Audi a8 v a6...
 

Ok folks, may as well throw the cat amongst the pigeons here and start a bun fight... :ROFL:

I'm missing something really obvious with the a8 d3 for the simple reason that on ads the interiors of the sports dont seem to match the visual pleasantness of the now departed d2 QS??

All of these search engines have started throwing up the a6 le mans as an alternative you may like suggestion. Having just been to view one (curiosity and location got the better of me I'm afraid...) again they are " nice enough but lacking a something...."

Ok, enough waffling. Between the a6 and a8 are we comparing 2 different beasts ? Will the a8 always be the better looking car and just all round nicer place to be? I appreciate that the a8 gets the variable suspension over what has been reviewed as the "crashy" a6 le mans with the 19" alloys and low profile tyres.

The shopping list reads- car with visual presence, interior comfort and spec, diesel over petrol purely for the daily 70 mile commute.

What am I missing here folks?? Feels like I fell out the stupid tree and whacked my head on every branch on the way down :ROFL::ROFL::ROFL:

Double glazing and better sound insulation are the main drawers of the 8 over the 6, aesthetics and size aside, its always been the increased comfort that appealed to me. Its why I am considering another 8

I have both (some) 8s and have recently acquired a 6, all be it an Allroad. It's a 4.2 so on a par with the A8 and on factory air. I bought it for load carrying and towing. The A8 tows just as well on the road, but I can get into rougher fields with the Allroad. It also carries loads more in the back. However, comma, it is nowhere near as nice a place to be. Just done 300 miles in it. Full leather interior, Bose, RNSD, sport 5 speed auto. I've done the journey many times in my S8 and my 2.8QS and it was far more comfortable in both of them. Comfort and lack of noise increase the comfort of driving. I do the journey non stop in an 8 and I'm fine at the end. I had a break in the 6 and was still stiff and tired when I arrived.
HtH

CtL

The A8 is a class above - by design - and so a 6 will always leave you wanting.

Looks, design, even the way the A6 air vents notably blow at you versus the gentle waft of the A8 - If you've had, and appreciate the 8 - going downhill will be a noticeable experience.

As Mike has suggested, unless you need more boot, more offroad, or more engine choices, stick with the 8.

You'll drive yourself mad trying to find an A6 with even half the spec on it that the 8 has as standard.....

For me, one major dividing difference is the aluminium space frame, for a number of reasons, some of which are rational, some of which are irrational or purely psychological. Rationally speaking, there are the obvious advantages such as the elimination of rust and weight saving (the '6 and '8 weigh pretty much the same, despite the larger dimensions of the '8). But, from a more psychological perspective, steel-bodied cars just seem primitive by comparison. I just like aluminium; it's a nice metal to work with, and I like the the cool-factor of owning one of the rare few all-aluminium cars ever produced.

Additionally, the '8 looks and feels like a proper big executive saloon. The '6, on the other hand looks and feels like a car that might be driven by a sales rep, albeit one who has made it to 'team leader'.

I'm not qualified to talk about D3 vs C6, but I agree with Mike on D2 vs C5. I regularly drive my daily C5 A6 to Leeds (300 miles) and tend to stop half way. If I'm in the D2, I can drive until it runs out of fuel without having to stop. The A6 is an appliance, albeit one which is quite entertaining to hoon around the countryside. Every time I sit in a D2 though, it still feels special.

Re engine choices, the 2.7TDI is just a watered-down version of the 3.0, I think for company car tax reasons. Its just a bit rubbish and doesn't really have anything going for it - same maintenance costs as the 3.0, much the same fuel consumption, but significantly less power and less tunable. Also some weird bespoke bits like the turbo and injectors which cost considerably more to replace than the 3.0 versions because there are fewer of them about.

Afaik the A6 Le Mans is a specced up 3.0TDI quattro S-line. The harsh ride comments are probably because it has quite large wheels as standard - 20" I think. People shopping for an A6 may not be used to the ride a 35 profile tyre gives you :D

It depends which '8 you are talking about - and this really will put the cat amongst the pigeons, and is only my opinion. If you're comparing a D2 with any 6, then they're chalk and cheese - the former was pretty much a handbuilt machine, that was a groundbreaking car for Audi, and feels special for those reasons, in a way that a 6 could not do.

It created so many firsts for Audi - e.g. the first to really compete with Mercedes in this class, its first mainstream use of a V8 by them, the first use of aluminium/space frame, etc, and it was built to a standard that reflected that.

No A6 could/can ever hold a candle to the D2, and - in my view - subsequent '8s have diluted that with every subsequent generation, as Audi sought to build volumes from '8 sales - which they have - and make money out of this "new" sub-brand, but to (some) detriment of its quality. Which is why I, personally, can only see the D2 variant of the '8 as a future classic. But that's just my opinion ;)

The only 6 to have IMHO is the RS6, the V10 is a stunning engine and pulls like nothing I've ever driven before. Having said that the build quality on my D2 S8 is superior in so many ways, and it's (the S8) probably the best car I have ever driven +++

The RS6 is much better at scaring SWMBO though ;)

I have just swapped from an a8 d3 to an a6 c6 allroad, I swapped to make it easier for dirty dog walks and camping. The a6 is obviously not as luxurious or comfy as the 8 but it’s 80% there and a lot more comfy than most cars. Friends still comment on how comfy it is. I do find it more nimble and quicker at low speeds but once over say 40 it seems slower than the 8. I guess the 8 is designed to go up and down the motorway at 140 in comfort but is not as good at town driving as the c6.

If they did an a8 estate I would come back 😀