A woodgrain belt runs from door to door, splitting the dash in two and adding to the luxurious ambience The interior features numerous red light sources which illuminate the switches and gauges using glass fibre optics Although the new A6's body is lighter than its predecessor, it is 50 per cent more rigid The smooth, flowing lines and rounded tail of the A6 distinguish it from its peers and contribute to a low drag figure of Cd 0.28 The outer skin of the engine hood is made of aluminium, resulting in greater torsional rigidity and lighter weight The A6 comes with V6 engines of 2.4-litre or 2.8-litre capacity. Both feature five-valves-per-cylinder technology The standard 2.4-litre A6 produces 121kW at 6000rpm and 230Nm at 3200rpm The A6 uses a five-speed Tiptronic transmission that can be left to its own devices or operated as a sequential "manual" gearbox The quattro full-time four-wheel drive system promotes exceptional traction, even in slippery conditions The 2.4-litre A6 rides on lightweight 15-inch aluminium wheels while the bigger engined version wears 16-inch rims The A6 is equipped with passive safety features such as driver and front passenger airbags, as well as front side airbags An anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability program (ESP) are standard features which enhance the active safety of the car