LaicepsYdobon

The boys and girls at AutoExpress in the UK pitted the new A6 against the 5 Series and the E-Class. Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud7LuOHTQPE

RobbieRob

I love the interiors on the Audi, but the outside is so boring. No styling at all. I am very surprised that the BMW 5 has a cramped back seat, it has a 2" longer wheelbase than the E. Funny how all the previous BMW 5's had a real sporty feel with great handling and the new one, they decided to take cues from MB and make it more of a softer luxury ride. I love the E for its great all round characteristics.

ImInPA

I have always had a soft spot for Audi's. If only they would bring the diesels here. That said, the E is still the benchmark they are all measured against from this video.

K-A

I await to drive the Audi, as if it's like the A7 with more headroom and airy-ness, it will be an awesome car to drive. I think the interior is a bit over-designed and appears cold in pics, and the screen and hideous gaps around it are.... well.... hideous, the fit and finish seems acceptable maybe by 80's standards.

I await to see whether the BMW or Audi come in at #2 for me.

Even without the AMG Pack, in this Vid, the E's exterior styling instantly came across as in an upper Class from the other two IMO, and the BMW is a great looking car, but I wish it was a little less bloated and hefty looking IRL. The Audi looks fresh, refreshingly simplistic, and evolutionary, while at the same time, dull, dated, and lacking in the sense of occasion that the Benz and Bimmer have.

BenzE350

I can't wait to drive the new A6. I find the styling very sophisticated, solid, laid-back luxury. I'd like to see one side by side with the 5 series.

The E looks overly sport-pretensious, boy-racer, and "awkward" as noted in the video next to the other 2 executive-class looking cars.

Dema

So when new Audi out?

B6JoeS4

Put down the glass of MB kool-aid. Audi has won numerous award for their interior fit and finish and companies like General Motors have set Audi as their benchmark for their new interior designs and finishes. I will say that MB's new interiors are very nice looking, but the hard plastics spoil them. One thing I would like to point out even though it is not related to the itnerior design is the H/K stereo. I can't believe they don't offer a big boy stereo in a car that, when loaded can be well over 60k. So flat and unrefined.

K-A

"Awards" usually mean very little to me, when it comes to car publications.

Look at the fit and finish around that screen, it's awful. The W212 interior has absolutely flawless fit and finish throughout, nothing in it resembles that little area.

And GM setting the bar for new interior designs? I'm having a tough time grasping this. They're much improved, but incredibly far from industry leading. The CTS's interior is a validated POS, after time.

As for Audi's interiors, they indeed are top notch. However, I'm not in love with the over-designing in some aspects, although they're much more lovely in person than pics.

At the same time, the new A4's interior isn't a Class leader. And the A8's is very nice, and probably a Class leader, but I prefer M-B's cleaner and more stately and logical approach all in all. I agree about the E's hard (yet very durable and tactile) and somewhat cold/emotionless materials, but sitting in my E after test driving an A7 and A8 didn't have me hating my life. It felt appropriately and proudly Mercedes.

rovermark

Audi's interiors have won praise by many reviewers. I don't doubt the Audi's interior is top notch and utilizes better materials than the E-class. You cannot tell by simply looking at a video.

The E-class has some plastic bits that are disgraceful and shameless for a car this price. This has been stated in German reviews over and over again. I can post you some links if you understand German. But we don't need that - just touch some of the materials in the E-class- the cigarette lighter, the rear door sills, the release for the rear armrest for example. It takes away from the otherwise "premium" feeling of the car.

What you describe as "cold and emotionless" I describe as cheap.

K-A

I agree that some of the plastic bits are lacking in a refined and luxurious feel and touch in this car, no argument from me here on that. Again though, I don't need an Article to tell me, and in fact, most Articles written on the W212 say that the materials are "top notch", and "far better than the model it replaces", which we all know isn't true in all aspects.

However, I disagree that Audi is Class leading in terms of interior design and quality. I think in this day and age, materials are very comparable between manufacturers, and it really comes down to fit and finish, design, and character in determining who represents their brand better, and who gives off a more premium ambiance. Not saying I like this, but it's a reality. I would LOVE for the attention to material detail and selection to return, as it makes a big impact.

I think the A8 has a great interior, and it feels Luxurious, techy, modern, and Sporty, but IMO it doesn't have the sense-of-occasion that the S-Classes much more sparse yet clean interior does, and is a bit cluttered and mis-mashed with all these different materials, angles, designs running around it. Not to mention, I think M-B lead in interior fit and finish/tactile/solid quality right now IMO, with the exception of some cheap bits here and there.

rovermark

Maybe the American press says that, but not the German.

We all know that attention to detail is what makes a luxury item - you cannot make a convincing luxury item by mixing the good with the cheap.

That's my opinion; others are free to think what they like.

K-A

I agree, but again, what the German or American press says about cars is pretty irrelevant to me, when it comes to a car that I'm personally and intimately reviewing and critiquing.

The E has been highly regarded in many German publication, etc. so I'm sure even they will have articles where they don't go into enough detail to call out the E's interior shortcomings, while instead praising it overall as a Class leader, etc.

hyperion667

still do not like audi.......
and why did benz only get percentage of time the other two cars got??
hehe.....they showcased the other two way more than merc....

and that british accent is so annoying....LOL.


thanx for sharing the video

rovermark

Because that car is the oldest of the three. The E-class dates from 2009. It has been reviewed many times.

I am not fond of the porky BMW, but the Audi is defiantly a car I would consider buying.

golfster

I think they are all good cars overall. Audi's interiors are generally known for fit and finish, yet styling is subjective to personal preference. I'm not a fan of pop-up screens as they seem a bit of an afterthought and a moving part for failure and/or rattle later. All of my previous Audi's (A4, S4, TT, 3 A6's) experienced some type of repeated electrical gremelin (several), transmission problems with two of the automatics, and a few broken switches.

While I enjoyed them overall, it was always one of those issues that resulted in earlier than anticipated trade-in, with the highest mileage on any of them being 42K and the lowest at 23K. I'm not so sure I would want to depend on one with high mileage past warranty.