Taking you from main roads to mountain passes. This is the thinking behind the Audi allroad quattro. A car that combines the luxury and comfort of main road travel with impressive off-road performance. With quattro permanent 4-wheel drive, power is transmitted to all four wheels in various distribution patterns. Combined with specially developed tyres, under floor protection and strong bumpers, a supreme performance is certain in any terrain.

This is a luxury touring car with a few tricks up its sleeve. Supportive, yet supple seats. As much room as larger, more cumbersome 4x4's. Ergonomically designed dashboard, controls and switch gear. With its stylish looks and evident gravitas, some can't decide if the allroad quattro is off-roader or performance car. And that's just the way we like it.

Sumptuous and elegant. The finest materials and the finest build quality. Wherever you look inside the Audi allroad quattro there are top class finishes and thoughtful details. Like the damped action of the grab handles and radio cover. Anodised aluminium trim for the dashboard and doors. Thick carpets. Controls and instruments where you need them.

Pneumatic suspension controls are intuitively easy to use or they can adapt automatically. The vehicle will adjust to your desired height based on vehicle speed, or you can temporarily override the setting with the touch of a button. The choice is yours.

High strength bumpers and wheel arch extension made from hard wearing plastics ensure the bodywork is not damaged when off-road and the car looks both powerful and stylish when on the High Street.

Skid plates, front and rear, for added protection when the road runs out. Additional underbelly protection also ensures that essential components like Catalytic Converters and brake pipes are saved from being damaged over rough terrain.

The allroad's seats have additional side bolsters for extra support when travelling over rough uneven ground. Comfort is not compromised with electric seat height and lumbar support. Upholstered in plain cloth with complementing Karo check cloth centre panels on all seats.

With so much attention lavished on the car's offroad capabilities, it's easy to overlook the fact that this is a performance car at heart. Period. And no company on earth has quite the experience Audi does in coming up with innovative vehicles of breathtaking ability. Wherever you are, an allroad in your rearview mirror is a clear signal to keep to the left.

With a whopping 258 lb/ft torque, compelling power and performance whether mated to a short-throw six-speed manual or the versatile five-speed Tiptronic® automatic.

Why five valves per cylinder* when most make do with less? Efficiency is one reason. Performance is another. Not to mention a passion to push the bounds of what's possible. Once the sole province of exotic cars, five-valve technology for production cars was a challenge we couldn't resist.

*Petrol engines only

At higher speeds, the vehicle's ground clearance is 142mm. At out of town speeds it raises it a full 25mm. For moderate offroad and local driving, ground clearance is 192mm. For severe off-road conditions at speeds under 25 mph, maximum clearance is 208mm

The sophisticated quattro system brings a completely different and unique dimension to luxury car driving. Apart from the extra safety margin of permanent four-wheel drive, more power can be transmitted to the road more of the time. This allows maximum acceleration without wheel spin, more stability in bends and sudden manoeuvres whatever the conditions.

The Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) networks the ABS, EBD, ASR and EDL system components, by comparing actual driving data from sensors with reference data. Ensures greater stability at all speeds, by braking individual wheels as required and overriding the engine management system.

Technology
We could have built it with a higher ground clearance, applied some cladding and a skid plate and called it a day. But then it wouldn't have been a car in a category of one. From its eager engine to a suspension both rugged and refined, to the texture of every surface, the allroad is a case study of what a purposefully built automobile should be.

With the Audi navigation system* you select a destination and the most favourable route is suggested by a friendly voice and directions are illustrated by pictograms in the cockpit display (operated from storage compartment in the centre console). Using the GPS (Global Positioning System) it will pin-point the car's position to within 10ft. Make a wrong turn and the system will automatically re-calculate the route for you.

*Optional

Like modern aircraft, the accelerator works on the "drive-by-wire" principle. Interprets pedal input from the driver and automatically adjusts the throttle, turbo boost* and ignition timing to deliver incredible response.

*on turbo charged models only.

Sensors at each wheel are monitored by a central brain. The four-level pneumatic suspension adjusts ride height to best suit speed and terrain.

Electronic Differential Locking (EDL) assists in pulling away in difficult conditions - works automatically up to a speed of 25mph by braking wheels which are about to spin and ensuring that power is diverted to wheels that have most grip.

Special off-road mode that overrides the principles of the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) and allows the wheels to spin and brakes to lock-up. When on loose surfaces it can sometimes help to spin the wheels and 'dig' yourself out or lock-up the brakes to build up a wedge of material infront of the wheels to help stop.

Safety
At Audi, safety isn't something we add on to a car - an airbag, a pre-tensioning safety belt or a head restraint. It's built in. In fact, safety informs every decision we make. The allroad is no exception. Example: by improving external sensors, we've fine-tuned airbag deployment times. In the event an airbag deploys, central locking is automatically released, interior lighting is switched on, fuel pump and engine switched off and the hazard flashers are put to work. As we said, our approach to safety is comprehensive.

Fully galvanised, safety cell construction with energy absorbing zones front and rear, including high-strength aluminium inserts at the sills to reinforce steel supports for additional side-impact protection.

Full-size airbags and side airbags for the driver and the front passenger. Side airbags are integrated into the side of the front seat backs. In the event of the airbags being deployed, the central locking system unlocks all the doors, the interior lights are switched on and the hazard warning lamps activated. Additionally the engine is switched off and the fuel pump (petrol engine) is shut down. All A6 models also feature an ignition key operated, passenger airbag de-activation switch.

An airbag for the head, protecting passengers at the front and rear from a side impact. It folds down like a protective curtain along the whole length of the side windows in the event of a side impact.

The extra safety margin of permanent four-wheel drive comes from having four wheels drive the car so that if grip is lost on one wheel, power is still driving the other three. Four-wheel drive also means four-wheel braking when changing down the gears.

Fitted with five, three point seat belts as standard. All feature priotechnic self-tensioning in the event of an accident. Fully adjustable head restraints for all five occupants are also standard.