Earning respect: Audi adds a new A4 to its U.S. lineup as it searches for more recognition in the American market

Automotive Industries, March, 2005 by Gary Witzenburg

Audi, the third respected premium deutsche marque (after Mercedes-Benz and BMW) in Europe and elsewhere, continues striving for more respect here. "It's frustrating and a mystery to me that we have not yet been able to reach that same degree of recognition in this market," said new Executive VP, North America Johan de Nysschen at the 2005 A4's U.S./Canada press introduction. Then he promised: "That is what we are going to do."

While German-makes as a group have not scored especially well in recent J.D. Power Initial Quality Surveys (IQS), Audi is "on par" with its premium Teutonic competitors and was the top German brand in JDP's '04 Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI). In three-year residual value, Audis currently average a respectable 52 percent compared to 54 percent for BMW and 51 for Mercedes-Benz. The company is also renown for its Quattro full-time all-wheel-drive system, now celebrating 25 years of race, rally, rotten-weather and dry-road traction. "Quattro is all about performance," de Nysschen added, "it's not just the snow and ice thing."

Now, two years past the debut of its terrific top-line A8 and hard on the heels of its award-winning '05 mid-range A6, Audi replaces its best-selling compact (global B-class) A4 series with all-new sedan and Avant (wagon) models well equipped to further its credibility quest here and everywhere. Both standard 2.0L turbo four and available 3.2L V-6 engines feature Audi's new Furl Straight Injection (FSI)--which squirts the charge directly into the combustion chamber--and the former is an industry-first coupling of turbocharging with FSI. Also unique is the A4's triple-transmission range: standard 6-speed manual, "Multimatic" CVT (optional with the 2.0L and FWD) and 6-speed Tiptronic automatic (with Quattro).

New high-performance S4 versions, powered by a 340-hp 4.2L V-8 with a choice of 6-speed manual or Tiptronic automatic, will follow soon with specific interior trim, tighter sport suspensions on larger wheels and tires, quad exhausts and a rear deck spoiler on the sedan, and aluminum roof rails on the Avant. A V-6/CVT and a 6-speed manual Quattro combination will join the powertrain piney before very long.

Design

This all-new iteration of Audi's best-selling A4, like the A6, gets a bolder new look beginning with the "single-frame grille" dominating its new trademark Audi face. The interior clearly shows why Audis have become a benchmark for competing makers: superb seats, tight fits, premium materials and outstanding attention to detail in design and construction. Key controls are high in the driver's field of vision, while the center stack packages the standard dual automatic climate control with audio and available navigation system controls and display.

Interestingly, a specially designed center console exclusive to the U.S. and Canada has dual size-adjustable cupholders and an extra 12V outlet. "I think we've finally figured out how to make a good cupholder," joked Director, Product Management and Quality Marc Trahan. Largely due to the space-efficient rear suspension, both sedan and Avant have wide, flat rear floors with 13.4 and 27.8 cu.ft. of trunk and behind-the-second-seat load capacity, respectively.

FSI engines

Injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber, while more complex and expensive than conventional port injection, provides a cooler, denser charge. A high-pressure common-raft injection system with its single-piston pump operating on demand instantaneously ensures exactly the tight supply of fuel at all times. Combined in the V-6 with optimized combustion chamber geometry and the tumble effect produced by charge-movement flaps in the 2-stage intake manifold, FSI enables an exceptionally high 12.5:1 compression ratio. The happy result: power and torque along with higher fuel economy and low (ULEV) emissions--a win/win/win.

The DOHC 24-valve 3.2 FSI V-6, which debuted in the new A6 last November, features a 2-stage variable intake manifold and continuous camshaft adjustment of both intake and exhaust. It generates 255 hp and 243 lb.ft. peak torque, with more than 90 percent of the latter available from 1,900-5,900 rpm, propels the Quattro-equipped 6-speed automatic sedan from rest to 60 mph in 6.6 sec. while delivering 19 city, 26 highway and 21 combined EPA mpg.

The new DOHC 16-valve 2.0 T FSI provides a surprisingly strong 200 hp and 207 lb.ft. of torque available from 1,800-5,000 rpm. It shares a basic block with corporate cousin VW's latest (transversely mounted) four but, in typical Audi fashion, is mounted longitudinally. Teamed with the 6-speed manual, it pulls the sedan from 0-60 mph in 7.3 sec. with 22/31/25 EPA economy.

Dynamic chassis

The A4's suspension is 4-link front and "self-tracking" trapezoidal-link rear, both mostly of light-alloy components for low unsprung mass. Each front wheel is located by four aluminum control arms with mounts and track rods adopted from the S4 and large rubber damper mounts for acoustic isolation. The electronic-assist rack-and-pinion steering gives especially precise fed and feedback along with near-complete isolation from FWD forces.