The old rap on the Audi A4 has been that it’s a choppy ride, with a too-heavy front end and a tiny back seat. With a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the newish BMW 3 Series on the market, the A4’s flaws were magnified. With its new A4, which made its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show on Sept. 11, Audi hopes it has caught and passed its German brethren.
The new A4 is bigger than the car it replaces, six inches longer in wheelbase and overall length and two inches wider. Although Europeans will have a choice of five direct-injected engines ranging in power from 143 to 265 hp, we will get two: the 3.2-liter V6 producing 265 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque and the 2.0-liter, 200-hp turbo four. Wes Raynal, AutoWeek.com
The new A4 sedan will go on sale in the United States in September 2008, followed by the A4 Avant wagon. The final verdict is still out on the other two body styles that will be offered in Europe, the A4 Allroad and the A4 Sportback, but if Audi wants to double its U.S. sales—and Volkswagen/ Audi’s new North American supremo, Stefan Jacoby, recently expressed just such a goal—then it can’t be stingy in sending over additional body styles.Georg Kacher, AutoMobileMag.com
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