April 30, 2005 - In the Disney-like German forests of Bavaria, only fifty kilometres separate Munich and Ingolstadt, the respective homes of BMW and Audi. Since the mid-‘80s, when both companies started getting serious as car makers by moving up the automotive food chain, BMW 5 Series vs. Audi A6—both in the car mags and in the showrooms—has been a battle car zealots have been able to sit back and reap the rewards from.

Demographically, these two cars are similarly as close in concept to their intended missions, and getting closer with each new generation. If not by sheer performance or outright value, the BMW 545i ($77,700) and Audi A6 4.2 ($72,900) represent the gold standard in the middleweight Euro luxury sport sedan class. These are the cars that competitors draw big, round targets around, Such barbarians-at-the-gates as Infiniti’s M45 Sport ($71,800), the Lexus GS430 ($74,700), and Cadillac’s STS V8 ($68,725) all wake up in the morning hoping to knock off these Teutonic titans.



Another notable distance was the 762 kilometres it took to drive these two cars back and forth from Toronto to Detroit to find out which one is the choice for those who love to drive. Immediate questions? Some think the latest 5 Series, introduced as a 2004 model, with its active-steering and less driver-oriented cabin (i.e. iDrive) have the BMW drifting towards the luxury side of the luxury sport equation. Others feel that this brand spanking new A6 is more of a driver’s car than the last generation Audi mid-sizer, fast encroaching on its opponent from just down the autobahn. We’ll see.

Jumping into the Audi first, you immediately feel the extra space garnered by the lengthened wheelbase and forward relocation of the front suspension compared to the last A6. Unlike our 545i, which came with BMW’s as-usually-excellent articulated front seats as part of an overall sport package, the Audi’s standard seating is more accommodating for longer trips than nipping pylons in a parking lot.



Settling in behind the A6 4.2’s leather cloaked steering wheel, with its chrome trapezoid trim that constantly reminds you of the new Audi corporate grille adorning the front of the car, and you are met by two metal-rimmed, teardrop-shaped units seen through the wheel. One encompasses the tach and engine temp gauge, the other, the fuel meter and speedometer. Squeezed between these two units is a small digital display that presents redundant information from the trip computer and nav system that can also be found in the colour display at the top of the center console.  All of this info can be accessed through Audi’s iDrive-mimicking single-dial interface called Multi Media Interface (MMI) as well.

There’s not a lot of difference between the way these two manufacturers have approached the current challenge of offering a billion different electronic features in a car without having to resort to an equal amount of buttons. I prefer BMW’s approach where all functions can be accessed through the single iDrive controller. With Audi’s MMI you also have to look down to push flat console buttons alongside the controller. The other writer on this trip wholeheartedly disagreed and is stuck in the MMI camp. Suffice to say, both interfaces are equally adept at taking your attention from the road ahead—never a good thing.



Switching over to the 545i and it’s not only the double-hump profile of the centre dash that holds the instruments and navigation display that is different from the Audi. The quality of materials and build are not only less substantial than the A6 but also the last generation 5 Series. At least BMW didn’t screw up the ergonomics. The relationship between the thick steering wheel, the aforementioned excellent driver’s seat, gear shifter, and foot pedals, are all in place to make the act of driving easier. Where in the A6 you sit tall, in the 545i you can drop the seat down to Z4 levels and easily forget you are driving a mid-sized sedan. Like the excellent space utilization that BMW achieved with the bigger 7 Series, there’s plenty of elbowroom when you start twirling the tiller with vigour.

If you’ve depleted your supplementary funds for the extra two cylinders these two cars enjoy over their lessor six-cylinder models, don’t fret, its money better spent than any thrill an RRSP will give you. On paper, the 545i’s larger displacing engine gives a 20 pound-foot of torque advantage over the Audi, but five less horsepower. The Audi’s vee-eight is a detuned version of the 4.2 litre engine found in the smaller S4; it delivers 330 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, increases of 30 and 15 over the last gen A6 4.2. Like its application in the S4, its NASCAR soundtrack is hard not to grin at. More refined and silkier than the old A6 4.2, it’s smooth from idle to its 6,800-rpm limit. The only complaint is initial throttle tip-in that is abrupt as a grouchy maitre’d.



Standard in the new 2005 A6 4.2 is a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels through Audi's satisfyingly competent quattro system. In theory, Tiptronic hands over the controls to the driver. In practice, this sensitive tranny will still kick down if you accelerate hard. Not nice in a tight corner, or an onramp.

Lack of control of the drivetrain is simply not a concern with the BMW, as its standard six-speed transmission is a stick. Now, to be fair, we know that this is not a true apples-to-apples comparison. But Audi doesn’t offer a manual in the A6 4.2, or their excellent Direct Shift sequential gearbox that we so enjoyed last year in their 3.2 TT coupe, but they do market Tiptronic as an equal to a manual transmission, so…

It also doesn’t help the Audi’s case that this BMW transmission’s shift linkage is among the lightest and most friction-free in the car world. Whether in the 5 Series, Z4 or an X3, it’s a sweetheart. Hooked up to one of the most sensuous, eager-to-please engines you can find and you’ll rev the snot out of this drivetrain just because, well you can. The engine spins so easily, and compared to the Nextel Cup roar from the A6’s mill, quietly. I readily found myself 1,000 rpm higher than what my ears and brains were telling me. Unlike the touchy Audi, throttle tip-in is progressive. Gear ratios have been matched to the BMW’s vee-eight so well it’s hard to screw-up the revs when changing cogs. It certainly smoothes out your driving skills and forgives any jerkiness on the driver’s part. From the driver’s seat, the 545i’s drivetrain beats the A6—all-wheel-drive or not—hands and feet down.



And the BMW beats the Audi in the steering department as well. For sure, the A6 4.2 has some weight at the wheel; much improved from earlier Servotronic systems. Turn-in is quick, with adequate feel. However, compared to the 545i’s moves, the Audi’s steering is too light, and the extra weight at the front end dulls any accuracy that the rear-drive BMW enjoys.

Obviously BMW has reacted to complaints about the inconsistent behaviour of its earlier active-steering systems. Our 545i’s moves felt more like the “ultimate driving machines” of old with lots of meaty feel and none of the abrupt moves the previous system would force upon a driver as you would move through a serious of turns of different radiuses. My only complaint is that active-steering still overcompensates for any crosswinds that transmits to a little wiggle at the steering wheel as if the tires were unbalanced on their rims.

The 545i is also more generous with information when it comes to braking as well. Like the throttle, the brakes are nicely calibrated, almost Porsche-like. Just push until the ABS kicks in, back off, and then push again. The A6 4.2’s brakes however are touchier at lower speeds, but are progressive, and easy-to-modulate; they just don’t provide the Kreskin-like feel of the BMW’s stoppers.

We could have continued taking the straightforward four-lane route for our round trip to the Motor City, but that wouldn’t allow us to play with the sport portion of these two very competent handlers. So a detour to some well known backroads may have added time to our trip, but it also added smiles to our mugs as both of these cars drive smaller when pushed.



Switching back and forth between the BMW and the Audi and the different handling philosophies that were not as obvious on the highway drone come to light. With a four-link setup up-front and a rear lower control arm and lateral link design in the rear, the new A6 is a much more sporting drive than the last model. However, Audi’s all-wheel-drive provides needed grip in poor conditions, but also bestows the car with terminal understeer. Turn in quickly: understeer. Hit the accelerator too early or too hard: understeer. The only way to avoid this was to lift off the throttle and the new big nose would swing back into your intended direction.

155 kilograms lighter, 50/50 weight distribution, and the inherent balance of the front and rear wheels left to do their own thing, equips the 545i with the tools to extract the type of handling that rewards enthusiastic drivers. Responsive at turn-in, the 545i corners flat, balanced and stable, with virtually no body roll. Too hot into a corner? Just back-off on the throttle and the nose tucks obediently in. Once again, the usability of all the driving tools—throttle, shifter, steering—really shines when you need all to work together as one and is primarily why we chose the 545i as this year's top pick on our Straight-Goods Q-Ship category.



No doubt, Audi has made the new A6 4.2 more of a driver’s car with a more athletic suspension than its predecessor’s. The vee-eight/Tiptronic combo can be either relaxed or responsive—your call.  And then there’s the well-detailed interior, and the standard quattro all-wheel-drive; both of which give this car a real sense of 365-days-of-the-year confidence.

Nonetheless, from a purely driving perspective, the Audi A6 4.2’s overly sensitive throttle and brake inputs and constant understeer have to take a back seat to the BMW 545i’s natural talents. The BMW may not have the laser-like interior build quality, or ultimate all-weather capabilities, but it’s warmer, and more sensitive to the driver’s needs when called upon and it’s our choice if you love to drive.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, straight-six.com




2005 AUDI A6 4.2 / 2005 BMW 545i

Vehicle type: Front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan/Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

Base price: $72,900/$77,700

Warranty: 4 years/80,000 kms/4 years/80,000 kms

Engine: 330-hp @ 6,600 rpm, 310 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500 rpm, 4163cc V8/ 325-hp @ 6, 100 rpm, 330 lb-ft of torque @ 3,600 rpm, 4398cc V8

Transmission: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting/6-speed manual

Wheelbase: 2,842 mm (111.9 in)/2,888 mm (113.7 in)

Length: 4,572 mm (193.5 in)/4,854 mm (191.0 in)

Width: 2,012 mm (79.2 in)/1,846 mm (72.7 in)

Height: 1,458 mm (57.4 in)/1,468 mm (57.8 in)

Curb weight: 1,880 kg (4,292 lb)/1,725 kg (3,803 lb)

Fuel consumption city: 13.6 L/100 km (21 mpg)/14.3 L/100 km (20 mpg)

Fuel consumption highway: 9.3 L/100 km (30 mpg)/8.6 L/100 km (33 mpg)