Audi has lifted the lid on its new A6 saloon, showcasing “business class travel at its best”.

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On sale from 13 May and priced from £50,560, the new edition of the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class challenger arrives hot on the heels of the new Avant and, like its estate sibling, is engineered to set new standards in design and aerodynamics.

Built on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture that’s also used for the A5 – the A4’s successor – and the new Q5, it also features the carmaker’s new E3 1.2 electronics architecture to deliver advanced connectivity, updates and digitalisation features.

Featuring an “elegant, reductive look”, the executive saloon gets a streamlined design that achieves the lowest drag coefficient ever recorded by a series-production Audi model with a combustion engine.

It’s also designed with a ‘business lounge’ interior design philosophy that prioritises “space, comfort and the specific needs of occupants”. The cabin is centred around the Audi MMI panoramic display which includes an 11.9-inch ‘virtual cockpit’ screen for the driver, a central 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen and, in top-rung models, a 10.9-inch front passenger screen.

With an overall length of 4,990mm, the A6 saloon is 60mm longer than its predecessor while boot space is up to 492 litres, depending on version. The standard 40:20:40 folding rear seats enable variable loading for items such as ski equipment, and a storage and luggage compartment package comes as standard, complete with the ability to use foot motion operation to open and close the tailgate.

Engine line-up replicates the Avant and encompasses 2.0 TDI diesel and 2.0 TFSI petrol models.

The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine outputs 204hp with maximum torque of 340Nm. It’s equipped with a start-stop system and is solely available with front-wheel drive, coupled to a seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch transmission. It’s capable of 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds and a 151mph top speed. CO2 emissions range from 161 to 167g/km, depending on trim.

The mild hybrid diesel also delivers 204hp, along with maximum torque of 400Nm, and is fitted with a dual-clutch transmission and Quattro Ultra all-wheel drive as standard. It’s capable of 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds and a 150mph top speed. CO2 emissions start at 135g/km and head up to 143g/km. Efficiency figures haven’t been announced yet.

The UK grade line-up is carried over from the Avant and comprises Sport, S line, and Edition 1 specifications.

Three suspension setups are available for UK models. The standard suspension, designed to be even more comfortable than its predecessor, features on the Sport specification. Sport suspension, which lowers the body by 20mm for distinctly sporty handling, is included with S line and Edition 1 specifications. Adaptive air suspension with electronically controlled damping, which can prioritise ride comfort or handling agility, is an optional extra on Quattro specified models.

The new A6 saloon also delivers electromechanical progressive steering as standard, reworked for more dynamic driving.

First deliveries of the new A6 saloon start in July