2005 Audi A6

Audi has given its strong-selling middle child new life. For 2005, the A6 has been redesigned inside and out, is larger in every dimension, and contains stunning technology--all near the same price as the range of 2004 models. Not only does it eclipse the prior generation, it'll give its rivals something to think about.

The sedan retains its trademark profile, yet the lines in front and along the sides were made sharper and more expressive. The front end, which has a large, vertical-theme grille as its main visual element (some like it, some don't), uses innovative illumination technology, including active cornering Xenon lights, daytime-running lights, and foglights flush with the curved lower grille. The once too-soft rear end, possibly the weakest aspect of the forerunner's design, is now more angular and well-proportioned, with a slight upturn at the trunklid that sets the whole look off nicely. Don't miss the bright LED brakelights.

The cabin has been given the same loving touch, with gorgeous wood and leather color combinations that again demonstrate Audi's current dominance in interior design.

Gauges and controls are redone and placed within easier reach of the driver, emphasizing that this is a driver's car first. The new A6 receives the A8's surprisingly intuitive MMI rotary push-knob infotainment control.

All the visual redesigns are important, but equally exciting is the new standard 3.2-liter FSI V-6. Gone are the previous base 2.7T and 3.0-liter V-6s, and the new engine makes them feel like distant memories. The 3.2 FSI is a direct-injection gasoline setup that provides more horsepower than the sixes it replaces, at 252, and offers more torque--243 pound-feet--than the 3.0-liter. Direct gas injection provides the additional power and torque over a broader powerband, with higher efficiency.

With FSI, fuel is sprayed directly into the combustion chambers through a high-pressure, common-rail system, which works with a single-piston high-pressure pump to provide the precise amount of gasoline required. The engine's design allows for a 12.5:1 compression ratio, the highest for a gasoline-engine production car, claims Audi. The 90-degree, four-valve V-6 also uses a variable intake manifold and infinitely adjustable intake and exhaust cam timing. Thanks to aluminum engine components, the FSI-equipped A6 is over 150 pounds lighter than the previous year's 2.7T or 3.0.