Audi's sports star

Audi's bigger, sharper and sportier A4 has broken cover, with the first photo of the all-new mid-sized saloon released ahead of a Frankfurt Motor Show debut. The new model looks as though it sits lower on a more aggressive wheelbase than the outgoing car, continuing Audi's increasing tendency towards the sporty look.

“I think the design direction is working well for us at the moment,” Audi Australia's Anna Burgdorf says. “We are going for sporty, we are going for progressive technology, we are going for sophisticated design ... it's working.”

Burgdorf says the A4, the most popular model in the marque's Australian line-up, will arrive here around April after a showing at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney motor show in October, but could not confirm any specifics for the local line-up.

“It is far too early for us to be talking about the car for Australia, other than to say we are really looking forward to getting it here around April next year,” Burgdorf says.

“We are still negotiating with the factory for price, engines, specifications ... all that detail is yet to be settled.”

The A4 will be a key platform to Audi's desire to continue its runaway sales growth next year after having maintained a 43 percent year-on-year improvement through 2007.

“Officially we are talking about 6500 this year but I think it's clear that we will go well beyond that,” Burgdorf says. “We want steady growth ... that is important for us. At the moment we are sitting on 43percent, which is fantastic, but we want to be sure we can maintain a steady growth."

“We would be happy year-on-year with 20percent but it really does depend on what cars come into the market and how we can package them. It's a moving target but we would like ... another year of double-digit growth, that is our goal.”

For the new A4 the front body overhang has been drastically shortened on a bonnet and wheelbase that are both longer than the outgoing model, not only changing the exterior cues of the car but increasing interior space.

To balance the dynamics of the totally new, largely aluminium chassis, engineers have swapped the location of the differential and the clutch to move the front axle forward by 154mm.

Taking advantage of the A4's weight-loss program, which sees the 1.8 TFSI model weigh in at just over 1400kg, a range of hi-tech options boost the car's dynamic profile.

Audi drive select varies the engine, automatic transmission, steering and suspension active damping characteristics to suit individual drivers' preferences while the dynamic steering ratio is speed-variable.

The A4 will launch in Europe with five engines, two petrol and three diesel, coupled to either a six-speed manual, six-speed automatic or CVT transmission. Drive will either be through the front wheels or the quattro AWD system. The two direct injection petrol engines are the 3.2-litre FSI (195kW, 330Nm) and the turbocharged 1.8-litre TFSI (118kW, 250Nm).

The turbo diesel range of engines consists of two V6s and an in-line four, including the new-to-Audi 3.0-litre TDi with 176kW and 500Nm coming standard with quattro.

The 2.7 TDI is a derivative of its 3.0-litre stablemate, producing 140kW and 400Nm. The baby of the diesel range is the proven 2.0-litre TDI with 105kW and 320Nm.

Among a full suite of electronic driver aids, the A4 will feature the latest generation of stability control, which adds a trailer stabilisation function and disc drying technology for the brakes, and it will activate the hazard lights if a panic brake application is made.