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"Yo Vinnie. Waddya Drivin' This Week?" 2014 Audi A6 TDI Diesel Quattro

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"Yo Vinnie! Waddya Drivin' This Week?" is a first look/first impression of the review vehicle I am driving this week for a future "Drivetime Road Test" auto review.

This week we get to motor in the lap of environmentally conscious luxury with the 2014 Audi A6 TDI Diesel Quattro.  Any week I get a chance to put an Audi through its paces is in my book a good week. It is a car that grows on you from the minute you get in it and push the start button to the moment you hand the keys back.

While other brands have imitated the Audi look, some better than others, there is something so striking about the original that like looking at a painting in a museum you know it's the real deal. The larger than life grille makes a statement much as the fine motorcars of the 30's did. No mistaking what it is from the front especially when you add the vampire killer LED lights. From the side the A6 is attractive with more subtle lines than some of the other cars in its class

Sliding into the interior of the A6 I was impressed with the craftsmanship of materials from the wood inserts along the dash and interior panels to the softness of the seats.Spacious door openings front and rear get you in and out with a minimum of twist and turn. You also notice the basketful of tech offerings in the car…pop up screen, Google earth nav system, internet hot spot and extremely intuitive controls for everything from dynamics to lighting. Besides driving and looks Audi looks to set a technical standard here as well.

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Audi uses quality materials combined with craftsmanship to give the A6 interior a cocoon-like feeling. Photo courtesy Audi of America

The folks I have spoken to at Audi firmly believe that their TDI Clean Diesel is the way to go in the luxury segment and they have won me over. Strong, powerful, clean and quiet the 3.0 6 cylinder turbocharged engine along with the  8 speed Tiptronic transmission that works just as well  in manual mode as it does in automatic, moves the A6 along quickly from a standstill or in highway passing situations.

So far driving the A6 around town has been nothing but a joy. While in traffic, the interior makes the A6 a great place to be…comfortable and quiet almost cocooned. Audi's TDI diesel operates with a minimum of noise and is super responsive.  The braking is impeccable and the suspension absorbs the jarring realities of the urban city street. On the highway the A6 is well behaved and engaging while giving you the feeling that if you have to jump on it to get you on to the freeway or around a truck on a two lane highway it can do the job. I especially enjoy the Audi Drive Select, the system that adjusts the driving dynamics of the acceleration, transmission and steering  to Comfort, Auto, Sport modes. It allows you to set the driving for what you enjoy or need with the spin of a dial.

Sticker price on the 2014 Audi A6 TDI Quattro with Prestige and Driver Assist Packages $66,795.00. EPA fuel  figures are 24 city, 38 highway with a combined of 29 MPG. The TDI Clean Diesel gets a 7 out of 10 score on the Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas EPA rating. The 2014 has not been rated yet but the 2013 A6 was an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick.

After spending some time in the A6 you realize what a well crafted quality machine Audi has turned out. It is a car that you want to spend time in…want to get to know more and will appreciate a little bit more every time you hit the start button or pass a gas station.

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