Audi A4 RANGE
Audi's A4 Has Long Been A Car For The Cerebral Consumer. The Latest Generation Model Is Just That Little Bit Cleverer Again. Andy Enright Reports
Audi is cool. Well, thats at least what the British public seem to think in a recent vote on the coolest brands around. As the car thats been responsible for fully forty per cent of their production over the past few years, the A4 is the car that most customers turn to in order to buy into a slice of Vorsprung. The latest model offers these customers a good deal more in the way of design flair than its predecessor.
Although opinion may be divided about the effectiveness of that single frame front grille a feature that some wags dubbed the beard its a styling flourish that youd better get used to. First seen on the A8 and subsequently spread across the A3 Sportback, A6 and now the A4 range, this motif is mirrored on the interior in the design of the steering wheel hub and forms the face of modern Audi. I wasnt a fan at first but compared to the 2005 model year A4, the previous generation model looks a little bland around the front end. Great if you dont want to be noticed, but Audi has become a company suffused with self-belief and isnt afraid to proclaim it in the form of extrovert styling.
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I guess back-to-back Le Mans victories and skyrocketing sales will do that to any corporate ego. Although many of the cars so-called hard points - the basic dimensions - have been left the same, this is more than a mere facelift. The biggest changes come in the engine line up where
Audi has made swingeing cuts to a whole slew of powerplants it has deemed not up to scratch. Out go the 150bhp 2.
0 FSi, the 2.4 V6, the 3.0 V6, the 1.9TDi 130 and the 2.
5TDi 178 engines while the perennial 1.8T turbocharged petrol unit has had its power output shaved back from 187bhp to a more modest 161bhp. Four engines that have seen service elsewhere in the Audi group debut in the A4. These comprise a 197bhp turbocharged 2.
0T FSi unit, a 138bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel, a 252bhp 3.2-litre V6 FSI and a 202bhp 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel.
Five engines have survived the cull: the 101bhp 1.6, the 130bhp 2.0-litre, the 113bhp 1.9 turbodiesel and the 161bhp 2.
5-litre V6 turbodiesel and the flagship powerplant, the 339bhp 4.2-litre V8 that powers the scorching S and RS 4 models. Got it? Good.
"Audi has become a company suffused with self-belief"
On the back of the new engine choices come some revised gearboxes too. Five and six speed manuals are offered, depending on engine choice while front-wheel drive A4 models also offer the option of a continuously variable transmission. If you prefer the all-weather security of quattro all-wheel drive, theres a very satisfying six-speed automatic offered as an option. For many potential buyers who took the time to test drive the last A4 rather than simply wander into the dealership looking for a dotted line to sign, some concerns were raised over ride quality.
To put it bluntly, the A4 didnt have the handling prowess to warrant the very firm ride. Those customers who also selected the sports suspension option coupled with low profile tyres should have ensured they left enough in their monthly budget for the chiropractors bills so firm was the ride quality over typical British B-roads. The latest model rides a good deal more fluently than before with less constant pitter-patter from the road surface transmitting itself into the cabin. It still suffers from some bump and thump over larger irregularities and driven back to back with a
BMW 3 Series, it has to be said that the latest A4 still doesnt match their Bavarian rivals when it comes to dialling in a ride and handling compromise.
The A4 adopts some of the A6s suspension parts in an effort to reduce unsprung weight and bigger brakes have been introduced across the board with a trick brake disc wiping system that improves wet weather braking response. Servotronic speed-sensitive steering, originally only fitted to the S4 sports models, is now fitted as standard to the 2.0T FSI, 3.2FSI and 3.
0TDI models. Optional xenon headlights with swivelling, adaptive cornering beams also make night driving a whole lot easier. Where the A4 knocks the BMW into next week is in interior design and perception of quality. Put simply, the A4 has moved the game on a good few notches.
The old A4 was held as the class best in terms of build integrity and ergonomics but some felt that from a design perspective, the acres of black plastics were starting to look a little too nineties. The latest model rectifies this, taking many of the design cues from the A8, including more imaginative use of contrasting coloured trims, metal brightwork and electronic functionality. The exterior styling changes arent limited to that bold front end. Every exterior body panel bar the roof is changed and although the basic dimensions are the same, improvements in the cars crash structures have optimised space.
Room in the back of the A4 still isnt class leading but the Avant estate versions can carry a useful sized load. The shape of the rear lights and sharper creases in the flanks give the A4 a good deal more styling flair than its predecessor without making the car look so different that residuals of the old model go into free fall. Whole life ownership costs are one of the reasons many buyers are drawn to the A4. Couple that with cleaner and more fuel efficient engines that will make even more sense to company car buyers and the latest A4 looks set to be a winner.
Its still not at the top of the tree in terms of chassis dynamics but more than makes up for that in areas that are of arguably more importance when it comes to customer satisfaction.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Audi A4 range
PRICES: £18,905-£49,985 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 10-17 (excl S4)
CO2 EMISSIONS: 154-233g/km (excl S4 and 3.2)
PERFORMANCE: [1.8T] 0-60mph 8.4s / Max Speed 141mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [3.0TDI] (combined) 37.6mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags, side and curtain airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height) 181/70/61"
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