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Australian data has let slip to the world a global return of Audi’s large, higher-riding luxury wagon after a switch to a new model.
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The high-riding Audi A6 Allroad wagon will return for another generation after the success of its predecessor in Australia and Europe as an alternative to the brand’s Q-series SUV line-up.
And confirmation has not come from a media release published by Audi HQ in Europe, but the documents car companies submit to the Australian government to approve a new model for sale locally, seen by Drive.
It suggests that once the A6 Allroad is revealed – something likely to occur soon – Australians interested in the new wagon may be in for a much shorter wait than the typical 12 months it takes new Audis to reach local showrooms.
Audi is yet to formally confirm a new A6 Allroad, nor lock it in for Australia, but prototypes have been seen testing in Europe with the raised suspension, wider footprint, and extra body cladding that has historically set the variant apart from the A6 wagon on which it is based.
"As part of our ongoing planning, Audi regularly reviews and evaluates various models and variants to explore potential opportunities for each market," an Audi Australia spokesperson said in a written statement to Drive.
"This process ensures our future model range aligns with local customer needs and market conditions. As always, not every model under evaluation is intended for or progresses to market introduction."
The regular A6 wagon is yet to be confirmed for Australia, so if the previous A6 is a guide, the Allroad could be the only wagon in the local line-up until a new-generation RS6 performance hero is introduced with plug-in hybrid power.
The future of the standard A6 and S6 sedans is also unclear, given sliding demand for traditional four-door luxury cars.
Australian approval documents do not provide any information on the new A6 Allroad’s styling, dimensions, mass or features, as Audi has been able to hide most details on the vehicle from public access to the government database.
It is possible, however, to see there will be a choice of two engines, listed under their codenames DVKC and DYVA.
The former is understood to reference a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, which produces 220kW/580Nm in Europe’s standard A6 wagon, while the latter is a petrol plug-in hybrid combining a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an electric motor.
Australian documents reveal this engine produces 185kW, for a combined output of 270kW, in line with the regular A6 PHEV, as well as the smaller A5 e-hybrid wagon sold in Australia.
In the low-riding A6, the plug-in hybrid system uses a 20.7kWh battery pack rated to deliver up to 111km of electric driving range in European WLTP testing.
The V6 diesel is expected to fit a small electric motor capable of powering the vehicle on battery power at parking speeds, providing a modest performance boost under acceleration, and switching the engine off while coasting to save fuel, as part of a 48-volt ‘mild-hybrid’ system.
Just 2525 new wagons were reported as sold last year, according to the classification of the body type by the peak body for new-car makers, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).
It considers the even-higher-riding Subaru Outback an SUV, but the sleeker A6 Allroad to be a wagon, even though both are, in simple terms, high-riding wagons.
Of the 159 Audi A6s reported as sold in Australia last year, 125 – or 78.6 per cent – were wagons, either an Allroad or RS6.
Audi no longer sells the smaller A4 Allroad globally, with no successor in sight based on the sedan and wagon’s A5 replacement, but the brand retains a loyal group of customers after off-road-themed styling without a tall SUV body style.
Allroad wagons have been marketed by the brand since 2001, when the A6 Allroad launched as the 'Audi Allroad'.
"They don't want passenger vehicles, they're very loyal, [and] they don't want an SUV, so they'll continually buy an Allroad because that's the car that suits them.
"It's got some soft-road capabilities, but it's also got the manoeuvrability of a passenger vehicle without having a large footprint like an SUV."
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Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
