It is unlikely the nation will come to a grinding halt over the reported demise of the Audi Allroad. The concept has arguably been on borrowed time for a while. Because who wants an off-road-capable estate car when you can buy a glitzy SUV? The manufacturer's decision suggests the answer is virtually no-one. Or not in this country at any rate; both the A4 and A6 Allroad are expected to be updated for foreign markets at the end of their respective life cycles, you just won't see any right-hand-drive examples at the local dealership.
While the outcome is obviously less contentious than, say, Lotus telling us it is done with combustion engines, it is still another grievance to add to the growing list of things-wrong-with-the-world-in-2022. Because the A6 Allroad (less so the A4) was, more often than not, the best thing in Audi's line-up short of the RS cars. In gooey high-spec format, it was an aristocrat among regional sales managers.
And not just because Prince Charles is a confirmed Allroad fan (although he absolutely is). The burly estate has always had an elusive touch of class about it. Perhaps that's because it was originally conceived to do an unlikely job: go off-road without looking or sounding or cornering like a Land Rover. And when you consider that the Range Rover at the time was the P38, and Porsche was still three years from launching the world-changing Cayenne, it's easy to see what an unusual objective that was at the time.
The secret, of course, was to fit the A6 with height adjustable air suspension and selectable low range. Mated to Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system, the A6 suddenly went from school run special to hill-defeating wagon in the time it took to push a button. Allied to the manufacturer's reputation for interior quality, buyers suddenly had the option of buying a family-sized model that could flit effortlessly between horse stables and Horse Guards Parade. It was so obviously brilliant that Audi even went to the trouble of fitting a V8.
There was another advantage, too. Lest we forget, the A6 did not always glide about in the manner suggested by its sleek styling; Audi was frequently guilty of impairing the car with a more brittle ride quality than it deserved. The air suspension helped no end with this affliction, meaning that you could not only romp over wet fields in faraway places, but also get yourself home again in considerable comfort. And assuming you went for the tastier outputs available, the later generation cars still went like the clappers.
It was all very agreeable. But two decades on the buying public has decreed that the Allroad's time has passed. True enough, its gratifying bandwidth has already been cloned many times over by umpteen upmarket SUVs, and even though the outgoing version retained the uniquely cool status conferred on any fast wagon, the all-diesel lineup probably did it no favours either. Still, a lovely thing it remains, and in flagship 3.0-litre BiTDI format, it is preferable to most of the cars that have made it obsolete. An estate for all moods and seasons - even for the man who has everything.
SPECIFICATION | AUDI A6 ALLROAD
Engine: 2,967cc 6-cyl
Transmission: 8-speed auto, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 313@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 479@5,500rpm
MPG: 43.5
CO2: 172g/km
First registered: 2016
Recorded mileage: 61,000
Price new: £59,700
Yours for: £25,847
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