The biggest, fastest, and most fuel-efficient vehicle in the sport sedan category, the Audi A4, continues its legacy of success through athletic design, luxurious interior appointments, and the award-winning efficient 2.0-liter TFSI® engine. The A4 was the first Audi sedan to reveal the brand’s signature LED lighting and thus set the foundation for the acclaimed Audi design language carrying through the Audi lineup. The 2.0 liter turbocharged TFSI gasoline direct injection engine provides the power of a six-cylinder in a four-cylinder package, delivering 211 hp at 4,300 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 rpm.

Consumers have a number of transmission choices to suit individual tastes, including the eight-speed Tiptronic® transmission wîth Dynamic Stability Program (DSP) and Sport shift program, a six-speed manual, or a multitronic® eightspeed Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) wîth Sport shift program. With available quattro® technology, the A4 helps provide exceptional grip by translating more engine power to the road through Tiptronic or manual transmissions. Front-drive Audi A4 models come exclusively wîth the multitronic transmission. (posted on conceptcarz.com)

The interior of all Audi A4 models offers spaciousness and convenience for drivers and passengers. Craftsmanship is evident in the leather seating surfaces, including the newly available fine Nappa leather covered door armrests and in other materials such as brushed aluminum or available wood inlays. To add to the sport feel, Audi offers available sport contoured front seats wîth adjustable thigh support.

Available convenience technologies, such as Audi MMI® Navigation plus and Audi music interface, add pure enjoyment to the driving experience. Entertainment is provided by an Audi six-channel stereo system wîth ten speakers, or an available Bang & Olufsen® 505-watt, 14 speaker sound system. A SiriusXM™ Satellite Radio three-month trial subscription is included. The A4 features numerous driver assistance technologies designed to help motorists more easily navigate to their destinations. Audi side assist helps provides a visual warning in the exterior mirror if a vehicle approaches alongside an Audi A4. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) helps keeps the A4 on track, and a full complement of airbags helps protect drivers and passengers in the event of a collision.

Price: $27,270 – 30,850.
Invoice: $25,361 – 28,691.

Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options

The 2012 Audi A4 is available in sedan and wagon (Avant) body styles. Both come in Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige trim levels. The high-performance S4 model is covered in a separate review.The Premium trim comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof (panoramic on Avant), automatic headlights, automatic wipers, cruise control, foglamps, automatic climate control, eight-way power front seats, a tilt-and-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather upholstery, a dash-mounted Audi Multi Media Interface (MMI) and a 10-speaker sound system with a CD player, auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio. The Avant also adds split-folding rear seats.

An optional Convenience package adds Bluetooth and an iPod interface, while the Style package includes bi-xenon headlights, LED running lights, self-leveling headlights and bright metal exterior trim. All of the above features are included in the Premium Plus trim, along with 18-inch wheels, sporty S line bodywork, three-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, driver memory functions, split-folding rear seats, auto-dimming mirrors and an enhanced trip computer.

The MMI Navigation Plus package adds a navigation system with real-time traffic, digital music storage, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, voice controls, HD radio, a color trip computer screen and MMI controls located on the center console. The A4 Prestige comes standard with adaptive headlights, a power liftgate (on Avant models), keyless ignition/entry, a blind-spot warning system, the Navigation package and a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system (optional on Premium Plus).

Options unique to the Prestige include the S line package (19-inch wheels, summer tires, faux-suede seat inserts and special exterior and interior trim), the Drive Select package (which provides adaptive suspension dampers as well as adjustable settings for the suspension, steering and transmission), adaptive cruise control, a power rear sunshade and manual rear side sunshades. The Sport package (also offered on the Premium Plus) includes a sport-tuned suspension, a three-spoke steering wheel, more aggressively bolstered seats and automatic transmission shift paddles. Optional rear side airbags are available on Premium Plus and Prestige trims only, but any A4 is eligible for wood interior trim.

Interior

Among entry-level luxury sedans, the 2012 Audi A4′s cabin is regarded as one of the best in its class. The interior’s austere design lends an air of adult seriousness, while the top-notch materials send a message of sophisticated refinement. The use of real leather as standard equipment also gives the Audi an advantage over its competitors from BMW and Mercedes, which use vinyl leatherette. Most MMI infotainment functions are conveniently situated around the shift lever on models equipped with the navigation system, but cars without navigation have MMI on the dash, which is far less convenient and user-friendly.

Navigation-equipped cars also get the newer, improved version of MMI. The A4′s other controls are generally intuitive and well laid out, though accessing certain features can be an exercise in frustration. Adjusting something as simple as the fan speed, for example, is a two-step process. The sedan’s 12-cubic-foot trunk is average in size, so it’s worth considering the Avant, as it offers 17.3 cubic feet. Fold the Avant’s seatbacks down and you’ve got 51 cubic feet: a useful amount, though it is below average for a wagon because of the Audi’s raked rear window.

Powertrains and Performance

Powering every 2012 Audi A4 is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 211 horsepower and an ample 258 pound-feet of torque. The sedan’s Premium and Premium Plus trim levels come standard as the 2.0T FrontTrak Multitronic, indicating it has front-wheel drive and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). All trims can be had as the 2.0T Quattro, denoting all-wheel drive and either a standard six-speed manual or optional eight-speed automatic transmission. The Avant is available only with Quattro and the automatic.

The A4′s acceleration is as brisk as other entry-level luxury sedans, returning 0-60-mph times in the mid-6-second range, as estimated by Audi. The Multitronic CVTs are a bit slower, at 7.2 seconds. EPA-estimated fuel economy for the 2.0T FrontTrak is 22 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined — very frugal for a luxury sedan. The 2.0T Quattro achieves a still-impressive estimated 21/29/24 with the automatic and 21/31/25 with the manual.

Driving Impressions

The 2012 Audi A4′s handling is neutral and secure, even more so when the car is equipped with all-wheel drive. Drivers with a penchant for performance will likely find the added athleticism of the Sport package to their liking, though ride quality suffers (especially if it’s combined with the 19-inch wheels). The turbocharged four-cylinder engine provides class-competitive acceleration, but it lacks the refinement of a six-cylinder, transmitting some off-putting vibrations through the steering wheel.

Also of note is the optional Audi Drive Select system, which allows the driver to choose among three modes for ride compliance, steering effort and transmission responsiveness — or enjoy custom settings via a fourth “Individual” mode. It’s an interesting but pricey idea, and in testing we’ve noted it creates more drawbacks than solutions. Most shoppers should find the A4′s standard suspension, steering and transmission calibrations perfectly adequate.

Safety

Standard safety features on the 2012 Audi A4 include antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front seat side airbags and side curtain airbags. Rear-seat side airbags are optional on the Premium Plus and Prestige, while a blind-spot warning system is optional on the Prestige. Also available is an “Active Braking Guard” feature that’s part of the adaptive cruise control optional on the Prestige. If an imminent collision is detected, the system alerts the driver and primes the brakes for full stopping power.

In government crash tests, the A4 earned an overall rating of four stars out of a possible five, with four stars for overall frontal crash protection and five stars for side crash protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the A4 its highest rating of “Good” in both frontal-offset and side impact crash testing, as well as roof strength tests, and that was without the optional rear-seat airbags. In brake testing, an A4 Avant with the Sport package came to a stop from 60 mph in an astoundingly short 103 feet — about the same as a Porsche 911. Without the Sport package, an A4 Quattro sedan stopped in an average but still acceptable 123 feet.

The new Audi A4 is being introduced wîth a choice of five engines, their power outputs ranging from 105 kW (143 bhp) to 195 kW (265 bhp). The four-cylinder petrol engine, like the diesels, is turbocharged, and both types of engine have direct fuel injection. All the engines, wîth their supremely refined flow of power, make the A4 a pleasure to drive and, thanks to their high efficiency, consume distinctly 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.

Price: $28,900 – 81,900.
Invoice: $26,875 – 76,165.

Design

The new Audi A4 has many fascinating sides to its character, all of them expressed by the outlines of its body. Their high-tech precision clearly demonstrates the leading position that Audi occupies in automobile design. The new A4 has a spacious saloon body and a firm, muscular stance on the road. Its length (4703 millimetres) and width (1826 millimetres) exceed those of its core competitors, and sporty dynamics were the guiding principle in its development. The proportions have a new balance compared wîth the previous model: the front body overhang has been considerably reduced and the bonnet and wheelbase are now noticeably longer. A long, coupe-style roof line emphasises the flowing silhouette. The roof meets the side sections of the body at an almost invisible zero-gap joint – just one of the many details that uphold the Audi principle of high technical precision.

Body and Interior

There is ample space for the occupants and their luggage in the light, generously sized interior of the new Audi A4, wîth its clear layout and attractive styling. Thanks to new high-tech materials and processes, the bodyshell is even safer and more rigid than the previous model, although it weighs significantly less. With a drag coefficient of cD = 0.27, the new Audi A4 has the wind-cheating outlines that make for quiet, efficient travel. Inside the new A4 there is a sense of light and space that would do justice to a car in a much larger category. The saloon’s 2808-millimetre wheelbase is not only more generous than its core competitors but also distinctly longer than the previous model. The interior is now 20 mm longer and rear-passenger knee room has gone up by a remarkable 36 mm to 908 mm. Headroom and width at shoulder height have also been increased. Every passenger in the new A4 has access to convenient features such as large cup holders and softly upholstered armrests. To sit in the new A4 is to feel comfortable and content from the very first moment on – a typical ‘Audi effect’.

The interior seems to fit the occupants like a wellmade sports jacket. Its graphic design, featuring taut surfaces and dynamic lines, conveys precisely the sense of lightness and athletic vitality that is inherent in every aspect of the new Audi A4. The choice of materials, how they are used and how satisfying they feel are factors that delight the senses of those who ride in this new car. Every element reveals the careful attention to detail and the already proverbial striving for top quality that are associated wîth Audi as a premium brand. The switches, for instance, operate wîth precisely defined effort and no excess movement; the rotary controls click smoothly into place at each setting. This is the sound of true technical perfection. An optional-extra lighting package adds still more lustre to the interior. The front seats are designed to integrate the driver and passenger perfectly into the sporty ambience. Their height can be varied, and they support and locate the occupant’s body ideally. The driver’s hand instinctively finds the gear lever where it is expected; the position and angle of the §teering wheel and pedals seem to have been chosen to suit the driver’s very own preferences. The §teering wheel can be adjusted by 60 mm in reach and 50 mm in height.

As an alternative to manual seat adjustment, Audi can supply electric seat adjustment as an extra, wîth a position memory function as an additional option. Another optional extra is seat cushion and seat back heating. If the sports seats are chosen, the seat base angle is adjustable, the seat cushion can be extended and electric four-way lumbar support is a standard feature. The new ‘Climatic Comfort’ seats bring a touch of true large-car luxury to the Audi A4. They are upholstered in perforated leather and have small fans wîth six speed settings to ventilate the seat cushion and seat back. To avoid the risk of excessive cooling, a heating function cuts in automatically. The ‘Comfort’ seats are available in a specially perforated version of the Milano leather upholstery, in a choice of four colours. For the standard and sports seats a second type of leather (Valcona) is available, and the sports seats can be obtained wîth combined Alcantara and leather upholstery.

Body

The technical features of the steel bodyshell are also evidence of the major steps forward that have been taken on the new Audi A4. The body is extremely light in weight: although almost twelve centimetres longer and over five centimetres wider than its predecessor, the bare bodyshell weighs about ten percent less – an excellent starting point for a saloon car of low gross weight. The Audi A4 1.8 TFSI, for instance, tips the scales at only 1,410 kilograms. This weight saving is due to specific use of new grades of steel that combine exceptional strength wîth low weight. Only these ultra-high-strength steel grades give the body the high level of rigidity needed for precise, sporty handling and excellent ride comfort.

Audi is the first automobile manufacturer to produce these ‘tailored blanks’, as they are called, from ultra-high-strength steel in its own factory. They account for 12 percent of the weight of the new A4′s bare bodyshell without doors, lids and windows. 18 percent are accounted for by ultra-high-strength steel grades, 32 percent by high-strength steels and 38 percent by conventional deep-drawing grades of steel. The complex body structure is designed to suppress vibration to the maximum possible extent. Areas at the front end of the car that could be subjected to severe sources of potential vibration as the car is driven have been specifically reinforced, and the larger cavities in the body, including posts and sills, have been divided up into smaller volumes by means of bulkheads. The occupants are protected as far as possible from the effects of collisions of all kinds by carefully matched body elements. For its occupant protection concept,

Audi makes use of a number of sources including the large database that it has compiled itself: the Audi Accident Research Únit (AARÚ) investigates and analyses accidents all over the world. One of its findings is for instance that persons of smaller stature are still exposed to greater risk of injury in a frontal crash than others. For this reason, Audi has coordinated the network of occupant restraint systems more closely than has ever been the case in a midsize car. Sensors on the seat rails determine the actual position of the seats. This data is supplied to the control unit that regulates the action of the adaptive seat belt force limiters and airbags. In this way the distance available for the belt and airbag to restrain the upper part of the seat occupant’s body can be used as effectively as possible.

Controls

Optimal car control is one of the major areas of competence in which Audi leads the way. The new A4 is convincing in its ergonomics, which are logical in every detail and permit the controls to be operated intuitively. The cockpit in the new Audi A4 is clearly oriented toward the driver. The centre console is inclined at 8 degrees to the driver’s side of the car and forms a single visual unit wîth the instrument panel. A multifunctional leather-covered sports §teering wheel wîth three spokes is available as an optional extra. It has small drum-type and pushbutton controls for the basic functions of the navigation and audio systems, the car phone and the voice control system. For the A4 wîth automatic transmission, shift paddles behind the §teering wheel rim are another optional extra. In many aspects of its detail design, Audi’s new midsize saloon pursues the same approach taken on the A8, its larger sister-model in the luxury §egmènt. The Driver Information System (DIS) display located between the speedometer and revolution counter dials is a standard item on cars wîth a V6 engine.

A 6.5-inch black-and-white display screen is located on the upper part of the centre console, where it can also be clearly seen. It supplies information on the audio and air conditioning systems and the settings possible when the CAR menu is selected. These settings enable customers to configure many of the car’s functions themselves. The large switches and pushbuttons on the standard audio systems wîth MMI control logic are ideally positioned for easy operation, between the automatic air conditioning and the ventilation outlets. When the new Audi A4 is ordered wîth a navigation system, the Multi Media Interface (MMI) is integrated into the centre tunnel. MMI has been highly praised by testers on many occasions and has proved to be superior to systems offered by competitors. 15 large switches and a volume control are grouped around a central turn-and-press knob, and used to select the navigation, information, CAR menu, set-up, telephone, address book, CD/TV and radio functions effortlessly, intuitively and logically. If the car has the high-end navigation system wîth DVD drive, all the relevant information appears on a colour screen measuring 7 inches from corner to corner.

Driving off safely and smoothly: the electro-mechanical parking brake Another control on the centre tunnel operates the electro-mechanical parking brake, a convenient luxury feature also derived from the Audi A8. It assists the driver when the car is moving away from a standstill, and also functions as an emergency brake. The optional-extra Audi hold assist adds extra functions. The space formerly occupied by the handbrake lever can be used for additional convenience: as an optional extra, a centre armrest wîth extra-soft upholstery can be installed, wîth two 12-Volt power sockets beneath it. The new radio-operated key for the Audi A4 has no conventional blade: to start the engine, the key is simply pressed into the ignition switch. It can memorise several of the car’s specific settings and also store servicing information and fault messages. The ‘advanced key’ high-end version means that the key does not even have to be taken out of the driver’s pocket. In this case sensors are used to lock and unlock the car and the engine is started and stopped by means of an elegantly designed pushbutton on the centre tunnel.

Audi supplies various stages in headlight technology. In the top version, the xenon plus headlights can be combined wîth ‘adaptive light’, which directs the headlight beams in the appropriate direction as the car turns a corner. The new A4 is supplied wîth automatic air conditioning as standard equipment; the system is an entirely new, more efficient development that has enabled cooling performance to be increased by 10 percent and at the same time the fuel consumed to operate the air conditioning has been reduced by 20 percent. As an optional extra, a version wîth three temperature zones can be ordered; it permits separate control of temperature and airflow for the driver, front passenger and rear passengers.

Driveline

The new A4 is being launched wîth a choice of five powerful, refined engines. All of them, both petrol and diesel, use direct fuel injection, and the two four-cylinder units and the V6 TDI engines are turbocharged. With their splendid flow of power, these engines make driving the new A4 nothing less than pure pleasure. They also use less fuel than the equivalent engines in the previous model. Customers furthermore have a wide choice of high-tech transmissions: either a manual gearbox or automatic transmission can be specified. They transmit power to the front wheels or to a quattro permanent all-wheel driveline that has particularly dynamic settings. Like the TDI diesels, the two petrol engines, the 3.2 FSI and the 1.8 TFSI, use the direct injection principle, in which fuel is delivered directly to the engine’s combustion chambers. When this fuel vaporises, it absorbs heat from the combustion chamber walls, which allows the engine to operate at a higher compression ratio. Its overall efficiency is thus higher – power and efficiency go together in every Audi.

The new 3.2 FSI, a member of Audi’s ultra-modern family of V engines, is the most powerful unit available in the new A4. From a displacement of 3197 cc, it develops 195 kW (265 bhp) and also delivers 330 Nm of torque all the way from 3000 to 5000 rpm. It accelerates the A4 3.2 FSI quattro wîth manual gearbox from a standstill to 100 km/h in only 6.2 seconds, and maintains this flow of power until the governed top speed of 250 km/h is reached. As an alternative from 2008 onwards, this engine can be combined wîth the 6-speed tiptronic automatic transmission; in either case, it delivers its power to the road via quattro permanent all-wheel drive. The engine’s inlet valves are actuated by a pioneering innovation: the Audi valvelift system (AVS). It uses sliding sleeves (cam elements). These have different profiles, one alongside the other. They are slid along the camshafts in order to obtain smaller and larger amounts of valve lift. The purpose of AVS is to ensure that the combustion chambers are always ideally filled; the throttle butterfly can then remain fully open in most cases, so that the engine breathes more efficiently.

The Audi A4 3.2 FSI wîth manual gearbox is content to consume an average of only 9.2 litres per 100 kilometres, 1.2 litres fewer than the previous car wîth a 188 kW (255 bhp) engine. About half of this improvement is due to the new valve actuating principle; the other half has been achieved by minimising internal friction. Oil pump volume is now smaller, wîth an optimised loss rating. Like the water pump, it now delivers a demand-controlled flow – another means of reducing fuel consumption. The smaller of the two petrol engines, the compact four-cylinder 1.8 TFSI, is a highly efficient unit that develops 118 kW (160 bhp) and a torque of 250 Nm between 1500 and 4500 rpm from a displacement of 1798 cc. It accelerates the manual-gearbox A4 in 8.6 seconds to the typical main-road speed of 100 km/h, and maintains its thrust up to a top speed of 225 km/h. Yet according to the EÚ test cycle its consumption is only 7.1 l/100 km –1.1 litres per 100 kilometres better than the previous model. As an alternative to the manual gearbox, multitronic continuously variable transmission can be ordered, in both cases wîth front-wheel drive.

The 1.8 TFSI is a close relative of the 2.0 TFSI engine chosen three times in succession by a jury of international journalists as ‘Engine of the Year’. On this smaller version for use in the latest model line, direct petrol injection and turbocharging represent an ideal combination. Injection pressure has been increased to 150 bar, and new injectors distribute the fuel accurately to the combustion chambers. The turbocharger is exceptionally rapid in its response – at an engine speed of 2000 rpm it accelerates the engine 30 percent faster to a ten percent higher torque than the conventional 1.8T engine that powered the preceding model. For all its vigour, this four-cylinder unit runs quietly, in a most refined manner.

Equipment and Trim

The new Audi A4 can be ordered ex factory wîth one of four equipment and trim specifications, all of them wîth a very full list of items. The new saloon model, however, can be further enhanced by choosing from a selection of luxury optional extras. Its innovative assistance systems and the broad range of electronic components are taken directly from the large luxury car programme. The four equipment and trim lines have been named Attraction, Ambition, Ambiente and S line, and each of them can be ordered wîth any of the available engines. Even the Attraction line gives the new A4 a high level of comfort and convenience. 16-inch wheels emphasise its sporty character, and the daytime driving lights give it a striking presence on the road. Automatic boot lid opening, the electro-mechanical parking brake, the 6.5-inch black-and-white display screen and the automatic air conditioning all add to the high standard of comfort and convenience, and the ‘chorus’ radio wîth MMI control logic has a CD player and eight loudspeakers.

Ambition, the second equipment and trim line, is sporting in character. Its most obvious feature are 17-inch diameter cast aluminium wheels of six-spoke design. Sports suspension, which the customer need not specify if not required, makes the handling even more dynamic, and the three-spoke leather-covered sports §teering wheel is a striking feature of the interior. The third equipment and trim line is Ambiente, which focuses on comfort. The A4 then runs on specially designed 16-inch cast alloy wheels of seven-arm pattern. The front seats can be heated. The Audi parking system makes parking in reverse easier and cruise control maintains a constant road speed when required. Other features for extra comfort and convenience are the multifunctional leather-covered §teering wheel and a front armrest wîth two power sockets; the lighting package adds further highlights. Customers wîth a dynamic approach to driving will tend to favour the sporty S line, which offers an exterior design package and a sports package. Among its most attractive items are visual changes inside the car, extra-firm suspension settings, 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels and two exclusive colours: Misano red and Monza silver.

Gear

The new A4′s dynamic suspension combines sporty precision wîth high stability and supremely confident road behaviour. It is a totally new design, wîth many components made from aluminium in order to reduce unsprung weight. Two technological breakthroughs make the driving experience even more fascinating: adaptive shock absorber control and Audi dynamic §teering. The Audi dynamic §teering system alters its effective ratio according to road speed, and helps to keep the new A4 stable when the handling limits are approached by making slight but extremely rapid §teering corrections.

The adaptive shock absorber control maintains optimal tyre contact wîth the road, for safety allied to dynamism in just about every situation, and so that even the enthusiastic driver can be sure that maximum safety is always available. Interchanging the differential and the clutch has enabled the front axle to be moved forward by 154 millimetres. This change, aided by moving the car’s battery to the boot, helps to achieve ideal weight distribution. With its wide track –1564 mm at the front, 1551 mm at the rear – the A4 suggests its dynamic power even at a standstill. To drive it is to experience the sportiest car in the midsize category: agile, effortless to handle and safe at all times. With its almost neutral §teering response, the new A4 can be cornered at high speeds.