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Whose kampf is it anyway?

With the new Mercedes-Benz E280 taking on Audi's A6, it's war again in Germany. ASHISH MASIH judges the two mighty Teutonic rivals

FIRST BADGE The threepoint star or the four rings? The Merc comes with flash-value for the new-world tycoon, while the Audi, though sportier, is better suited to oldworld money

The two cars you see in the pictures showcase true German engineering prowess. Name a feature and these cars have it. There's nothing missing out anywhere, let us assure you. But there's got to be one which has the edge, the one which combines performance with style and grace that much better. Which one is it, then?

From the looks of the two, both cars are clear winners. The Mercedes retains its lithe design that is instantly recognizable from a distance - it's easily one of the popular luxury car brands here in India. The Audi on the other hand, has a simpler approach to sophistication, if you of course discount Walter DaSilva's trademark grille that extends all the way to the lower portion of the bumper and dominates the front end. Admittedly, the rear of the A6 is sportier too than the unassuming Merc's. Though bits and pieces might stand out on the Audi, the overall picture is different - what the A6 doesn't have is instant recognition like the Merc, something that definitely handicaps the car.

Have a seat, sir

Step inside the Merc and you'll instantly be pampered by the generous use of leather and wood inserts on the fascia. The Audi's interior on the other hand, is more like a cockpit. The cockpit effect is further highlighted by the red back-light of the gauges, along with the MMI display. The MMI elegantly brings together the operation of all infotainment components in one display and operating system. By cutting down to the essential controls, and implementing a unified logic, it permits user-friendly, intuitive use of a large number of functions and technologies - a concept borrowed off BMW's i-Drive system. In overall terms, the Audi's interior definitely comes across as the more youthful and sprightly of the two.

The cabins of both cars are well insulated, but the levels of noise are greater inside the Audi. And though fit and finish levels in both cars are good, there are a few odd buttons and plastics that are not in line with the overall quality of the cars.

In terms of comfort, both cars have sufficient legroom and shoulder room at the rear. The Audi's well bolstered seats are marginally better than the over padded seats of the Merc, though the E- class has the better aircon system. A new system, this unit uses twin temperature sensors as well as a humidity sensor for better performance and control. The Audi's blower has insufficient airflow and takes an irritatingly long time to cool the cabin down.

A little punch, sir?

Under the hood of both cars lurk big V6 motors. The E class has a slight power advantage over the A6. It produces 231 horses to the Audi's 218 - 100 kph takes just 8.77 seconds in the E, whereas the A6 takes 9.41 seconds to reach the same speed. In addition, the E-class' motor makes its peak torque as low as 2,500 rpm, making it a wonderfully effortless cruiser. In real world situations though, the difference between their performances is not so pronounced. In Sport mode, the Audi's Multitronic CVT gearbox uses several predefined ratios and is also faster in kick-down acceleration tests than the Merc and feels more responsive than the E280. However if driven in the normal CVT `D' mode, the A6 feels distinctly slower. In terms of fuel efficiency, the Audi delivered 7.8 kpl in city as compared to the Merc's 6.8 kpl, while on the highway, both cars returned near identical figures - 10.6kpl for the E280 and 10.3kpl from the A6.

The Merc though has better ride quality. Its suspension is breathtakingly pliant and silent over poor roads, and even on bad patches of tarmac, you can hardly feel a thing under you. The flip side to this - if you prefer to drive - is that its handling is not as sporty as the A6's. The A6 is adept at most speeds. However you feel the bumps from the road in a more pronounced manner than you do in the Merc.

In spite of missing the legendary all-wheel drive, quattro system, the Audi we tested felt the more agile of the two. The light steering is a pleasure in traffic. Balance and composure are much better than the Merc and it rolls less than the E-class. The E-class in fact needs to be herded into corners with greater inputs from the steering wheel - the E280 lacks the sporty handling to fully utilise its new-found power.

Overall both cars are evenly matched. Audi for many years now has been as good as Mercedes in terms of substance and what it sorely lacked was the latter's brand image. But now the world is warming to this brand and the Audi marque has a certain amount of street - cred. The difference between the two cars here is simply this that the new E 280 is a better-finished product that is supported by an established dealer network. The car may not be a razor-sharp sports performer that its engine begs it to be, but it's easily the king of its class and manages to do everything well enough. Well, at least for now...

TECHNICAL DATA

MERCEDES-BENZ E280
How much?
Rs 44.32 lakh
(ex-showroom, Mumbai)
How big?
Length: 4,818 mm
Height: 1,420 mm
Wheelbase: 2,854 mm
Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres
Luggage volume: 540 litres
Engine
Type: V6, 2997cc, petrol
Max power: 231bhp @ 6300rpm
Max torque: 28.75kgm @ 2500-5000rpm
Performance
Top speed: 248kph
0-100 kph: 8.77 seconds
Combined fuel efficiency: 8.7kpl
Transmission
Seven-speed automatic
Tyres and wheels
225/55 R16 tubeless, on alloys
AUDI A6
How much?
Rs 44.41 lakh
(ex-showroom, Mumbai)
How big?
Length: 4,916 mm
Width: 1,690 mm
Height: 1,450 mm
Wheelbase: 2,760 mm
Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres
Luggage volume: 546 litres
Engine
Type: V6, 2976cc, petrol
Max power: 218bhp @ 6300rpm
Max torque: 30.59kgm at 3200rpm
Performance
Top speed: 240 kph
0-100 kph: 9.41 seconds
Combined fuel efficiency: 9.05 kpl
Transmission
Seven-speed automatic
Tyres and wheels
225/55 R16 tubeless, on alloys

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