Audi Audi A4 B9 (2015) from 30,600 euros
07/18/2015
E s took an unusually long time to the Audi A4 has completely dropped its camouflage cover. But now, four months before the start of sales in November, when the new one will be available from 30,600 euros (all prices: see table below), the first tour of the mid-range sedan is finally off. With the new outfit, she doesn't turn people's heads on the street. But the driver at the wheel can certainly surprise the new Audi A4.
New Audi A4 with digital instruments - on request
Brave new world? If something really changes in cars nowadays, it is primarily in the interior. This also applies to the new Audi A4. The digital revolution that started the brand from the TT to the Q7 has now also arrived in the A4 - provided the customer also orders the digital cockpit via the MMI navigation, which in the case of the Q7 SUV happens in over 80 percent of cases . Then the driver will find an LCD screen with 12.3 diagonal and a resolution of 1,440 x 540 pixels - razor-sharp in the display.
The view button on the left of the multifunction steering wheel can be used to switch between toggle two surfaces. If you like, you can have the Google Earth 7.0 map displayed here, which shows the surroundings so graphically that you can find a lot of new excursion destinations at the edge of the path that would be worth stopping for. Cultural information is conveniently available in the Travel Information submenu - it's like having your digital travel guide with you all the time.
The new A4 knows the iPhone and Android
Too much about that Multimedia system? So much more: the iPhone can be easily connected, the approved apps can be loaded and the phone and contacts can be managed. The small turn-push button has a touch-sensitive touch bath that can be written on. The first attempt results in a collar-like B, followed by an l in children's script, and contact is already made with colleague Bloch, who even reaches for the higher, even though it's the weekend.
The journey then starts faster than expected - the voice control of the navigation system works perfectly and the desired destination is programmed in no time at all.
The new Audi A4 drives as much lighter as it is
We start with a car that of course has a lot more to offer than a new multimedia system andFor the first time also a head-up display, which, according to electronics boss Ricky Hudi, now only takes up 2.8 liters of installation space. Laypeople should hardly notice that this box had to be stowed in front of the windshield. What emerges quickly, however, is the fact that the character of the mid-size sedan has changed. Not only because it has become up to 120 kilograms lighter and has a widened track with the dimensions of the A5, as well as newly developed five-link axles and, for the first time, an electromechanical steering. The developers worked hard on the entire coordination. The result is a manifold adjustable setup, which in its basic values also has an incredibly harmonious effect on the development cars shortly before the start of series production. The new generation of the A4 has lost the top-heaviness of its predecessor, moves lightly on its path and wags smoothly through the narrow bends of the Black Forest. The suspension is still more firm than soft, maybe even a tad too energetic for some rear passengers - but the developers are putting the finishing touches on in this regard. What is striking is how stiff the body has become, which at the same time looks well insulated.
The highlight in the new Audi A4 is the V6 diesel
The range of engines that includes now also a 2.0 TFSI as the successor to the 1.8 TFSI belongs. Downsizing is no longer necessarily the order of the day, it can again be a shovel more displacement without the CO2 world wavering. 'In terms of CO2 emissions, we are the benchmark,' emphasizes Ulrich Hackenberg, Head of Development. “We're even better than the Passat,” reports the person who launched the VW volume model himself. The new engine with an exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head, a new combustion process and a compression that has been increased from 9.6 to 11.7: 1 in the smaller version with 190 hp provides 20 hp more than its predecessor, but its CO2 emissions are around seven Grams below. And one more number is impressive: this variant can roll 450 meters longer than its predecessor from a speed of 130 km /h, which is partly due to the improved drag coefficient, lower weight and optimized rolling resistance.
First choice in the engine range it is still not, because the four-cylinder clearly indicates when it has to rev up. The three-liter TDI is a lot of driving fun on the first exit, revving up powerfully without being audibly present and giving its driver the feeling of being perfectly motorized at all times, even when overtaking on country roads - no wonder with 272 hp. A total of seven engines are available at the launch, three TFSI and four TDI from 150 to 272 hp. There will be no three-cylinder for the time being, but there will be a smaller base engine later. And what about the plug-in hybrid? 'Look thereLet's see how the customer accepts the current offer, ”emphasizes Hackenberg. “The modular system is definitely prepared.”
Safety thanks to electronics in the new Audi A4
The entire armada of assistance systems comes from the Q7. The A4 has the parking assistant, a cross traffic assistant at the rear, exit warning, turning assistant and traffic sign recognition and has a front camera that can see a good 100 meters ahead and scans the road for other vehicles and pedestrians at speeds of up to 85 km /h. If an accident is imminent, a multi-stage rescue plan is initiated and, if necessary, the system also takes over the full deceleration. Big brother is watching you? There is no reason to be concerned that driving fun will fall by the wayside in the future because the driver will be relieved of everything via the assistance systems: There has never been more fun in an A4 than today - secret joy is the best.
