Yahoo Autos Audi Q6 E-Tron Prototype First Drive Review: Worth the wait
FAROE ISLANDS — It’s a bit less punctual than its German heritage would suggest: Audi blew through several proposed launch dates with the new Q6 E-Tron, and it will be next year before it hits dealerships, likely as a 2025 model. Will it be worth the wait? We traveled to the Faroe Islands, halfway between Scotland and Iceland, to find out. Audi invited us here for a “test drive” with two versions of this upcoming, fully electric SUV: the Q6 55 E-Tron, with 396 horsepower, and the SQ6, which makes a whopping 510 horsepower.
The shape of the car is clearly visible, as are many details, as the prototype disguise is limited to white foil with red, pink and purple accents. Standing on 21-inch wheels, shod with 255-section-width-front and 285-rear rubber, the Q6 E-Tron displays sportily chiseled, but ultimately unremarkable lines, with headlights split into an upper and lower part, flanking an octagonal grille. Smaller wheel sizes, from 18 inches upwards, will be available. From behind, the Q6 E-Tron looks like the big brother of the Q4 E-Tron that it actually is. The side view, with a D pillar that resembles a shark fin, looks somewhat coupe-like – although we are told that a Sportback version with a more swoopy roofline will eventually join the regular Q6.
At first glance, this car looks like it was conceived around 2016 and should have been on the market two years ago. But a closer look reveals a lot of smart details. For example, the lighting units: The optional front matrix LEDs don’t just put an icy, automatically adjusted glow onto the road, they can also be configured to show eight different daytime running light patterns. The same number of patterns can be displayed by the rear light clusters, which feature OLED technology. And it can be selected not just on the MMI system, but also on Audi’s phone app, so you can admire your aesthetic choices while standing right next to the car. Audi is understandably proud to reaffirm the leadership it has long enjoyed in lighting technology, with a bitter pill for U.S. customers: Regulation here is so strict that most features will not be available on our shores. You’ll likely have to deal with one factory-selected pattern.
