Audi a4 towcar

85% of the kerb weight is 1350Kg so you are over the guideline figure already or did you mean to type MTPLM instead of MIRO?  If the former then you are fairly close to the guideline figure. Otherwise you will be running at pretty near 100%

Hi, looking at CYs response reminds me of the time I agonised over buying my first van, the same issue as you but reversed, so to speak, as my car was a Audi 80 with a kerb weight of 1077kg.

My experience at near 100% ratio was fine and my approach has always been that the car is the key, I would not buy a car to suit the van but would change the van if if did not fit with the car.

Driving near to 20-22000 miles, in a normal year, with max of app 3000 miles towing that’s an awful lot of driving in a vehicle that’s a compromise to suit your van.

The 85% figure is a 35 year old recommendation with no basis in law that no other country gets its collective caravanning knickers in a knot about it. I used to tow with a relative of your car - a Passat Alltrack with similar running gear, same engine and DSG. It towed at 100% perfectly fine towing a t/a all over EUlandia, Austria, France, Denmark, Germany and trips to north of Scotland and Cornwall. No problem towing 400+ miles in a day. 

Many thanks to all that have replied. I haven’t bought the car yet. I have also checked the A4 3.0 quattro on towcar.info. This combination comes out ok on paper but I’m not sure how stable it will be. 

I currently tow with a BMW X1 1.8se 2wd that on paper shouldn’t be up to the job but tows very well, though it is getting old and is not the best with traction.

The weight of the van is 1260kg, 150kg for equipment etc.

Go for the V6. I had an A6 with that engine, simply goes for ever. 

Go for the V6, goes forever. My A6 TDi V6 was sold at 185k miles and still going strong.