The Audi A6 ranks high on safety and stability

The Audi A6 ranks high on safety and stability

By Roland D. Nasasira

If there is a feature that the Audi A6 2013 model closely shares with rally cars, it could be speed. For example, when I took the car for a test drive on the Entebbe Expressway, it picked up speed from zero to 100km in 12 seconds. It has a small but powerful engine with the capacity to reach the same speed mark in a shorter time if the road was wide and straight enough.
 
Its high performance could be one of the reasons it features a maximum speed of 300km/hr, a speed limit that is not suitable for Ugandan roads, not even the Entebbe Expressway. What is interesting is that the higher the speed, the higher the stability levels. I could literally feel the heavy weight of the car through the steering wheel every time I stepped harder on the accelerator. 

Features
Under the bonnet, the 10-year old car runs on a 2000cc turbocharged petrol engine, and has so far covered 66,000km. As rally cars, because of its speed, it is fitted with bucket seats that hold you in one position while driving at high speeds. Each seat has a three-point seatbelt, on top of the front and side airbags. Aesthetically, its exterior features bright Light Emitting Diode (LED) and fulltime daytime running lights (DRL). It offers most, if not everything you would look for in German cars.  

Unlike your car whose handbrake could be in form of a foot pedal or one you pull and push down, the one of the Audi A6 is electronic. It is positioned between the driver and co-driver’s seats in the middle consul just next to the leather-coated gearlever. 

To engage, you gently lift up the button, similar to the one you hold while raising your car window. When engaged, it (handbrake) reflects a red LED light around the button. To disengage, you gently push down the same button. The infotainment volume knob is also on the middle consul, also next to the gearlever.   
When you connect your phone to the car using Bluetooth, to receive a call, the smart screen displays incoming calls. Its smart screen is not as big as those in the latest models. 

Approximately 10 or more years ago when smart touch screens were being introduced in cars, something that improved dashboard beauty, different manufacturers started with smaller sizes that have since been made bigger with advancement of technology. This thus explains why the Audi A6 2013 model has a smaller smart screen, compared to the newer models. 
   
For comfort, the car has ample legroom that allows the driver and co-driver to stretch their legs to maximum length, while the rear passenger’s knees will also not touch the back of the driver’s seats. At full capacity, the fuel tank carries 60 litres of fuel. 

Performance 
Mujib Tusuubira, a car dealer at mujibexotics.com, advises that if you are buying the Audi A6, you need to understand that it is not an off-road car. This is because its suspension is not suited for uneven roads. 

“It performs so well in terms of fuel consumption, stability, reliability and speed on tarmacked roads. When you drive it roughly on marrum roads, you may experience a few mechanical issues because it has low profile tyres and 18-inch rims that are not suitable for off-road driving. You can only drive it on the marrum road for a short distance leading to your home,” Tusuubira explains, adding that even then, you have to be so slow and careful with how you manoeuvre through such terrains.    

Service and maintenance 
Most cars are serviced at intervals of 5,000km. With the Audi A6, if you service it well, you can visit the garage after covering 10,000km. This is, however, dependent on the oil type you use since most European car manufacturers prescribe certain types of oil to you for different cars. For example, it is recommended to use Castrol oil in most, if not all Land Rover and Jaguar brands. 

“For optimal and better engine performance, use high octane quality fuel that will not only keep the engine in the best mechanical condition but also ensure its durability. High performance engines require oils with a specified viscosity. You use anything else other than the recommended, it will still work but you will be killing the engine,” Tusuubira advises. 
  
Apart from oil, you also need to use high quality lubricants such as transmission fluid and coolant, among others. You should also desist from using adulterated fuel from the nearest fuel station. You could go for attractive rates because you want to save on fuel costs and you end up damaging the car systems. 

Downside
Because of its low ground clearance, which is one of the downsides of the Audi A6, you have to drive cautiously through potholes not only to avoid bending the rims, but also to protect parts underneath the car such as the exhaust system and oil sump from damages that are costly to service. 
However, to raise the ground clearance a little, you can choose to use high suspension springs that must all be uniform or use high profile tyres and low profile rims, following the manufacturer’s guidelines. How motorists normally spoil these cars is that they want to modify or pimp them to their user needs and disregard manufacturer’s recommendations.