2009 Audi A4

STORY TOOLS
Digg this	del.icio.us

It's taken three years and $1 billion to build the 2009 Audi A4, yet the fifth-generation Audi sedan still has the same targets as always: the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Rupert Stadler, Audi's chairman of the executive board, tells us that Audi is no longer content to rest on its traditional strengths of quality, safety and design. From now on, dynamics, performance and technology will be the corporate mantra.

The fifth-generation A4 will debut at the Frankfurt auto show in September 11 before going on sale in North America in September 2008 as the 2009 Audi A4. As these first official photographs show, we'll be talking about this car for months to come. It looks like this new Audi might give BMW and Mercedes-Benz something to think about.

Built in Ingolstadt
Though Audi has led the way with aluminum construction in its high-end cars like the Audi A8, the unit body of the new 2009 Audi A4 will be built of steel. Nevertheless, Audi says that while the new car is physically bigger than before, the unit body weighs almost 10 percent less thanks to the use of steel components that are tailored in thickness to their specific location. As a result, the base-model A4 with its turbocharged four-cylinder engine weighs 3,109 pounds, just 44 pounds more than its predecessor.

Though the body engineering might represent a new departure, the exterior design couldn't be more familiar. It carries all the customary Audi design cues and there are clear visual hints of the A5 coupe — in fact, from certain angles you'd be hard-pressed to tell the two apart. This is no bad thing, as the sensuous A5 has brought a new elegance and grace to the company's design language.

The new A4's interior also is largely shared with the A5, including its dashboard, center console and trims. Far more inviting and even sumptuous than the outgoing A4, the new car features an electronically operated handbrake, automatic air-conditioning and multifunction steering wheel as standard equipment for the European-specification models due to go on sale in November.

The options list is lengthy, with Audi's MMI (Multi Media Interface) coming in combination with satellite navigation, a powerful 505-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system with MP3 compatibility and Bluetooth function for your mobile telephone.

More Space, More Safety
You have to look closely to see the enlarged dimensions of the new A4, as the overall length has been stretched just 4.6 inches, while overall width has increased 2.2 inches.

The increase in exterior dimensions has created greater space inside, most notably in the rear where knee room has been increased by an impressive 1.4 inches. Luggage capacity has also gone up fractionally by 0.7 cubic foot to 17 cubic feet with the rear seats in place.

Safety is also a big issue for the fifth-generation A4. The outgoing model performed well in crash testing, but Audi says the new one has raised the standard again. In addition to a stronger body shell, there are the usual airbags, including side curtain bags. Also standard are ABS, Brake Assist and the very latest electronic stability control. There's also a monitoring system for the driver's blind spot to improve the safety of lane changes.

A Bigger Footprint
The most important change incorporated into the new generation is the longer-wheelbase chassis introduced by the A5. Changes to the front suspension move the wheels forward by 6.1 inches compared to the current A4. There's also a 6.6-inch stretch in the wheelbase, while the front track is 1.7 inches wider and the rear is 1.6 inches wider. The longer wheelbase comes from relocating the differential for the front wheels ahead of the clutch. There are fewer inches of front overhang, so there's less mass leading the front tires down the road, and that means the car is more responsive to steering inputs. The coupe also distributes its weight more evenly.

Also like the A5, there's an optimized five-link front suspension complemented by the customary multilink independent rear suspension. Many of the components are made from aluminum to decrease unsprung weight for more responsive suspension action. The new, larger engine bay also permits the relocation of the steering rack, and the result is more direct steering action with improved feedback from the tires.

Audi tells us this new A4 is dramatically more engaging to drive, and indeed is the sportiest car in its class. In other words, Audi expects it to usurp the 3 Series as the driver's choice.

The addition of variable damping control as optional equipment should also help improve the outgoing model's ride quality and push it closer to the Mercedes C-Class in overall comfort. Audi has also worked hard on the new car's aerodynamics to improve high-speed stability for an added measure of refinement while driving long distances. Audi claims to have achieved a very slippery drag coefficient of just 0.27 Cd.

The Stuff That Makes It Go
Audi has yet to reveal full details on North American versions of the new A4, but does confirm there will be two gasoline engines from the outset of sales. They include a turbocharged four-cylinder as well as a naturally aspirated 3.2-liter V6.

There will naturally be an S4 that will feature a 350-horsepower version of the 4.2-liter Audi V8. (In Europe the S4 won't arrive until early 2009, so the U.S. might not see the S4 until the 2010 model year.)

As now, a four-cylinder engine will be matched with front-wheel drive, while the V6 will get all-wheel drive. Introduced by the A5, Audi's all-wheel-drive system has been recalibrated from the company's traditional 50 percent front/50 percent rear torque split to send 60 percent of the power to the rear wheels in cruising conditions.

Audi tells us that this is a bid to improve the car's traction out of slow corners, though of course the unspoken agenda here is to make the A4 feel more like the rear-wheel-drive BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class.

The Frankfurt Promise
Like the 3 Series and C-Class, the formula for the 2009 Audi A4 is familiar, and there will be no huge technical or dynamic breakthroughs to anticipate.

This might be the best news we could hope for, because it suggests that Audi has arrived at a point where it can tinker with the car's tuning and refine its presentation. Much of the goodness that can be found in the Audi's competitors from BMW and Mercedes has come from long-term development of a familiar package.

So now that Audi can concentrate on the little things, the A4 might make the big leap in its driving appeal. — Andreas Stahl, Contributor

2009 Audi A4 Buzz Station