Audi A6 Hybrid axed due to poor sales

Audi sold just 4000 A6 Hybrid models in three years since its introduction in 2011, and subsequently made the decision to discontinue production for the updated 2015 A6 range that launched in Germany last week.

Eighty per cent of petrol-electric A6 sedans were purchased by customers in Asia, with almost half of the total number delivered to Malaysia. The A6 Hybrid was never sold in Australia, and more peculiarly was also never introduced to the hybrid-loving American market.

The Audi A6 Hybrid teamed a 155kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine with a 33kW electric motor for combined outputs of 180kW and 480Nm. It claimed combined cycle fuel consumption of 6.2 litres per 100 kilometres and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 7.3 seconds.

The biggest hurdle for the A6 Hybrid was its price, particularly in relation to cheaper and more fuel efficient diesel variants. The 2015 A6 3.0TDI quattro, by comparison, produces 200kW and 580Nm from its turbo diesel V6, uses 5.1L/100km combined and accelerates from 0-100km/h in 5.5 seconds.

The Hybrid was also heavier than its non-hybrid A6 siblings and sacrificed 30 litres in boot volume.

The hybrid powertrain lives on in the A8 and Q5 models in some markets, though Audi is focusing its future efforts on more advanced plug-in hybrid technology. Audi is set to launch a plug-in hybrid version of the A6 in China later this year, but is yet to announce if that variant will be available in other markets.

A plug-in version of the fifth-generation Audi A6 is all but guaranteed for global markets when the all-new model launches around 2018.

The 2015 Audi A6 and S6 will arrive in Australia in March or April next year.

Read CarAdvice's 2015 Audi A6 and 2015 Audi S6 reviews.