> all A6 pictures

The Audi A6 is a study in excellent design. It has the look of a four-door coupe, with clean, flowing lines. The overall looks is upscale, masculine. A giant grille dominates the front of the car. Some like it, some don't. It's a slippery design with a drag coefficient of 0.28.

The new 2006 Audi A6 Avant is an especially sleek looking wagon, distinguished by a coupe-like roofline. The arching shoulder line and relatively narrow glass create a dynamic profile that terminates in a gently sloped tail marked by distinctive two-piece LED taillights. Overall the design language says European elegance.

Much of the beauty of the A6 is in the details: Body panels fit closely together around the doors, hood and trunk lid, as well as along places such as the bottom edge of the tail lamp. It's a result of close tolerances. You won't even find a rubber strip at the top of windshield, nor strips on the sides of the roof. Door jams, the trunk flange and other areas normally hidden are Class A surfaces, smooth and painted as on the exterior body panels. Not everyone will notice this level of detail, but most will sense a general look of quality.

Aluminum was used for key body panels to save weight, though not to the extent of the expensive all-aluminum Audi A8. The lever-style outside door handles are stylish, but aren't as easy to operate as the grab handles that don't require flipping your hand over. Overall, the Audi A6 sets a benchmark in quality of materials and build quality.

> all A6 pictures

The atmosphere inside the Audi A6 is light and airy, particularly with the lighter-colored leather choices. The leather that comes standard in the 3.2 model is nice, including a handsome two-tone treatment of light-colored seats and door inserts and charcoal dash and door trim. Wood trim now comes standard on all models. Premium Volterra leather comes standard on 4.2 models and is optional on 3.2s. We particularly like the gray birch trim in the S-Line Package.

The front seats are comfortable and supportive. We never gave them much thought during a drizzly day of driving from Milan to Lake Como, a good sign.

The rear seats are comfortable, too. Audi designed room in the rear-seat footwell for bulky shoes, like sneakers on teenage boys, to be able to easily swing by the B-pillar when getting in and out. This latest-generation Audi A6 is much roomier than pre-2005 models.

Up front, everything is oriented around the driver. A center console with a control panel separates driver and passenger, and their legs go into separate tunnels. The driver benefits from a nice four-spoke steering wheel or a nicer, sportier three-spoke wheel and a straightforward instrument panel. The center stack is angled toward the driver. Climate controls are located at the bottom of the center stack that are sophisticated but straightforward and easy to operate. At the top of the stack, above the vents, is a crisp seven-inch screen that displays navigation and other functions.

Audi's Multi Media Interface, which features a large knob and some buttons on the center console, controls many of the interior functions. This eliminates a lot of switches, making for a clean-looking dash. To further reduce clutter, the switch for the glovebox is located on the center of dash. Mastering the MMI takes time and requires reading the owner's manual. Too many times, we've found it a distraction, though less so than BMW's iDrive system.

High technology can also be found in what have been traditionally mundane controls. The parking brake is electronic; pull the switch up to set it, press to release it. The hood release operates only when the door is open. The wipers are speed sensitive. A Bluetooth-enabled interface integrates compatible cell phones.

Typical of German sedans, the Audi A6 does not offer many places to put stuff. The glovebox is very small, especially with the available CD changer. The cup holders are nice, though they are positioned awkwardly toward the rear.

The trunk is deep. Luggage capacity is nearly 16 cubic feet, more than the BMW and comparable to the Mercedes, but trunk opening is relatively small. Attention to detail can be seen inside the trunk. Raise the floor panel to get at the spare tire and you'll note that it can be hooked up in place, making it easier to remove or replace the spare.

If greater utility is needed, the Avant is an elegant answer. This Audi A6 sport wagon provides the versatility of a sport utility without compromising the superb road manners of a European-bred sports sedan. The luggage compartment offers a variety of configurations and features two securing rails recessed into the floor of the load area, while four lashing eyes and a luggage net are provided to secure objects. The load floor can be folded up and locked in several ways, which provides access to a lower load area lined by a plastic tray, an ideal cubby for stowing wet or muddy gear.