Audi A4 2.7 TDI
Within the ranges of any serious car maker you have the niche models that can be a bit adventurous, the image building halo products and then you have the cars that represent the seed corn. The A4 is that car to Audi a model that it cannot afford to get wrong. With this latest third generation car, Audi has played a resolutely straight bat, applying simple procedures. Make it slightly bigger, slightly more powerful and better built than ever.
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The A4 formula is one that works and has been steadily chipping away at the market dominance built by BMWs 3 Series. Do the maths with the latest A4 and it would seem to trounce the BMW but, as we all know, theres more to cars than facts and figures. The 2.7-litre TDI engine pulls well and is offered with a Multitronic CVT gearbox that makes a decent fist of keeping you in the meat of the power band while set to fully automatic mode.
Switch it to manual and youll need to be flipping the gearchange paddles like a pinball wizard as it has eight gears and it doesnt hang around. Itll nip to 60mph in 7.3 seconds and run onto a top speed of 140mph. The engine isnt the most melodic but its usefully quicker than the big diesel seller in the A4 range, the 2.
0 TDI. Audi finds itself in a tough position with many of its cars. Magazine journalists cry out for the cars to be more involving and dynamically pure and when they do start heading that way, the usual rejoinder is that the Ingolstadt company is trying to be BMW and failing. Perhaps the R8 sports car has silenced that line of reason but the A4, while better than its predecessor to drive, is still not quite the class leader.
Moving the engine lower and backwards in the chassis has helped weight distribution but this subtle difference in chassis dynamics is overwhelmed by suspension tuning and tyre choices. The other headline feature of this latest A4 is the fact that it sits on the longest wheelbase in its class. Audi took action to try and solve the problem of the appallingly small bootspace suffered by the MK1 A4 when it came to launching the second generation car at the turn of the century and here, theyve turned their attention (at last) to the poor old rear seat passengers. The lengthened wheelbase enables a 36mm increase in rear leg room, with the added bonus of a 20-litre boost in boot capacity, making this car easily the most spacious in its sector.
This, in turn, means that buyers now no longer have to choose between the prestigious badge and low residuals of a compact executive car like the A4 or the larger cabin of a cheaper medium range model like, say, Fords Mondeo or Volkswagens Passat.
"a mature and well-rounded alternative to BMW and Mercedes"
Audi would contend that the wheelbase change was about promoting the A4 as a drivers car as well as improving its cabin space. It entailed the repositioning of the front axle 154mm further forwards than in the MK2 model. Complemented by a new state-of-the-art suspension and steering configuration, this more stable foundation allows improved handling balance and agility. The 2.
7-litre TDI version of the A4 starts at £28,440 which is closer to the 3.0-litre diesel than the 2.0-litre oil burner in price, if not in power output which, on the face of it, would appear to make the 3.0-litre car the better buy.
Its worth remembering that this price includes the not inconsequential cost of the Multitronic CVT gearbox and when prices are adjusted accordingly, the 2.7 TDI looks good value. Options are quite steeply priced, although its hard to see many buyers being able to resist the A8-style LED daytime running lights. These have the effect of scattering fast lane traffic as effectively as a juggernaut with burnt out brakes.
Theres also a 505-watt Bang and Olufsen stereo offered, so theyll hear you approaching too. Equipment levels are strong with an electromechanical parking brake and the intelligent key system built into the design. You can also expect refinements like 17-inch alloy wheels, sophisticated three-zone climate control, a 180-watt CD audio system with Audis intuitive MMI control logic and 6.5-inch colour display, rear acoustic parking sensors, automatic headlight and wiper operation and aluminium interior trim.
Audi lane assist and Audi Drive Select are two options that respectively alert the driver when straying from a lane and sharpen up the cars steering, dampers, accelerator response and transmission shift points. So lets get down to the nuts and bolts of why the Audi A4 2.7 TDI is such an interesting purchase. For a start, the upfront purchase price is less than rivals form Mercedes and BMW.
Couple that with residual values and fuel economy figures that are better and you have very low running costs for what is likely to be £30,000 car when options are taken into account. A combined fuel economy figure of 42.8mpg is an excellent return for a model of this potency and even the urban figure of 34.9mpg is not to be sniffed at.
On a longer run, this A4 can chalk up nearly 50mpg which, coupled with the hefty 65-litre fuel tank means an effective range of over 700 miles from a tank full of diesel. A carbon dioxide emissions figure of just 176g/km will mean that many corporate buyers with a £30,000 budget will be putting their Audi dealer on speed dial. It still makes the A4 a pricier car in terms of taxation than a BMW 325d but its bigger and just as quick which levels the playing field a little. Although there may be some buyers who wish the latest A4 looked a little more daring, there will be an even bigger slice of customers who a).
are glad it isnt or b). didnt even realise they were looking at an all-new car. Get inside and theres still the reassuring feel of solid build quality, with soft touch finishes and excellent ergonomics. The mark of a great car is its depth of engineering how long and hard its designers have thought about how its going to be used.
The A4 impresses in this regard. In all likelihood, this 2.7-litre model is going to remain a niche player in the A4 range; a compromise between the bigger selling 2.0 and 3.
0-litre diesel models. Its a car that deserves a little more credit as a model in its own right, offering a mature and well-rounded alternative to BMW and Mercedes that stacks up well as a financial proposition.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Audi A4 2.7 TDI
PRICES: £28,440 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 15 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 176g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 7.3s / Max Speed 140 mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 34.9mpg / (extra urban) 49.6mpg / (combined) 42.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, window and side airbags, ESP, ABS, traction control,
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4703/1826/1427mm
