If this was a game of golf (no pun intended, Volkswagen), Audi Malaysia would have played the first two holes and birdied both. First it was the third-gen TT that was priced way more attractively than previously, so much so that if you’re buying one today, expect to only receive the stylish coupe sometime early next year. This time round, it’s the price of facelifted A6 sedan that’s raising a few LED eyebrows.
At RM324,900 for the front-wheel-driven 1.8 TFSI, the A6 is now the “bargain” of the German mid-size luxury saloons, and it comes as a fully-imported CBU as well. Not only does this prove that the TT wasn’t just a fluke, it’s testament that Audi Malaysia has every intention to get stuck in with the market leaders, even if they are not in the position to mount a challenge in terms of sales volume.
Willkommen in Malaysia
Considering that Audi is a close second behind BMW (but ahead of Mercedes-Benz) in global market share, it’s a wonder why it has taken this long for Inglostadt to finally throw its official hat into the ring (pun intended), which comes more than a decade after BMW and Mercedes-Benz had already assumed ownership of brand and distribution in Malaysia. The challenge to close the gap is however not lost on Audi Malaysia’s Managing Director, Immo Buschmann.
While declaring that Audi Malaysia is focused on becoming “the most successful premium automotive brand” through products that reflect the brand promise of “Vorsprung durch Technik”, Buschmann was also forthright and did not sugarcoat facts by sharing Audi’s current numbers as they are with members of media.
For 2015 (January to July), a total 860 units of Audi cars made their way to Malaysian homes. In contrast, Mercedes-Benz registered 6,204 units, while BMW chalked up 3,775 units (or 4,188 if the Mini brand is included) over the same period. Suffice to say, there are lots of grounds to make up, though the aggressive pricing strategy and presumably swifter introduction of new models should bring quicker near term rewards as the model range gets updated.
Tschüss Multitronic
You’ll need a keen pair of eyes to spot the changes on the facelifted A6 which includes new bumpers (both ends), revised grille, headlamps, taillights and side sills on the exterior, while interior updates have mostly to do with nicer trims on buttons, dials and oh, a new gear lever.
More interesting is what’s under the skin of the entry variant, which see the 2.0-litre TFSI four-cylinder and Multitronic CVT being retired. Taking its place is a 1.8-litre TSFI engine with an S-tronic dual-clutch transmission, which despite its slightly lower capacity, actually offers more power (190hp against 180hp) and the same amount of torque (320Nm), but with improved mileage (it has the fuel-saving coasting function). The spec sheet shows the A6 1.8 TSFI is a match against the BMW 520i and Mercedes-Benz E200 in performance, with all three manufacturers quoting the same numbers for 0-100km/h (7.9 seconds) and top speeds (233km/h). What a coincidence.
The one other A6 variant that’s available is the 3.0 TSFI Quattro powered by a 333hp/440Nm supercharged V6. Apart from the higher equipment level, the flagship A6 also lays down its power through a full-time all-wheel-drive system with a default 40:60 front-rear torque split. Price of this model is yet to be firmed up, but indicated as “below RM500,000”.
