Audi A6 vs BMW 5-Series – Specifications Comparison!

We put the specs of the all-new Audi A6 vs BMW 5-Series to see which of these two executive sedans in India come out better than the other on paper.

Audi launched the 2020 A6 in India last week. It comes with fresh new styling, completely new interiors but gets the option of just one petrol engine. In India, the Audi A6 competes against the likes of the Mercedes E-Class and the BMM 5-series. Here we are taking a closer look on how the Audi A6 vs BMW 5-Series compare against each other on paper.

Audi A6 vs BMW 5-Series – Specifications Comparison

Under the hood, both cars are vastly different. The Audi A6 gets a sole 2.0 liter, four cylinder petrol engine in the 45 TFSI trim that churns out 241 bhp and 370 Nm of peak torque. The engine comes mated to a 7-speed automatic gearbox. Comparing the petrol engines of both the cars, the BMW 5-Series with its petrol engine in the 530i M Sport trim is quite equally matched on paper. Both engines have similar configuration and while the BMW produces slightly more power, the Audi edges ahead with a little more torque.

Where the BMW really has the upper hand is with its greater engine options. BMW has two more diesel engines up its sleeve. There’s a 2.0 liter diesel engine in the 520d Luxury Line trim which which is base engine for the 5-series and produces good enough power and torque figures. But then there’s the 3.0 liter diesel engine in the 530d M Sport trim which produces more power than the petrol engine in the A6 and also has massive 620Nm of peak torque.

It has been seen that diesel engines are favored more than petrol engines in this segment. With the option of a base diesel engine and a top-spec diesel engine with petrol sitting in the middle, the 5-Series is a lot more accessible to a wider audience than the Audi. Another distinction between they two cars is that the BMW gets an 8-speed automatic gearbox for all its engines whereas the Audi gets a 7-speed automatic gearbox. Also, the 5-Series is a rear wheel drive car whereas the A6 is a front wheel drive car.

Audi A6 vs BMW 5-Series – Dimensions

Comparing the dimensions of both the cars, the Audi A6 is longer of the two. However, in spite of the Audi being longer than the 5-Series, it is the BMW which has the longer wheelbase of the two and that would naturally translate to more interior space. If you are buying such a car, you sure would appreciate the extra space.

The BMW 5-Series is also wider than the Audi and by quite a margin, which means you get a lot more width inside the cabin than in the A6. The BMW is also taller of the two. Comparing the kerb weight of both cars, the 5-Series is lighter with its base diesel engine but BMW hasn’t revealed the kerb weights of the other two variants. But if we are talking about presence, the smart and sophisticated Audi A6 sure catches more eyes than that of the 5-Series.

Exterior Styling

The two brands have very different approaches with respect to design. The Audi is characterized by sharp lines and a very neat profile. The design is clean, yet sophisticated. The face is dominated by a huge hexagonal grille that occupies almost the entire front fascia. The LED headlamps are slimmer than before and with their signature details, they are sure to grab your eyeballs. The A6 perhaps looks the best from the rear end. The smart detailing on the LED tail lamps joined by a band of chrome and well sculpted bumper finish off the look. Quite business like.

The BMW 5-Series on the other hand uses a mix of both sharp lines and muscular curves which perhaps makes it the best looking executive sedan in this segment. On the face, the kidney grille is flanked by large LED headlamps and if you have opted from the M Sport variant, the bumpers bring in their fair share of aggressiveness which makes it the sportiest looking sedan of the lot. The sides have beautiful character lines bringing out its muscles and the rear end gets sleek LED tail lamps and a well sculpted tail gate and bumpers. Its just the right mix of sophistication and sportiness.

Also Read : Audi A6 vs Mercedes E-Class – Specifications Comparison!

Interiors and Features

Moving inside the cabin, both cars are equally polarizing here as well. The Audi is dominated by a plethora of screens. The dashboard houses the main infotainment screen and another down below for the climate controls and other vehicle settings. Furthermore, there’s Audi virtual cockpit in the instrument cluster. The dashboard gets its fair share of wood panels, piano black trim and soft-touch surfaces with leather and while its all well laid out, we think that there’s too many screens for even the most simplest functions and that can be distraction while driving.

The BMW 5-Series on the other hand still uses the older generation interior design language from BMW. We would have certainly liked the new age interiors as you get in the all new 3-series but this too is pretty fancy still. The i-Drive system is still one of the best in the business and all the technology is pretty usable on the go. There’s a 12.3 inch infotainment display taking center stage on the dashboard and its gets semi-digital instrument cluster. All other controls are via physical buttons placed in two layers on the dashboard. Honestly, we really love this setup. Quality of materials is right up there with the wood panels, leather and metal surfaces and overall, its a very pleasant cabin to be in.

Also Read : Six Highlights Of The Recently Launched 2019 Audi A6 In India

Audi A6 vs BMW 5-Series – Pricing

In terms of pricing, both cars have near about the same starting price, although the BMW starts off about Rs. 4.5 lakhs more than the Audi. It also must be noted that the base variant of the 5-Series is a diesel variant whereas the Audi is only a petrol. However, owing to a wider number of engine options, the top-spec 5-Series with the Inline-6 diesel engine has a price of a Rs. 66.20 lakhs. That’s quite more than where the top-spec Audi A6 ends. Comparing just the petrol engines of both the cars though, they are very evenly matched in pricing. However, if you really want a diesel engine, then Audi has nothing to offer in this space.