This here shiny black Audi A6 is the work of Japanese paint specialist Artis. The German executive sedan features a special finish with diamond shape grooves that was achieved by applying a patterned film all over the car and then painting on top of it. The Japanese firm also added a custom bodykit along with 20-inch alloy wheels shod in 225/30 rubber, and upgraded the suspension and 3.2-liter V6 engine. See the rest of the pictures in our image gallery below.

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VW Group specialist ABT Sportsline will bring several Audi models to the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March, including the eye-catching R8 GTR with a chrome finish pictured above, as well as its newest tuning proposals for the A7 Sportback and 2012MY A6 sedan.

Alongside the R8 GT-R, A7 Sportback and A6, the German tuner will also be presenting a fourth model, which is being kept a secret for now. “We will be bringing along a sports car which I personally like a lot. For it shows our technical capabilities and offers a maximum level of driving enjoyment. I am looking forward to seeing how it is received by the public in Geneva," said the ABT general manager, Hans-Jürgen.

The Audi brand ended 2010 with a new sales record in the U.S. and is now looking forward to an even more successful 2011, as demand for luxury vehicles is high in the States. Spearheading the firm's growth in the U.S. is the all-new 2012 A6 sedan, which made its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Form a design standpoint, Audi's executive saloon is a discrete evolution over the previous model. However, it does come with an array of new gizmos, such as adaptive air suspension and dynamic steering. At launch, the A6 will be available in the States with a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine, but Audi is considering the introduction of a six-cylinder diesel version as well.

Scroll down to check out the gallery of live pictures from the Detroit motorshow as well as a new video clip.

By Csaba Daradics

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In the next five years, Audi will invest approximately €11.6 billion in new products and technologies, production facilities and human resources, the Ingolstadt based manufacturer announced today.

“With this investment, we are laying the foundation for sustained, profitable growth, and supporting our claim to leadership in the premium car segment”, said Axel Strotbek, Board Member for Finance and Organization of AUDI AG.

More than €9.5 billion, or about 80 per cent of the total investment, will go into developing new products and technologies, including electric and hybrid powertrains that will be used by models like the Audi R8 e-tron or Q5 Hybrid. Part of this amount will also go into further improving the new A6’s line-up and launching the Q3 crossover.

In the same period of time, €5 billion will be spent on upgrading the company’s production facilities in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm.

“In addition to our foreign sites, the German sites will also profit greatly from the Audi brand’s good worldwide prospects for growth, especially in China,” Strotbek said.

Last but not least, Audi is going to hire new personnel, seen as a key asset for further expansion.

“Innovation requires people”, said Thomas Sigi, Member of the AUDI AG Board of Management for Human Resources. “For this reason, we want to hire around 1,200 experts in 2011 who will primarily bolster our electromobility and lightweight construction fields of competence, as well as the implementation of our growth strategy”.

By Csaba Daradics

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When Audi released the first pictures of the 2012 Audi A6 sedan, many readers found the design somewhat bland. The new model is definitely an evolution and not a revolution, sharing many design cues with the A4, A7 Sportback and the flagship A8. I must admit though that, after seeing the car in video, my opinion on the styling has nudged a little towards the positive side. Of course taste is subjective, so tell us what you think in the comments section after the jump.

By Csaba Daradics

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Talk about a lightning fast response. It's been less than 24 hours since Audi pulled the veils off the fourth-generation A6 premium sedan, and yet we already have a photoshop rendering of the future RS6 created by an artist from EDL. Granted, the production model would most likely sport blistered wheel arches while it wouldn't sit so close to the ground, but the 'chop gives us an idea of what an RS version of the new A6 would look like.

Rendering aside, we're still in the dark about the details surrounding the next generation RS6. Despite some rumors of Audi opting for a force-fed V8 engine, we wouldn't dismiss the possibility of the German firm using an upgraded version of the 5.2-litre V10 engine mated to a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. In any case, expect the horsepower-war between German luxury carmakers to continue with Audi's proposal moving closer to the 600hp mark.

Source: EDL Design, Via: Autoblog.nl

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Audi has (officially now) lifted the sheets of the all-new 2012 A6 that will take on the latest generations of BMW's 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz's E-Class executive sedans. The new A6 is set to make its market debut in early 2011 and will be available at launch with a variety of four-cylinder and V6 petrol and diesel engines, and later on, with a hybrid powertrain claimed to combine the power of a V6 with the fuel efficiency of a four-cylinder unit.

With Audi continuing its "one-style-fits-all" approach to design, there's not much to add about the car's exterior and interior works that hasn't already been said on our A7 Sportback posts. Even though the most accurate description of the new A6 is an A7 with a boot, we won't disagree with those of you waving the "larger A4" or "smaller A8" banner.

Moving on to the more technical aspects of the new A6, the sedan is 4.92 meters (16.14 ft) long and 1.87 meters (6.14 ft) wide, but just 1.46 meters (4.79 ft) high. It has a trunk capacity of 530-liter (18.72 cubic ft).

Audi says the aluminum components make up more than 20 percent of the body with all add-on parts, such as the front fenders, the engine hood, the rear hatch and the doors, as well as the bulkhead and the crossmember in the luggage compartment, all made of aluminum panels.

Underneath the body we meet an aluminum suspension with five control arms up front and, a self-tracking trapezoidal-link suspension at the rear, plus a redesigned power steering system with an electromechanical drive. As an option, buyers will be able to order an adaptive air suspension with controlled damping as well as a Dynamic steering system.

At launch, Audi will offer the 2012 A6 with a choice of five engines with the company claiming that fuel consumption throughout the range has decreased by up to 19 percent compared to the previous model.

The gasoline range includes two options, a 2.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 with 204HP and 280 Nm (206.52 lb-ft) of torque, and a 3.0-liter TFSI supercharged V6 delivering 300 hp and 440 Nm (324.53 lb-ft).

The 204HP model completes the 0-100 km/h (62mph) sprint in 7.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph). Average consumption in the EU cycle comes to 7.4 liters per 100 km (31.79 US mpg) with 172 g CO2 per km (276.81 g/mile).

The 3.0 TFSI sprints from standing to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds and reaches an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). It consumes on average 8.2 liters per 100 km (26.7 US mpg) and emits 190 g CO2 per km (305.78 g/mile).

There are three diesel options starting with a redeveloped 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI producing 177 hp and 380 Nm (280.27 lb-ft) of torque. In conjunction with a manual gearbox, it propels the A6 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.7 seconds, then on to a top speed of 228 km/h (141.67 mph). In the EU cycle, it requires 4.9 liters per 100 km (48 US mpg) and emits 129 g CO2 per km (207.61 g/mile).

Next up in the diesel family is the 3.0 TDI V6 with 204 hp and 400 Nm (295.02 lb-ft) of torque. Paired with a multitronic transmission, it accelerates the A6 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 7.2 seconds and achieves a top speed of 240 km/h (149mph). Its average consumption is 5.2 liters per 100 km with a CO2 emissions level of 137 g per km (220.48 g/mile).

The top-of-the-line version of the 3.0 TDI churns out 245 hp and 500 Nm (368.78 lb-ft) of torque allowing the A6 to hit the 100km/h mark in just 6.1 seconds, continuing on to a limited top speed of 250 km/h (155mph). On average, this diesel powerplant uses 6.0 liters of fuel per 100 km (39US mpg) and emits 158 g CO2 per km (254.28 g/mile).

Depending on the engine version, power is transferred to the front wheels or to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system through a manual six-speed gearbox, the continuously variable multitronic, or the brand-new, sporty S tronic.

Shortly after the arrival of the first batch of A6 models, the range will be expanded with the A6 hybrid, the firm's second hybrid model after the Q5 hybrid quattro. The A6 hybrid employs a parallel hybrid concept combining a 211 hp 2.0 TFSI with an electric motor that delivers 33 kW (45 hp) and 211 Nm (155.63 lb-ft) of torque. The electric motor sits directly behind the TFSI, occupying the space of the torque converter upstream of the modified 8-speed tiptronic that drives the front wheels.

The hybrid system's compact lithium-ion battery that provides 1.3 kWh of nominal power and generates 39 kW is stored under the luggage compartment.

Audi says the A6 hybrid can achieve speeds of up to 100 km/h (62 mph) purely on electricity, but not for very long as at a constant speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) the range in this mode is limited to 3 km. It can also operate with the combustion engine only or in hybrid mode.

In terms of performance, the A6 Hybrid accelerates from zero to 100 km/h (62mph) in 7.3 seconds and tops out at 238 km/h (148 mph), while returning an average fuel consumption of 6.2 liters per 100 km (37.9 US mpg) and a CO2 emissions level of 142 grams per km (228.53 g/mile).

A more practical Avant model (Audi talk for estates / station wagons), as well as more potent S6 and possibly an RS6 models will be gradually introduced into the range.

Further details including pricing and U.S. availability will be announced at a later date.

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