Audi adds sport, and safety to new A4

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Written by Michael Moroney

Wednesday, 12 September 2007

Audi claims that its new Audi A4 speaks the language of technical perfection. With an overall length of 4.70 metres, the saloon has a substantial, powerful road stance and offers its occupants ample space in an interior full of light.

When compared with the previous model, the A4 has new, sporty proportions. The front body overhang has been shortened; the bonnet and wheelbase are both longer than before. In the driveline, the differential has changed places with the clutch (or torque converter), making it possible to move the front axle forward by 154mm. This innovative solution ensures ideal axle-load distribution.

Audi claims that the new A4 is the sportiest saloon in the midsize car category: agile, light and precise to control. Its dynamic suspension is a totally new design, with most of its components made from weight-saving aluminium. It claims that the car gives dynamic road behaviour and effortlessly precise handling.

There are some new high-tech options to make the A4 driving experience more fascinating: Audi drive select varies the engine, automatic transmission, steering and suspension damping characteristics to suit the driver’s preferences at any given moment.

Audi dynamic steering varies its ratio according to the car’s speed and keeps the new A4 stable close to the handling limits by slight, almost instantaneous changes to the steering angle. The damping control system for the hydraulic shock absorbers varies the damping characteristic individually, to combine sporty driving enjoyment with maximum road safety.

The new Audi A4 is being introduced with a choice of five engines, their power outputs ranging from 105 kW (143bhp) to 195 kW (265bhp). The four-cylinder petrol engine, like the diesels, is turbocharged, and both types of engine have direct fuel injection. All the engines, thanks to their high efficiency, consume less fuel than the previous versions.

Various transmissions are available: a six-speed manual gearbox, the tiptronic automatic transmission, the multitronic continuously variable transmission, and either front-wheel drive or quattro permanent all-wheel drive, which has been subjected to intensive development work that has made its performance even more dynamic.

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