|
|
|
First Drive: 2002 Audi A4
Proof That There's Always Room for Improvement
|
By Christian Wardlaw
Date posted: 11-19-2001
Nurburgring at speed. The rock-solid 2002 Audi A4 dances beneath us, responding
to our inputs in a way no other mainstream sedan from Ingolstadt has. The stop-right-now
four-wheel disc antilock brakes, the communicative and well-weighted steering
and the aluminum four-wheel independent suspension all seem intuitively dialed
in without providing a punishing ride. Euro-spec Dunlop all-season tires offer
progressive breakaway if not gobs of grip, allowing us to toss the A4 into turns
with relative abandon. We reel in an Audi A8, among other vehicles, during this
open lapping session at the famed German racetrack, despite the lack of high-end
power from the 1.9-liter turbodiesel engine that is chugging away beneath the
A4's sleek hood.
Wha...whoa...stop. Turbodiesel? Yep, and this A4 was a rental from the Hertz counter
at the Frankfurt airport. Stuck in Europe after the events of September 11, we
decided to rent a car, get out of town, see Paris, and get our minds off what
was happening at home. Luck put us in a brand-new 2002 Audi A4 1.9 TDI with fewer
than 500 kilometers on the clock, so we decided to wring it out on the track as
we made our way to France.
A month later, Audi invited us to wring out U.S.-spec models on the highways and
byways of rural Virginia, near Washington D.C. But this time, we didn't drive
an oil burner. Rather, we examined as many variants of the U.S.-spec 2002 A4 as
we could in the time allotted.
Those variants are numerous. The redesigned 2002 A4 can be equipped with either
of two different engines, one of four transmissions, and front- or all-wheel drive
with standard or sport suspension tuning. It's easy to tailor an A4 to your liking.
Starting at the bottom of the lineup is the A4 1.8T with a five-speed manual transmission
driving the front wheels. If you live where the sun doesn't shine (much), perhaps
you'd like to avail yourself of Audi's renowned quattro all-wheel-drive system.
And if shifting your own gears isn't your cuppa-Joe, you can choose from one of
two automatic transmissions. Multitronic is a continuously variable transmission
(CVT) for the front-wheel-drive models. Quattros can be equipped with a conventional
five-speed automatic called Tiptronic. Both of these optional transmissions offer
manual shifting using a special gate to the side of the gear selector.
Powering the 1.8T is a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 170
horsepower at 5,900 rpm and 166 pound-feet of torque between 1,950 and 5,000 rpm.
According to Audi, this engine will accelerate the front-drive A4 to 60 mph in
7.8 seconds when equipped with either the manual gearbox or the Multitronic CVT.
Quattro models will do the same run in 7.9 seconds with a manual and 8.5 seconds
with the Tiptronic automatic. Combined EPA ratings range from 22 mpg for the quattro
with Tiptronic to 25 mpg for the front-driver with the five-speed stick. Audi
says that the A4's 1.8T engine is the first turbocharged motor to qualify for
an ultra-low emissions vehicle (ULEV) rating.
If you need more power and refinement, an all-new, all-aluminum V6 engine debuts
for 2002. Displacing 3 liters, this motor makes 220 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and
221 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. Order an A4 3.0 with front-wheel drive, and
you must select the Multitronic CVT, which gets the car to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds,
according to Audi. Quattro models can be equipped with either a six-speed manual
gearbox or the Tiptronic automatic, the latter of which gets a new Sport programming
mode for 2002. With the manual, the A4 3.0 quattro gets to 60 mph in the same
amount of time as the front-drive Multitronic version, while Tiptronic raises
the time to 7.7 seconds. Combined EPA ratings are 20 mpg for quattro models (regardless
of transmission) and 22 mpg for the Multitronic version.
A day spent flogging several new A4s in the hilly countryside an hour outside
of Washington D.C. told us that the 3.0 quattro with a six-speed is the most fun
and the 1.8T quattro with a five-speed is the one on which we'd spend our
own money. Still, Audi needs to study the finer manual gearboxes on the market
and strive to match them in terms of fluidity and precision. The sticks in our
test cars balked at engaging gears, especially second, and popped out eagerly
for the next gear, feeling rather floppy as they went between gates. Rowing an
Audi manual transmission is not a particularly rewarding experience.
The CVT models worked just fine, thank you, it's just that we like to be involved
with our driving, even if that involvement is less than perfect. Plus, the way
the engine droned incessantly under hard acceleration as the CVT held revs between
5,000 and 6,000 rpm really turned us off. Under normal driving conditions, the
CVT transmission is nearly imperceptible, thanks in part to the fact that Audi
has programmed artificial shift points into the software to give drivers the feel
of a regular automatic. But these simulated shifts aren't felt when the pedal
is matted. Instead, the engine revs up and stays revved up, like it's holding
a gear at a steady speed except for the fact that the speedometer needle is rapidly
racing around the dial. As a result, your perception of acceleration is dulled:
You're gaining velocity, but it doesn't sound like it, so the effect is masked.
Until you get used to the way the CVT works, there's going to be a mental disconnect
between what you're hearing and feeling.
There are benefits to selecting the Multitronic CVT. Audi claims that this advanced
transmission, which underwent 10 years and 6 million kilometers of development
and testing before it was introduced to Europe in October of 1999, delivers acceleration
and economy on par with a traditional manual gearbox while offering added refinement
and weight savings over a conventional automatic. Drive it for yourself and decide
how you like it.
Handling and ride quality are dramatically improved over the old A4 for several
reasons. First, the 2002 model is 45 percent stiffer structurally than before,
now boasting the highest strength-to-weight ratio in its class, and this newfound
rigidity is immediately apparent. Audi has also achieved a 40 percent reduction
in unsprung suspension weight by converting to aluminum components. Finally, an
independent rear suspension debuts for all models (only quattros had an IRS on
the old car), able to keep the rear wheels better planted on rough and bumpy pavement.
With these modifications, the standard suspension setup for the 2002 A4 is equal
to the sport tuning found on the 2001 model, without suffering any loss of ride
compliance. This keeps wheel and body motion to a minimum, resulting in a taut,
smooth-riding vehicle.
The cars we drove in Virginia were all equipped with the optional sport suspension.
This package, available on both the 1.8T and the 3.0, includes 17-inch wheels
(15s are standard on 1.8T; 16s on the 3.0), 30 percent-stiffer shocks and springs,
thicker front and rear stabilizer bars, and P235/45 performance tires. Sport models
also feature a lower ride height.
Not only does the A4 look dazzling with the fat rubber and attractive five-spoke
wheels, but it also grips the road tenaciously. Working in concert with higher-effort
steering, an upgraded braking system and standard stability control, the sport
suspension keeps the car glued to the ground without substantial harshness over
pockmarked pavement. Add quattro to the mix, and you've got an all-weather handler
that is hard to beat. We decided after one series of high-speed S-curves that
we'd rather drive an Audi A4 quattro equipped with this suspension than any other
all-wheel-drive sedan in the entry-luxury class.
Ingolstadt's fine interior designers help make that decision easy. Nobody executes
a luxurious cabin like Audi, and with the 2002 A4, many of our previous ergonomic
gripes have been resolved. For example, a new stereo debuts with large buttons
and an in-dash CD changer. Yes, that's right, an in-dash CD changer is standard
equipment on a German car. Hell has frozen over and pigs are flying. Not only
that, but it's hooked up to a 150-watt Audi Symphony 10-speaker audio system that
includes a subwoofer and center-fill speaker. A 200-watt Bose system with Nd speaker
technology is optional, but unless you're a true audiophile, don't bother.
Cabin design is similar to those of Audis assembled over the past decade. On the
1.8T, gray metallic trim graces the dash and center console, looking bland and
mismatched with the Beige interior colors. All 3.0 models come with burled walnut
or polished vavona wood trim. Materials used inside are obviously of high quality,
exhibiting fine grain and a matte finish. Genuine Buffalino leather upholstery
is available only on the 3.0, but don't worry — your small-minded relatives
will never guess that the 1.8T's perforated leatherette isn't the real deal.
The seats are new designs, offering better bolstering, longer bottom cushions,
improved support and a wider range of adjustment. Our primary comfort gripe had
to do with the intrusive center console, against which our test driver's leg rested
uncomfortably. Thanks to a 1.3-inch wheelbase stretch, adults might actually find
the rear seats of the redesigned A4 comfortable, something that couldn't be said
of the previous model. Rear knee room is up nearly 2 inches, and the new front
seats leave plenty of foot room for rear passengers. In reality, this means that
if a gangly driver has the seat set for comfort, a tall rider directly aft can
sit without splaying his legs around the front seatback. The A4 still isn't roomy
in back, but it can legitimately cart four good-sized adults for short durations.
Audi took care to mention improved cupholders during the press introduction, but
we failed to see any evidence of this during our test drive. A single cupholder
deploys from the dashboard and is sized to accept a can or small bottle, but experience
with our German rental car proves that taller containers will tip and spill Coca-Cola
all over the place if you get too aggressive with the throttle or steering. Cars
coming to North America have a supplementary cupholder inside the center console
armrest, where it takes up storage space and requires the armrest lid to be open
for use. Additionally, any beverage placed there is awkward to reach for the driver.
This is improvement? We disagree.
Safety, however, is one area where Audi did make gains. The 2002 A4 comes standard
with head curtain and side airbags, in addition to stability and traction control,
brake assist technology and the crash protection inherent in a stronger structure.
The software that determines if an airbag should be deployed also unlocks the
doors, turns on the interior lights, shuts off the fuel pump and activates the
four-way flashers when an accident has occurred. Rear side airbags are optional,
and if you opt for the Audi telematics by OnStar system, emergency personnel are
notified if an airbag deploys.
Incredibly, all this starts at less than $25,000 for a front-wheel-drive 1.8T
with a manual transmission. And that entry price includes a comprehensive 4-year/50,000-mile
bumper-to-bumper warranty with roadside assistance and free scheduled maintenance.
Basically, all you have to do is pump gas and show up for oil changes.
Audi credits the previous-generation A4 with its strong resurgence in sales since
the dark days of the early 1990s when the company struggled to find 10,000 North
American buyers. Critics considered that revolutionary car's deft balance of ride,
handling and performance, wrapped in an artful package that is sure to age more
gracefully than most automotive designs, near perfection. The redesigned A4 proves
that there's always room for improvement.
See all the Ratings: 2002 Audi A4 3.0 quattro AWD 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 6M) Road Test Scoreboard
|
|
|
