The new, third generation A6 allroad quattro opens for UK order with four V6 engine options priced from £43,150 OTR to £49,445 OTR and will reach its first customers here in July.

Like the saloon and ‘standard’ Avant, the A6 allroad quattro has been constructed using the latest Audi ultra lightweight construction principles, and with aluminium components making up roughly 20 per cent of its body total vehicle weight has been reduced by as much as 70 kilograms compared with the previous model.

The petrol-powered option is the 3.0-litre TFSI, which is boosted by a mechanically driven supercharger and produces 310PS and 440Nm of torque. It powers the A6 allroad quattro from rest to 62mph in 5.9 seconds on the way to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph, and yet can still achieve 31.7mpg according to the combined cycle test.

The TDI range comprises three 3.0-litre V6 units, the first two of which deliver 204PS with peak torque of 450Nm and 245PS with 580Nm with the help of a single turbocharger. The 204PS version achieves a combined economy figure of 46.3mpg with CO2 output of 159g CO2/km, despite strong 7.5-second zero to 62mph acceleration. Its 245PS counterpart runs it close, with 44.8mpg potential and 165g/km CO2 output combined, along with 6.6-second acceleration.

The top-ranking diesel, the new BiTDI, uses two turbochargers to inject 313PS and 650Nm, enough to power the A6 allroad to 62mph in just 5.6 seconds on the way to a governed 155mph top speed, but its economy figures remain resolutely diesel-like, with up to 42.2mpg possible equating to 176g/km CO2output.

The three single turbocharger engines are paired with the seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission with its wide ratio spreads and rapid fire shifts. The BiTDI uses the latest eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission.