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Grace of the Teutons

August 1, 2011 by Matt

2012 Audi A6 Hybrid

Car and Driver is reporting that reliable sources confirm the hybrid version of the upcoming A6 is a lock for the US.

Now, my first impulse is to gloss over the mechanical details in favor of raving about the updated design which, to be sure, is drop dead gorgeous. No other automaker creates cars as stunningly tasteful as Audi, the presence of which quality is a sure-fire indicator the styling will age well. Stack any Audi of the past 10 years next to its main competition at the time, and chances are the Audi’s looks will still exude a freshness and modernity when compared to its increasingly dated-looking rivals. Like a well-tailored suit, Audis never go out of style. Especially as BMW styling has gotten more fanciful and experimental, their competition from Ingolstadt has taken over the Bavarian automaker’s role of bringing definite, rational and graceful German styling to the masses.

Having indeed given free rein to my first impulse and discussed the new A6 Hybrid’s looks up front, it will be said that there’s nothing revolutionary about the car’s powertrain configuration. As in most other hybrids, a 4-cylinder (turbocharged in this case) gasoline engine and electric motor cooperate and deliver 245 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque, and return 37 mpg. Pretty standard, and might I add, developed without taxpayer mandates or subsidies (*cough*ChevyVolt*cough*). Just goes to show that if the car is successful (and there’s no reason to believe it won’t beā€”just look at it), it will reinforce the notion that it is possible to build alluring alternative-propulsion cars without having to “stack the deck,” courtesy of John Q. Public.

Even if, for some unfortunate reason, the A6 Hybrid tanks, it will still, while it lives, lay claim to the title of the most stylish hybrid on the market. But being an Audi, you wouldn’t expect anything less.

Filed under: Aesthetics, Audi, News

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