ALL NEW AUDI A4: Sexier, Sleeker, Stunning

ALL NEW AUDI A4: Sexier, Sleeker, Stunning

It is tough being the ‘head of sales’ at Euromobil Sdn. Bhd! Why do I say this? Because the head of sales is a good friend of mine and since we meet every now and then to chit chat, I never seem to give him a statement that he wants to hear. Let me elaborate. Whenever I test drive a product of his, I have nothing but praises for all Audi products that have come to Malaysia in recent years. The B6 and B7 A4 and also the A6 and Q7. But after all the good positive comments about the interior design, layout, material quality, ergonomics, looks, price, accessory features and power I always end my statement with a long silence and the 'but' word. 'But the handling is still short of a BMW. From the 3 series, 5 series to the X5'.

Last month however my conversation with the head of sales of Euromobil Sdn. Bhd. ended with still a long silence but with a different last statement for the very first time. 'This new B8 Audi A4 has now taken the handling crown away from BMW'. I mean every word of it as this new car has set new standards in all areas for the segment and better still it has a selling price that cannot be ignored even with it being fully imported. Yes! This new A4 1.8T is fully imported and cost less than the immediate competition and has more features than the rest. Read on and absorb.

You cannot but admire the new look of the A4. Starting with the daytime running lights first introduced in the ground breaking R8 supercar, this string of LED lights inside the headlamps bring a facial character to the A4. Stand back and take in the new nose design and you have to say that this is a very handsome car with a strong chiseled jawline (under bumper skirt with built in fog lamps) and a very dynamic profile. There is a strong resemblance to the stunning A5 with a short rear boot lid (with a built in spoiler) that hides a deep boot. The A4 also sits lower on the ground with a sport car like stance and carries with it a very visually groundbreaking sedan look. In a quick glance one would first think the new A4 to be smaller than the outgoing model but bring along a measuring tape and you will be surprised to find out that this latest A4 is longer and wider than the previous model as well as its closets rival. It is 4703mm long which makes it just 23cm shy of the bigger A6 sedan and 12cm longer than the older A4. The rear boot volume is 480 liters making it larger than the Lexus IS250 boot volume. Inside you get more passenger room thanks to a 117mm-longer wheelbase (the distance between the wheels), which also helps for better rear passenger room.

Now the good news does not end just with it looks. Climb inside the cabin and you get an all-new dashboard design that is slightly curved towards the driver and comes with great ergonomics. The interplay of red lights against blue hue lighting's on the instrument display and the bright and clear digital display makes for pleasing eye contact. The intuitive and easy to use Audi Infotainment System controls climate, audio and park sensors is included. This system also provides a long list of useful information like service schedules, VIN number and cabin settings. You do not need a guidebook to get going and better still it comes with the competitive selling price as standard accessory. The multifunction steering wheel houses paddle shifters that are easy to use and have a racy feel. There is no hand brake lever; instead the new A4 has an electronic hand brake switch located on the right side of the gear shifter.

Euromobil have specified the new A4 with 'Audi Drive Select' located right below the gear shifter, which, at the touch of a button, varies the suspension's damping, shifts the speed on the auto box and tightens the steering ratio for a more sporting or a more comfortable drive. This gives the A4 varied drive characters for the driver to choose in different drive conditions. There is still a premium 'Symphony' sound system and real aluminum trim inside along the dashboard and surrounding the gear shifter. Finally you get real race like seats for the front passenger and driver and for the first time if you purchase the 'S line' version which is just RM25K plus more you not only get the larger alloys and body styling, but you also get the full race seats that our test car came in. This puts the new A4 well ahead of the pack with all these features added at its selling price starting from RM235,000.00.

Now for the best part. The engine ignition is now a slot for the key fob. With just a push of the fob, the 160 horsepower engine starts up with little drama. The engine is quieter now and with little intrusion into the cabin. This is the new TFSi engine which is part shared with the VW Group and provides a decent amount of pickup and top end speed despite its modest output. Using the Drive Select buttons, we started our test in 'Auto' mode and left the 7-speed gear shifter in 'D'. There is decent pickup and mid range power is ever ready to keep up with fast moving traffic on the highway. The first thing we noticed was how direct and full of feedback the steering was. It is now more direct and has a nice lightweight at parking and traffic speeds and gets nicely weighty as you speed up. All the time returning a decent amount of directness as we flicked the steering left and right weaving in and out of traffic on the highway to Westport in Klang. By moving the front axle further forward and having the engine sitting further back, this new A4's balance has also been much improved. Taking in fast and quick corners leaves little tail happiness and this with the Drive Select still in 'Auto' mode. Here the system reacts in seconds to provide the best combination of suspension firmness and steering feedback. Change the mode to 'Dynamic' and there is an immediate reaction in your drive
as the car tightens around you. Handing moves up a few notches and the engine response is much better with the 8-speed working faster. The A4 gets around the same corner faster and with less drama and there is a raunchier engine note.

Switch the selector to 'Comfort' mode and executives will feel right at home as the damping and steering gets lighter and gears change to extract the best fuel consumption from the car. This is now a real drivers car!

With a long list of impressive accessories, fantastic drive dynamics and great new looks, there is little else that is needed to be said with this all new Audi A4 except go and test drive one to believe completely about all that we have mentioned above. Even BMW owners will have to come to terms with this new A4 and agree with us.

Source from : www.asianaauto.com