By: IOL Motoring Staff
Johannesburg - Audi's middleweight contenders are back in the ring after a midlife nip and tuck.
The striking A7 Sportback and its more sober A6 sedan sibling both receive styling updates, along with new engines, transmissions and infotainment upgrades.
The styling changes are subtle on both, but include changes to the headlights, grille, bumpers, taillight and exhaust pipes. Dig deeper into those pockets and you can also have LED headlights or Audi's Matrix LED eyes with dynamic turn signals.
In the case of the A6, the previous 132kW 2.0T FSI turbopetrol engine has been replaced by a 140kW/320Nm 1.8T FSI and a new 185kW 2-litre TFSI version will join the range in July. Midyear will also see the introduction of a 160kW 3.0 TDI turbodiesel but if you're keen on the new 140kW 2.0 TDI then you'll have to wait until year end.
At the exciting end of the range, the 4-litre TFSI twin-turbo V8 fitted to the S6 and S7 has been uprated to 331kW, from 309kW, while still producing 550Nm of twist. Expect the new S6 and S7 to screech from 0-100km/h in 4.4 and 3.9 seconds respectively.
It's also all change in the case of the A7 Sportback models, with the previous 150kW and 180kW 3.0 TDI models making way for a new 200kW/580Nm 3.0 TDI base model and in the middle of the range the 650Nm 3.0 TDI twin-turbo now produces 235kW (up from 230kW). All versions of the A6 and A7 now feature S Tronic dual-clutch transmission.
PRICES
Audi A6 Sedan
1.8T FSI 140kW - R601 000
2.0TDI 140kW - R 631 500 (November 2015)
3.0TDI 160kW - R 689 000 (June 2015)
2.0T FSI 185kW quattro - R749 500 (July 2015)
S6 4.0T FSI 331kW quattro - R1 054 500
Audi A7 Sportback
3.0 TDI 200kW quattro S tronic - R943 500
3.0 TDI BiTurbo 235kW quattro S tronic - R1 040 000
S7 4.0T FSI 331kW quattro - R1 176 500
RS7 4.0T FSI 412kW quattro - R1 596 000