The station-wagon version of the third generation for the Audi A6 offered more room in the back for luggage but, more important, more headroom for the rear-seat occupants.
The launch of the third generation of the Audi A6 was a success. The car was praised and it was a true competitor for the other two German premium car-makers, BMW and Mercedes-Benz with their 5-Series and E-Class. But Audi made another move in 2005 and it showed the station-wagon version, named Avant as any other estate car made by it.
The A6 Avant was longer and taller than the standard, three-box sedan, A6. Its size made it a very comfortable cruiser and the design made helped it gain attention from the customers. By the A-pillars, the car looked similar to the regular A6, but from the A-pillars toward the end, everything was changed. The extended roof allowed more headroom for the rear passengers and it was available with roof-rails. In the back, the raked tailgate covered a respectably sized trunk. It was available with electric opening, like the latest E-Class T-Model, but its rear window didn’t open independently like in the BMW 5-Series Touring.
Inside, the rear bench was split-folding. The trunk offered 565 liters (20 cu-ft) of space and it could have been extended up to 1660 liters (58.6 cu-ft), which was a lot by any standards. The distance between the wheel-wells inside the trunk area was more than a meter (39.3”) wide.
Under the hood, the A6 Avant was offered with a choice of gasoline and diesel units. An air-suspension developed for the cross-over version, named A6 Allroad, was available for the regular station-wagon, but it was mostly used to keep the car’s ground clearance if the vehicle was loaded.