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Audi of America’s 1995 Audi A6 Quattro is proof that Mother Nature knows best.

Mother equipped the horse with four feet to pull the wagon, and Audi has equipped its new A6 Quattro with all-wheel drive to propel its car.

Like Old Dobbin with his ability to pick up his hoofs and plow through the deep stuff, driving all four wheels virtually guarantees keeping a car in motion on all sorts of inclement footing.

That includes snow, ice, mud and the like. And even on dry pavement, driving the front wheels in conjunction with the back provides a balance of control which can serve a driver well at speed.

For the first time, the pioneering four-wheel- drive system is offered as a stand-alone option on the German automaker’s entry-level A6 sedan and wagon models. Before the 1995 models, obtaining the Quattro system required the highest levels of trim and equipment.

“Last year to get a Quattro, you had to get a car that was loaded,” said Chad Spidle, sales manager for Tom Wood Audi. “A ’94 (Quattro) ran about $44,000.

“For ’95, you get the Quattro system on a base A6 ($30,600) for $1,500. That pricing is bringing in a lot of our customers to look at four-wheel drive.”

In addition to offering Quattro in its entry-level automobiles, Audi has adopted a fresh face and new name for its new mid-sized luxury vehicles.

The A6 formerly was badged as the Audi 100 model, with the “A” now representing Audi and the “6” designating the manufacturer’s mid-sized platform cars.

The A6 also has a new frontal appearance with ellipsoidal headlamps that sweep back into the fenders. A new grille carries the traditional interlocked four rings and a tapered hood blends back into the cowling.

A color motif includes body-colored front and rear bumpers, plus colored protective side moldings.

The Audi always has been a class act, but not a particularly inexpensive one. However, in front-drive-only form an A6 runs a touch above $30,000, which falls well within the medium price level for luxury automobiles.

As expected, the A6 contains all the accouterments found in predecessors. There’s not a whole lot that is optional, except the Quattro system, an automatic transmission, a premium stereo and some upgraded convenience items.

Standard are all the electronic accessories found in luxury cars, plus a tilt and telescope steering column that gives a driver an edge on getting really settled. The European-style interior includes burled walnut inlays for the dash, center console and door panels.

Audi uses a 2.8-liter (169-cubic-inch) V6 in the A6 Quattro. That appears to offer average power output for four-wheel drive in a luxury sedan, but it can be deceptive once the car is in motion because top speed is 134 miles an hour.

During acceleration, the added weight of the Quattro system and its power-absorbing extra gearing is felt.

The standard five-speed manual transmission, as expected, is quicker than Audi’s four-speed automatic for 0-60 mph. Add the Quattro, a nd you’ve got a 0-60 difference of a tick over 2 seconds, 8.8 for the five-speed versus 10.9 for the automatic.

The A6 Quattro weighs 3,726 pounds versus an A6 front-drive’s 3,363 pounds. But the weight and gearing don’t seem to have much effect on fuel consumption.

A five-speed A6 and a Quattro automatic have exactly the same 18 miles per gallon city rating. A manual shift front-drive is rated at 19 mpg.

On the highway, the five-speed front-drive and the automatic both are rated at 24 mpg, with the Quattro at 23 mpg.

Numbers aside, a principal advantage of continuous four-wheel drive is safety and driver control. Audi’s Quattro system utilizes a central differential that distributes engine torque between the front and rear wheels as needed to maintain traction. That translates into directional control and stability.

In pricing the system for its entry-level car, Audi greatly enhances its marketing potential for four-wheel drive.

“It’s their comeback plan,” Spid le, of Tom Wood Audi, said. “At $1,500, it’s the equivalent in cost of traction control, but it’s better.

“Add $900 for an automatic, which we sell the most of, and you have a price level that I think will account for 50 percent of our A6 sales.”

1995 Audi A6 Quattro Base price: $33,000Type: Front-engine, four-wheel-drive, five- passenger, midsized luxury sedanEngine: 2.8 liters, SOHC V6, 12 valves, fuel-injected, 172 horsepower, 184 foot-pounds of torqueTransmission: Four-speed automaticAcceleration: 0-60 mph in 10.9 secondsMileage: 18 mpg city/23 mpg highwayWheelbase: 106.0 inchesLength: 192.6 inchesWidth: 70.2 inchesHeight: 56.6 inchesCurb weight: 3,726 poundsOptions: Premium Audi-BOSE stereo system, compact disc changer, comfort and convenience package, all-weather package, automatic transmission, leather seating, Quattro drive, pearl-effect white paint.