The new A6 will be the first car in the upper-executive sector to be sold with mild-hybrid technology across the entire engine range, stretching from four-cylinder motors to V6s. The four-cylinder motor will have a basic 12-volt belt starter-generator system, with a stop-start function that will operate while the Audi is still moving, at up to 14 mph. It will also enable the new A6 to coast between 35 mph and 100 mph when the driver lifts his or her foot off the accelerator pedal, to switch off the engine entirely.
The 3-litre turbocharged V6 engine will have a 48-volt belt alternator starter mild-hybrid system, which will add an electric generator to the belt to allow for quicker, smoother automatic engine stop/start, as well as regenerative braking when the engine isn’t generating full power, and the ability to also coast at speed. to a stop, the engine automatically restarting when the car ahead moves. The V6 model also has a lithium-ion battery to store energy during deceleration, to help the engine emit around 10g/km less Co2 than a conventional unit.
This V6 engine is connected exclusively to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and a variant of Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive, which decouples the rear axle when not required to help the A6’s fuel economy.