For a brief moment, I got excited.  Then upon closer inspection, I was underwhelmed.  Of course this is simply my first, instantaneous reaction based solely on outward appearance.  There could be a lot more going on that I do not yet see.

No, I’m not talking about a date or meeting someone new, though I suppose it could sound this way.  The matter at hand is the 2012 Audi A6, introduced to the U.S. last week at the Detroit Auto Show.

More and more cars look alike these days; styling has grown rather clone-like and uninspiring over the past decade especially.  When a popular manufacturer such as Audi unveils an “all-new” model, I do get excited to see something, well… new!  So in this case of the “new” A6, the headlights have been granted new shape.  Ok, fine.  Is this all?  Sure, the back end is different, and I will say better, than the outgoing A6.  Still, it looks just like the current A4, and not too far off from the recent “redux” of the A8.  All in all, and again, merely upon initial impression, I’m looking not at something “new,” but rather at a slightly tweaked punch of the same old cookie cutter.

Perhaps Audi could learn a lesson from Jaguar.  Now THERE is new!

And yep… that’s my opinion.