Audi adds power, mpg to 2016 A6, A7; raises prices

Volkswagen Group's Audi brand says it has freshened the styling of the A6 midsize sedan and the A7 hatchback, tweaking the front and rear, as is customary for an update, and given the engines big power boosts while also improving fuel mileage.

Audi sales are strong, up 13.8% the first quarter this year in an overall new-vehicle market up 5.6%, according to Autodata.

Audi car sales, excluding the hot-selling SUVs, are up 7.8%, out performing the industry at a time when other makers' car sales are soft, and their overall gains are coming from SUVs.

Times of strong sales are, of course, opportunities to add standard features and raise prices safely.

The base model of the A6 gets a radical touch -- the CVT (continuously variable-ratio transmission) has been dumped in favor of a seven-speed double clutch automatic. Audi says it shifts faster, smoother than similar gearboxes.

CVTs typically deliver better mpg, but don't appeal to driving enthusiasts because CVTs rev the engine and hold its speed up, like cars with slipping clutches in manual transmissions.

Some automakers build in specific ratios and have the gearbox pick among them under certain conditions, so the CVT feels more like a conventional automatic. Other makers, including Audi and Jeep, have axed CVTs in some models for better driving feel.

The 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that's the base engine, called 2.0T, benefits from reworking for a hefty 32-horsepower boost, to 252 hp.

All A6 models get dual-pane glass which better insulates the interior from sound.

The base price was increased by $1,400 to $47,125 including $925 shipping.

Least-expensive diesel is A6 TDI with quattro all-wheel drive: $60,425.

The A7 3.0T V-6 gets a 23 hp power boost to 333 hp, plus, newly standard, LED headlamps, dual-pane glass, power tilt steering adjustment.

Base price rises $2,400 to $69,225 including shipping.