Audi unveiled the ninth generation of the A4 a couple weeks ago, and today the upscale brand made more information clear about how the U.S. models will be equipped to a small group of journalists in Ingolstadt, Germany.
Audi unveiled the ninth generation of the A4 a couple weeks ago, and today the upscale brand made more information clear about how the U.S. models will be equipped to a small group of journalists in Ingolstadt, Germany. We were lucky enough to be among them.
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Scheduled to go on sale next March, the A4 will launch with two engine choices, both of which will come exclusively with quattro all-wheel drive. The turbocharged 2.0-liter TFSI gasoline four-cylinder will produce 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. For the first time in the U.S., the A4 will also be offered with a diesel engine. It will be a turbocharged 2.0-liter four as well, this one producing 190 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive for both engine variants will follow within the model year. Both engines, with front-drive or quattro, will come with Audi’s seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch transmission. No CVT will be offered. Thank the gods. Fuel economy numbers aren’t yet available, but Audi says fuel efficiency will be improved by 21 percent to go along with the 25 percent increase in horsepower.
Notable interior equipment will include standard three-zone automatic climate control with rear controls, a 40/40/20 split-folding rear seat, and a choice of two versions of Audi’s updated MMI control interface. The base version will come with a 7.0-inch center screen and MMi’s familiar rotary controller. The upscale version is known as MMI Navigation Plus with MMI touch. It will get an 8.3-inch screen, a navigation system with Google Earth view, and a touchpad that can be used to scrawl letters with a fingertip. Those who choose the high-end MMI system will also be able to get the Audi Virtual Cockpit, which is a 12.3-inch color configurable screen in the instrument cluster. Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto will also be offered.
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Exterior highlights will include standard bi-xenon headlights and available 17-, 18-, and 19-inch wheels.
Pricing will come closer to launch, and Audi dropped hints about future A4 developments. A manual transmission is a possibility, and it could even be paired with the diesel. We don’t expect the Avant wagon to come to our shores, as the A4 Allroad will fill that role. An S4 and probably an RS 4 are likely as well. Expect the S4 about a year after the A4’s launch.
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