Audi A4 1.8T QUATTRO
Audis Latest A4 1.8T Quattro Has Had To Endure A Drop In Power In Its Latest Guise From 190 to Just 163bhp. Its Still Desirable Though, Thinks Jonathan Crouch
Audi have long had something of a dilemma when offering quattro four-wheel drive versions of their various models. Despite the added attraction of more wet weather traction, the quattros are, by their very nature, more technically complex and therefore pricier than their front wheel drive siblings. They are heavier too, so a front wheel drive version of something like an A4 1.8T is always - in the dry at least - going to be quicker than the same car with quattro traction.
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Now that doesnt matter if youve enough power to make the quattro experience an exciting one. But if you havent, the four-wheel drive models £1,400 price premium begins to look distinctly unappealing.
The A4 1.8T is the car in question here, a car that prior to the most recent facelift, offered buyers 190bhp in both two and four-wheel drive forms. For reasons best known to the engineers at Ingolstadt, the restyle front and rear has coincided with a decision to revert back to the 163bhp version of the VW Groups iconic 1.8-litre turbo petrol powerplant.
As a result, the sprint from rest to sixty, for example, takes nearly a second more in the quattro version we look at here, though at 8.7s, its still probably quick enough for most. Fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox (rather than the five-speed unit you get on the two-wheel drive 1.8T), the A4 1.
8T quattro will make a top speed of 147mph. Drive with a more restrained right foot and you should be able to average nigh-on 30mpg. With 225 Nm of torque on offer, the engine feels strong from low revs although it still retains the unusual almost diesel-like chug when it fires up. As ever, a saloon and an Avant estate are both offered, with prices starting at £22,315 in quattro form.
Using lightweight aluminium suspension, the A4 1.8T quattro has been set up for a combination of agility, precision and composure. Having said that, all A4s ride very firmly and the quattro is no exception, aluminium suspension notwithstanding. The quattro versions can be distinguished from their front-wheel drive siblings only by discreet badging, so those who wish to proclaim their added virility from the rooftops may well feel happier shopping elsewhere.
Audi have long been the masters of subtle speed.
"Set up for a combination of agility, precision and composure "
The unsprung weight in the suspension has been reduced by the use of aluminium which has brought a weight saving of 8.5kg. The current A4 also boasts a wide track which, along with the omnipresent quattro system, gives a far more planted and balanced feel on the road. Indeed its one of those cars that reassures the driver with plenty of steering feedback, despite quite a light feel to the helm.
Due to the well-engineered differential system the quattro uses, torque steer (that tugging of the front wheels during hard acceleration) is absent, as is the strange inertness that afflicted many previous Audis as the limits of adhesion were reached. This quattro works with the driver, informing and entertaining rather than enveloping the person behind the wheel in a numbing sensory deprivation. Other factors within the car are equally well considered. The manual gearbox is smooth and positive, and its good to see a more modern sextet of cogs.
The ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) system which links the throttle with the ABS and traction control systems is well worth having. Should you enter a bend too fast, it shuts off the throttle and uses the ABS system to bring the car back into line. It's not an alternative to quattro four-wheel drive: more a complimentary enhancement. The most recent facelift has brought about more than simply a restyle for the front and rear sections. There are revisions to the transmission and the adoption of a hi-tech Servotronic speed-dependent power steering system. The brakes are upgraded across the range and the ESP Electronic Stability Programme is even more likely to keep you out of the ditch during emergency manoeuvres.
Inside, youll notice Audis new steering wheel design and active locking head restraints that automatically minimise the distance between the restraint and the head in a rear crash situation. New two-stage intelligent airbags are now fitted for the driver and front passenger and theres a much cleverer DVD-based satellite navigation system for those who want it. As ever, the fascia ergonomics are predictably perfect, the quality breathtaking. As before, the driving position remains almost faultless, thanks to a low-set dashboard and a height and reach-adjustable steering wheel, banishing the feeling that you once had in Audis that you were sitting at the bottom of a pit.
The A4 makes you feel more as if youre in something quite expensive thanks to the new console and switch panel with its backlit controls and aluminium gear lever surround. Electronic Climate Control is standard. The A4 1.8T quattro may not be able to convince every buyer as to the relevance of all-wheel drive, but as an all-round proposition, its reassuringly Audi.
Safe, fast, unobtrusive and effortlessly stylish, the quattro does just enough to justify its price premium and marks the renaissance of genuinely desirable quattro models. The balance of power in the A4 stable has been rightfully restored.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Audi A4 1.8T quattro range
PRICES: £22,315 - £23,465 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 14E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 223g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8.1s / Max Speed 143mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 21.9mpg / (extra urban) 39.2mpg / (combined) 30.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags, side airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height) 179/69/60"
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