A6 quattro an elegant ride

THE BASICS
Base price/as tested: $45,100/$54,365
Fuel economy: 21.6 miles per gallon in Globe testing, using premium fuel.
Annual fuel cost: $1,794 (at $2.98 per gallon, regular, 13,000 miles per year)

THE EARLY LINE
Somehow, Audi can build Autobahn-burning cars like this one without attracting a lot of attention from environmental watchdogs in the United States.

THE SPECIFICS
Drivetrain: All-wheel-drive
Seating: 5
Horsepower: 255
Torque: 243 lb.-ft.
Overall length: 193.5 inches
Wheelbase: 111.9 inches
Height: 57.4 inches
Width: 79.2 inches
Curb weight: 4,034 pounds

THE SKINNY
Nice touch: A tire beneath a door in the trunk floor that holds air and looks and performs just like the tires already on the car. Sure is a good idea.
Annoyance: Interior storage pockets/bins seem cramped.
Watch for: Audi, a company at death's door in the early 1990s, to continue to accelerate its march to be among the world's automotive elite.

Today's test car is the Audi that led with its nose. The 2007 Audi A6 3.2 quattro gave us a proboscis that was praised and panned by critics and consumers.

With its gaping trapezoidal shape that seemingly bulged out of the fascia, it puzzled some folks. Most had probably never seen pictures of the Auto Union race cars from the 1930s that are part of Audi's heritage. They were beauties, and the nose that adorned them is now affixed to the entire Audi line, giving it a distinct and bold look. When an Audi appears in the rearview mirror these days, you know what's coming.

The first version of the 2007 A6 we drove was the A6 Avant 3.2 S-Line. It is a rocket ship of a station wagon and, like today's car, was all-wheel-drive. It came with a 3.2-liter V-6 that put out 255 horsepower and 243 lb.-ft. of torque. It also had a Tiptronic transmission.

And that's what makes the relatively base A6 (cheaper, continuously variable transmission, front-wheel-drive-only models are also available) we've been driving such a stealth vehicle. It comes with the same engine and transmission (there is a 4.2-liter, 350 horsepower V-8 available, as well).

It also comes full of typical Audi elegance in understated form.

Outside, the car continues to have a "chopped" look with a high, rounded hip line, and seemingly crunched glass all-around beneath a low-riding roof.

Inside, rich and thick leather seating is standard, as are wood inserts and subtle aluminum trim. A 7-inch screen at center dash displays most basic functions and can handle optional navigation with voice recognition. Controls are handled via a large dial between the seats, surrounded by four buttons that pick the functions you wish to alter. For instance, push a button and an audio menu appears with options for scrolling and selecting a function by pushing the rotating button downward. Maybe it's because this is the second time I've used the system, but my initial complaint that it was confusing has given way to a "hey, this is cool" attitude. I still don't feel that way about BMW's infamous iDrive system, however, even after it was toned down.

The seating for five is relatively roomy, given that this is a midsize sedan. A middle passenger in the rear will get pinched, but those on the wings are bountifully bucketed. Up front, the seats are 12-way power adjustable, tightly bolstered, and well extended beneath the knees - a saving grace on long trips.

The V-6 engine provides surges of power when needed and steady, low-rev cruising at highway speeds. It does all this without much sound entering the cabin.

In automatic mode, the shifter lets the engine rev a fair bit before upshifting and shifts smoothly on downshifts. But the Tiptronic launches the fun factor, with better driver control for the moments when you want the revs to climb before upshifting.

Steering is continuous and graceful because of what Audi calls its "Servotronic" system, which changes the tightness of wheel turn according to speed. It allows for easy turns in parking lots, and stiffer but effortless turns at high speeds.

A fully independent suspension front and rear, aided by gas-shocks, gives the Audi a firmly supple ride.

Standard safety gear is what you should expect in a vehicle of this class: front, front side, and front and rear side curtain airbags; electronic stability control; and ABS with electronic brake force distribution.

The A6 helped Audi lead with its nose. It has become a subtle, elegant, and powerful car among a host of medium-size world-class sedans.

Royal Ford can be reached at ford@globe.com.

Shop it against:

Acura RL
This one's also all-wheel-drive, and starts at around $50,000. That will launch you in a 290-horsepower V-6, with Acura luxury.

BMW 5-Series
Starts at about $45,000, but to reach AWD and get beyond the 215-horsepower base engine, you'll have to pay more for either a 255-horsepower Inline-6 or a 4.8-liter, 360-horsepower V-8.

Cadillac STS
Prices start at about $42,000, but you'll need AWD as an option to stay in this fleet and bump up to a 320-horsepower V-8. A great-looking car.

Infiniti M45
You have to get AWD as an option, and a 333-horsepower V-8 to keep up with this group. Expect to pay more than $50,000.