“It is bulging with top-of-the-line features and options including Audi drive select, daytime running lights and adaptive cruise control. It is dynamic and precise to drive and boasts powerful engines with systematic reductions in fuel consumption.”

Says it all really, should we need to know anything else? No come on let’s get stuck in! 

The all new Audi A4 was officially launched in Australia on Friday 2nd May 2008 and the Audi marketing department has stepped into rocket stations ready mode once again a new model is here! The new Audi A4 was launched this week with a star studded welcome at a secret location called “A4 Central” on Hickson road in Sydney. Audi Ambassador Jennifer Hawkins (well tats what Audi says) was on hand to unveil the launch of Audi’s latest bread earner car the A4.

Here comes the new stary eyed A4

Some 8.5 million A4’s have been sold since it went into production – now compared to your average Japanese car manufacture like the currently unstoppable ‘Toy-mo-ta’ brand this may not seem like incredible figures but this is a prestige brand after all being bought by the middle to upper class market so it’s not a figure to scoff at by any means.

Now I’ve been scouring the design sheets for this newly rejuvenated A4 series and it really does mark an improvement in both the technical and visual areas. Let’s look at what builds this car to be the latest improvement on what some would say already is a hard car to improve on.

OK so technological features, we have the new Audi Drive Select system which is a variable suspension softness setup allowing you to choose from  Comfort, Auto or ‘Dynamic suspension settings, the last being the M-sport BMW setting then hmmm.

Subtle but neat design changes over the previous design shape 

The new ‘Drive assist’ system that has adaptive cruise control when set to ON simular to the Mercedes system where using bumper located radar it intelligently slows the car cruise controlling into the back of the next car in front of you, this could be as the car in front slam’s on the brakes to take that late exit to a McDonalds.

The next trump card from the new models line-up is the new engine configurations with the modern ‘direct fuel common rail injection’ technology being utilised across most of the engine options which are: 

·         1.8 TFSI manual or multitronic
118kW
0-100km/h 8.6 sec

·         2.0 TDI multitronic
105 kW
0-100km/h 9.4 sec

·         3.2 FSI quattro tiptronic
140 kW
0-100km/h 7.7 sec

·         2.7-litre TDI multitronic (to follow in mid 2008) 1
95 kW
0-100km/h 6.4 sec

The last new item is a Bang & Olufsen designed ‘too many to count’ speaker system with all kinds of tweeter speakers all over the car, coupled with a clever outside noise cancelling system it should deliver hi-fi quality interior sound as you cruse to your next destination. Oh did I mention keyless entry and the option of Xenon’s across the board, this new A4 has packed in the lot.

Interior designed to the usual BMW beating Audi quality

For the exterior it’s kind of a similar upgrade, the classy but understated German look, just a little more refined and teased out in places, the most noticeable addition is the LED day lights that seem to be popping up all over the Audi range now, borrowing from the recent Audi R8 and A5’s LED look with the ‘look at me coming’ daytime lights.

Pricing is dependant on engine and transmission type with the semi-auto Tiptronic system being the most costly:

Engine & powertrain pricing (AUD)

Final thought, now the new A4 series is out, it can’t be long for the new A4 S and A4 RS models to be released *rubs hands together* exciting times are ahead for the A4 range 🙂

Source: Audi.com.au