Audi A4 2008 review

It is a bullish forecast on the back of a sales surge that has seen Audi double its business in Australia since 2004, including 7200 vehicles sold last year.

The A4, coded the B8 in the model's family tree, is seen as Audi's last big hope to join the pacesetters of the flourishing premium compact segment.

Over the years this patch has been dominated by BMW's ethereal 3-series and the spiralling growth of Mercedes-Benz's C-Class. 

Some observers claim this new Audi is the missile it needs to capture a share of the market outside Europe.

It is a completely new and bigger car, with more dynamic refinement and technical innovations, but whether it will be enough to justify Audi's bold predictions is open to conjecture.

Since 1972, when the B1 — the A4's forebear — was born, the model line has been the backbone of Audi's business, selling more than 8.5 million. In 2007 it accounted for 41 per cent of the Ingolstadt manufacturer's international sales that topped 960,000 units.

Audi is cocky about the Australian prospects of the latest A4, claiming part of the success will come from improved resale values — one of its weaknesses against the traditionally strong BMW residuals.

The latest A4 arrives here with a string of awards from Germany. But it is up against not only the selling might of the rear-drive 3-series but also the burgeoning Mercedes C-Class, the current Wheels Car Of The Year.

And then there is the Lexus IS250.

Audi risks alienating its highest-spending A8 saloon customers by suggesting that the company aims to introduce breakthrough technology on the A4.

Of course Audi's famous quattro all-wheel-drive layout was fashioned on the Audi 80 in 1982 and later that decade direct-injection TDI diesels were launched with the Audi 100, both important cogs in the A4 lineage.

So it is aiming to use the A4 again as the launch bed of technical breakthroughs.

Among the interesting additions on the new A4 are the side-assist warning and the lane-assist device.

The side-assist is essentially the same as the BLIS system, which was pioneered by Volvo.

The lane-assist operation uses sensors that detect if the car is going off-course by triggering a vibration through the steering wheel, akin to running over audible rumble lines on some freeways. Together these two systems are a $2400 option.

Audi is offering a range of engine choices, starting with the 1.8-litre turbo from $50,900 for the manual and $53,500 for the Multitronic.

From there the range steps up to a 2.0-litre Multitronic turbo-diesel ($54,900) while the 3.2-litre V6 quattro petrol vehicle tops the range at $88,500.

Joining the crowd in June is a 2.7-litre turbo-diesel at $67,900, while a 3-litre turbo-diesel from $89,500 is scheduled for October, two months after the Avant wagon arrives.

Dimensionally, there are significant changes with the new car that comes off the already launched A5 coupe platform.

It has been stretched a further 120mm and is 50.4mm wider, while the boot gains 20 litres which swells to a cavernous 480 litres.

The quattro, which is not accessible until you stretch to the 3-litre diesel and 3.2-litre V6, has a 40/60 front/rear torque split.

The A4 is 4703mm long and wins out over the 3-series (4520mm) and the C-Class (4581mm).

BMW and Mercedes-Benz also have a shorter distance between the axles, with the Audi running to 2808mm against the 3-series's 2760mm and the C-Class (2760mm).

The A4 has more front headroom than both of its German rivals but the 3-series and C-Class win out in front and rear shoulder width.

Other key optional extras for the A4 include the drive select with adaptive dampers for $3200. You can add dynamic steering to that package, which blows the price to $5500 and is available only on the 3.2-litre V6.

Then there is the Xenon Plus package (standard on the 3.2-litre V6) which adds the curvy LED daytime running lights for $2100.

Snapshot

Audi A4

Price: from $50,900 to $88,500.

Engines: 1.8-litre four cylinder, 2-litre turbo-diesel, 2.7-litre turbo-diesel, 3.2-litre V6 quattro, 3-litre turbo-diesel quattro.

Transmissions: 6-speed manual, Multitronic, 6-speed Tiptronic (3.2-litre V6).

Power: 118kW (1.8), 105kW (2-litre TDI), 140kW (2.7-litre TDI), 195kW (3.2-litre V6).

Torque: 250Nm (1.8), 320Nm (2-litre TDI), 400Nm (2.7-litre TDI), 330Nm (3.2-litre V6).

Safety: Eight airbags (standard), ESP and associated brake and skid assist programs.

Fuel consumption: 7.1litres/100km (manual 1.8), 5.8litres/100km (2-litre TDI), 6.6litres/100km (2.7-litre TDI), 9.3litres/100km (3.2-litre V6).

Emissions: 169g/km (1.8), 154 (2-litre TDI), 176 (2.7-litre TDI), 220 (3.2-litre V6).

Standard Equipment: 6.5inch screen, automatic aircon, Milano leather seat upholstery and head restraints.

Optional equipment: adaptive cruise control, adaptive lights, advanced key, various parking systems, Audi drive select with adaptive dampers, lane assist, side assist, dynamic steering, 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, Bluetooth, 3-zone automatic aircon, driver information system with monochrome display, navigation system with DVD including MMI (multi media interface), Comfort package, Symphony radio, TV reception, Xenon Plus headlight and daytime LED driving lights, gearshift display, Valcona leather.