BILL

I am interested in the Audi A6 4.2 but have a concern about the ground clearance. I currently drive 1998 A6 2.8 Quattro and have not had a problem with the ground clearance. But it seems that the A6 4.2 has less ground clearance than the 2.8. Can anyone confirm this or have any real world experience with the A6 4.2? Also, since the A6 4.2 has about 1.5 inches more overhang, is this a problem? I live in an area that have poor roads and a lot of rutting. Thanks in advance...

Eric

Yes, the 4.2 is lower, longer, wider. This makes it handle much better with the additional width, 17" wheels, wide tires and aluminum suspension components. This is part of what makes it so great to drive. It is what myself and other 4.2 owners have referred to as "being part of the road" or that "hunkered down feeling". It drives like a luxury car when cruising but feels like there is a special "slot" in the road just for you when you go around corners especially when applying power. Rather breathtaking. I have experienced a slight 4 wheel drift during an empty parking lot test with my 22 year old son. The car remains extremely flat during hard cornering which is not what you expect from the normal driving experience. I was unable to lose it at speeds under 35mph no matter how hard I cornered with full power. (did not try any faster) My old carburetor cars would have stalled out pulling that many Gs at those low speeds. I just had to do some tight ovals and figure 8s. I had to find out what all of you on this forum are talking about when you tout the performance of these quattro Audis. This A6 4.2 is "my first quattro". Pretty remarkable for such a large car.

However, in Seattle we do have a lot of hills with dips and you do need to take it easy or it will bottom on the black plastic pan/scoop under the engine and in front of the front wheels. It happened to me once, but it did not leave a mark, it just moved the panel with the ground effect and made a swishing noise as a warning. You also need to watch out in parking lots to not ground the nose on the curbs. I have not hit one yet but it looks like it would on some of the higher ones. I like the lowered look and feel with the low profile tires but you do have to be careful.

Eric

Bumps, R/R tracks and pot holes not a problem.

Eric

I cant't find the exact difference written anywhere again, but I seem to remember the 4.2 was 4mm lower than the 2.8. The S6 is 10mm lower than the 4.2 according to the article on this website. The whole front of the car is different, especially when you open the hood. In the 2000 A6 brochure it shows the top of the 4.2 to be 0.1 inches lower than the 2.8 or 2.7T with the car (unloaded). But, in the same brochure it shows that the (loaded) rear ground clearance to be 0.6 inches higher in the 4.2 vs. the 2.8 or 2.7T. This must be the stiffer or different suspension.

BILL

On the 'AUDIUSA' web site, they specify that the ground clearance for a 'loaded' A6 2.8 and 2.7T as 4.2 inches while on the A6 4.2, it is 4.8 inches. Is this a mistake or does the suspension on the 4.2 have less wheel travel and thus possibly more prone to bottoming out?

Bob S.

I saw a 4.2 side by side with a 2.7T today and I noticed that the car looks lower and some impromptu field measurements confirmed that.

Eric

The lowest spot I could find on the 4.2 was 5 3/8 inches. This is on the mount for the front aluminum suspension piece just behind the front wheel. The exhaust is about at 6 inches in the center of the car. In front of the rear wheel it is 7 1/4 inches. In front of the front wheel it at 6 inches.

I am not an expert on suspensions. I don't think it is more prone to bottoming out. I have never bottomed out going over potholes and the like and we have a few here in Seattle also. The suspension is just stiffer and does not drop as much when loaded unless this is a mistake. There is very little body roll in the turns. The wheel wells are wider to allow for more travel with the wider stance.

The car does not squat down in the rear during acceleration. If you watch the Motorweek video from Show #1848 they show both the 2.7T and the 4.2 going over undulating roads and acceleration tests. If you get the video and watch the two racing green Audis you will see the difference over the same terrain. The 4.2 is much different in the way the body behaves. Some of this is due to the stick shift in the 2.7T in the acceleration tests, but it squats more off the line and after each shift. The 4.2 is a little slower and much smoother off the line with the automatic.

It may have less suspension travel than the 2.8, I have no way of knowing. Audi has gone to great lengths on this car to widen it so that those sacrifices do not happen.

I guess you will just have to try one if you can get one to test drive.

BILL

Eric: thank you for all the info. I really appreciate the effort that you spent looking at the ground clearances on your car. Hopefully I can arrange for a test drive at my local dealership but it might be a while since it appears that they only have one A6 4.2 and it is in the showroom.