The first generation of the Audi A6 was based on the last generation of the Audi 100.
It was the facelift for the latter with the new name.

The middle-sized Audi was based on te C4 platform and it was designed to tackle the premium car market on both sides of the Atlantic. Strangely, the UK was the first country to receive the new A6, since they ran out of the former Audi 100 stocks.

The facelift was a success. The small changes on the outside paid off. The new headlights and taillights were a success. The special shape of the bumpers was adopted to lower the drag coefficient. New 16” light-alloy wheels were available, depending on the engine and trim version.

Inside, the A6 offered room for five and comfort for all of them. Amenities such as radio-cassette with a 10-CD CD-changer was something new for the market. The heated seats and automatic climate control was available as well. For the trunk space, the A6 offered an Avant (station wagon) version. With the rear seats up, it could get up to 390 liters (13.8 cu-ft) of space and up to 1310 liters (46.3 cu-ft) with the rear seats folded.

The standard transmission was a 5- or 6-speed manual, while some versions could have been equipped with a 4-speed automatic. For some versions, the quattro all-wheel-drive system was available, via a Torsen center differential.