News -- 45

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Photo subraitted

THE mid-size Audi A6 luxury sedan has been completely redesigned for 1998. The new A6 has a roomier cab with three different available interior designs, a 200
horsepower 2.8-litre V6 engine, and a five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission that can be shifted manually. Test Drive the new Audi in North Vancouver at Capilano

ete makeover

Volkswagen.

Aud!

IT’S taken Audi more
than a decade to recov-
er from the damaging
and unsubstantiated
report by the 60
Minutes television
show that the Audi
5000 (predecessor the
the A6) suffered from
“unintended accelera-
tion.”

After that report, Audi
sales dropped like a rack —
from 6,937 in 1985 to 681
in 1995. Bur beginning in
1995, Audi's sales started to
accelerate.

With the introduction of
the Ad, Audi's sales more
than doubled in [996. And
so far in 1997, Audi’ :
are up more chan 26!

The fill-size Audi
sedan introduced last vear,
though not a high volume

car, shawecasedd Audi's ability
to produce a lightweigit, all-
dhuminum sedan whose a
nology will eventually filter

down to mainstream sedans.

For 1998, Audi offers a
completely redesigned mid-
size AG sedan, successor 10
the B00 and the 5000.
Although the AG is sot made
of aluminum, it has an alu-
minum hood and same alu-
minum front suspension
components.

The new AG is 28 mm
wider and 14 mim shorter
and than the previous model,
burt the wheelbase is 73 mm
longer. The A6’s longer
wheelbase and arched
roofline contribute toa
much roomier interior: front
headroom has inereased by
30 mm, rear headraam by 8
mm, and rear feyraom by a
substantial 53. nan.

The AG's new styling is

A6 gets col

controversial White the aasc
looks sim‘lar to the Ad and
ASo the smooth, rounded tail
contrasts sharply with ity
unusual, angalar cailights. fn
addition, the scams between
the bumpers and the side
body panels wrap around the
side of the car, also unusual.
Inside though, the AG has
ong of the handsomest, most

assthedically pleasiig interior
designs offany fusury car.
vombination of colors, tex
tures and materials such as
wood, aluminum and
Seatherette upholstery por
trays a sophisdcated, high
quality look that is unique in
the Jusury lass. Buyers can
choose fron three interior
“atmospheres” cafled

Audi A6 technical data

Type: four-door,

passenger sedan

Ambition, Ambiente and
fvanee, at ne extra chan
nbition has rich, dark, cl

sic tates; Ambiente has a

Meditteranean feel with

huhter wood and bolder col-

ors, and Advance nts warm,
thy tones.
As vou would eet tora
$50,000 car, the AO is well:
equipped. Standard dusury

Curb weight: 1680 ky (3,704 tb.)

760 mm (108.7 in.)

$78 ram (192.0 in)

Layout: longitudinal front engine /AWD
Engine: 2.8 | V6, DOHC, 24 valves

Horsepower: 200 € 6000 r.p.m.

Torque: 207 ths.-ft. @ 3206 rp.m,
peed Tiptronic semi mp.)
Warranty: three vears/80,000 km

Transmission:
Jutomatic

Fuel consumption: Cig
‘2t mpg Hwy — 7.

1810 mm (71.3 in}

in.)
s (15.4 cu. th
100 km

1/100 km (36 i

-

features inchide 12 way,
Heated power front seats
with power lunthar adjust
ment, 00,40 split tolding
lockable rear seats and an
Awailable skisack putss-
through, a }40 wart cight-
spe sound system, dual-
gone climate contre! with
pollen filters, and power
windows with one-touch up
and dewn operarion with
*pinelY protection

Like the previous A6, the
new model is ong of the
satest cars on the road with
standa ety features such
as fronts
airbags, de-powered front
airbags, and three-point sear-
belts, emergency s
and head restraints tor all
five passengers. Rear side
airbags are optional.

Secondary safety teatumes

See Audi page 46