• Brand new 3.0 TDI Biturbo V6 delivers a crushing 230kW and 650Nm
• A6 3.0 TDI Biturbo is the fastest diesel-powered vehicle in Australia: 5.1 sec to 100km/h
• High performance TDI engine produces exhilarating exhaust note, thanks to sound actuator

Audi's race-bred TDI diesel technology has arrived in Australia, in the form of a brand new 3.0 TDI Biturbo V6 engine for the Audi A6 and A7 models. This high-performance TDI powerplant propels two of Audi's most impressive executive vehicles from 0 – 100km/h in just 5.1 seconds – performance previously unheard of for a diesel-powered vehicle.

This new 3.0 TDI Biturbo engine is a high-performance diesel, with the genes of a Le Mans racer, that sets new standards for dynamism and efficiency, arriving in Australia in the A6 sedan and A7 Sportback models this month, followed by the all-new SQ5 in April.

In the A6 sedan, the new level of performance results in astonishing acceleration as it sprints from 0-100 km/h in just 5.1 seconds. This is well into the realm of many sports cars and makes it the fastest-accelerating diesel-powered vehicle in Australia. Despite this, efficiency is not compromised, with frugal fuel consumption of just 6.4 litres per 100 km and CO2 emissions of 169 g/km.

This new model provides the brand with an exceptional opportunity to entice new customers to the brand in Australia, further enhancing Audi's TDI leadership. The A6 range is currently characterized by a strong TDI share of sales of 53%, and this new, sharply-positioned model is expected to find favour with performance-oriented buyers.

The performance of the A7 Sportback is just as formidable as it's sedan sibling, reaching 100 km/h from rest in 5.3 seconds. Fuel efficiency is also exceptionally frugal, with identical consumption and emission figures to the A6 sedan.

Such efficiency brings tangible benefits to the customer, as it brings both models well under the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold of 7.0 litres per 100km. The result is that Audi's customers pay less tax, enabling the company to secure a very strong position in the market for both of these performance models. The A6 sedan has an MLP* of $118,800, while the A7 Sportback has an MLP* of $148,600.

Equipment highlights of the A6 3.0 TDI Biturbo include:

• 18-inch alloy wheels in 10-spoke V design
• Audi drive select with efficiency mode
• Audi music interface
• Audi parking system with rear view camera
• BOSE surround sound
• Bluetooth interface with music streaming
• Convenience key
• Electric front seats with memory function for the driver
• Electric glass sunroof
• MMI Navigation plus with retractable screen and touch pad
• Milano leather upholstery
• Xenon plus headlights

Additional equipment highlights of the A7 Sportback 3.0 TDI Biturbo include:

• 19-inch alloy wheels in 10-spoke design
• 4-zone deluxe air conditioning
• Audi parking system with front and rear camera
• Electric tailgate function
• Valcona leather upholstery

The 3.0 TDI Biturbo engine
The engine's design features two turbochargers connected in a series that both provide thrust. A vacuum-actuated valve – the turbine switchover valve – connects the two turbochargers. They are water-cooled, and pulse dampers are used to reduce their vibrations. An optimised intercooler lowers the temperature of the compressed air, thus increasing the mass of the air in the combustion chamber. The turbine switchover valve is closed at low revs. The small charger with its variable turbine geometry does the lion's share of the work here, with the large charger responsible for pre-compression. From about 2,500 rpm, the valve starts to open and the small charger increasingly transfers the major share of work to its counterpart. In the range between 3,500 and 4,000 rpm, the valve opens completely, and only the large charger still operates.

The high-performance concept also led to modifications to the engine itself. Modifications were made to the cylinder head cooling, the timing and lift of the intake cam shafts, the pistons and their oil jet cooling. A special coating reduces the friction of the piston pins. High-end methods, including plate honing and laser exposure, are used during the fabrication of the engine block at the engine plant in Györ, Hungary. These methods are used with numerous Audi engines.

The common rail system develops up to 2,000 bar of pressure and injects as many as eight partial amounts of fuel into the cylinder. The regulated oil pump and the water pump have been optimised for maximum efficiency.

The sophisticated technology results in immensely powerful performance. The top-of-the-line TDI provides its peak torque of 650 Nm of torque from 1,450 to 2,800 rpm. It revs up to 5,200 rpm with no difficulty at all, with a sporty and sonorous sound through the entire rev range. This is due in large part to the sound actuator integrated into the exhaust system. This is essentially a loudspeaker in a "side channel" of the exhaust system.

It uses a modulation process to superimpose a defined oscillating pattern over the typical exhaust sound, underscoring the awesome power delivery of the 3.0 TDI Biturbo with a rich and meaty tapestry of sound.

Pricing
Manufacturer List Pricing (MLP) – excludes dealer delivery and statutory charges

• A6 3.0 TDI quattro sedan 230kW $118,800
• A7 Sportback 3.0 TDI quattro 230kW $148,600

About the Audi Group
The Audi Group delivered around 1,455,100 cars of the Audi brand to customers in 2012. From January through the end of September 2012 the Company posted revenue of € 37.7 billion and an operating profit of € 4.2 billion. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Gyor (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). The Audi Q7 is built in Bratislava (Slovakia). In November 2012, CKD production of the Audi Q7 was added to the existing Audi A4, A6 and Q5 manufacturing operations in Aurangabad (India). At the Brussels plant, production of the Audi A1 has been running since 2010, while production of the new A1 Sportback began in 2012. The Audi Q3 has been built in Martorell (Spain) since June 2011.

The Company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG's wholly owned subsidiaries include amongst others AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft. (Gyor/Hungary), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant'Agata Bolognese/Italy), AUDI BRUSSELS S.A./N.V. (Brussels/Belgium), quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm and the sports bike manufacturer Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna/Italy). Audi currently employs more than 68,000 people worldwide, including around 50,000 in Germany. From 2012 until 2016 the brand with the four rings is planning to invest a total of €13 billion – mainly in new products and the extension of production capacities – in order to sustain the Company's technological lead embodied in its "Vorsprung durch Technik" claim. Audi is currently expanding its site in Gyor (Hungary) and will start production in Foshan (China) in late 2013 and in San José Chiapa (Mexico) from 2016.

Audi has long been fulfilling its social responsibility on many levels – with the aim of making the future worth living for generations to come. The basis for Audi's lasting success is therefore formed by environmental protection, the conservation of resources, international competitiveness and a forward-looking human resources policy. One example of AUDI AG's commitment to environmental issues is the Audi Environmental Foundation. Within the context of "Vorsprung durch Technik," which extends far beyond its products, the company is directing its activities toward a major goal – comprehensive CO2-neutral mobility.