Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

2013 Audi A4

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2013-...photo-4711537/

We have no intention of inviting vehement vehicular debates, but they always seem to pop up when discussing this segment of the market. That's a good thing, because getting no reaction at all would be terrible when talking about cars that are so vital to driving enthusiasts. Our topic of the day is this refreshed eighth-generation Audi A4, and while few changes are readily apparent, any packet of modifications to these bread-and-butter premium cars is worth investigating.

It's been one heck of a year for the entry-level German executive class. Besides the addition of C63 trims and a coupe bodystyle to the fourth-generation Mercedes C-Class and the all-important launch of the sixth-generation BMW 3 Series, we've just driven the latest Audi A4 2.0 TFSI up, down and over various scenic Portuguese roads, and now more than ever, it is not to be ignored.

The 2013 A4 Allroad Quattro will arrive in mid-2012 at the same time as this revamped A4, and having driven the thing, we can now say that all the mid-cycle touches have been nicely presented. While we were already big fans of the eighth-gen A4, the model's reworked nose is handsome. Specifically, we note the more pronounced curvature to the hood, as well as a more planted stance. That's a bit of visual trickery, not a wider track – Audi stylists have emphasized the design's horizontal lines up front, and they've added new head- and fog-light fixtures, along with larger air intakes down low. It appears that Audi has deliberately "nastied up" the sensible A4 a little to better prepare it for the new RS4 range-topper we expect next year. (That is if the rumors of there being no RS4 this time around are just rumors.)


The only A4 2.0 TFSI sedan available for testing carried the standard six-speed manual and was gifted with Quattro all-wheel drive. The on-road behavior of this most popular North American A4 engine trim frankly hasn't changed a whole lot, but that's not a criticism. There is still 208 horsepower on tap and torque stands at an eminently usable 258 pound-feet between 1,500 and 4,200 rpm. Bear in mind that's for a car that weighs in at 3,550 pounds as tested (we're estimating it'll ring up at 3,640 pounds with the U.S.' optional eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox). That's a net weight loss of over 50 pounds if we are to believe 2011 and 2012 spec sheets from both sides of the pond placed side-by-side.

Leading the tally of changes is a revamped thermal management system that heats everything more quickly at start-up in order to avoid wasting energy, a modification that Audi says aids in increasing fuel efficiency by around 10 percent. Helping this newfound fuel saving along is reduced friction between the moving parts through re-engineering of various tolerances. All the same, the smoothness and efficiency that comes with it, along with the turbocharging and high-pressure direct injection, is translated into a slightly slicker powertrain. Having said that, the factory's 6.3-second acceleration number to 60 miles per hour remains, as does the A4's 130-mph limited top speed. EPA fuel economy figures for the pre-facelift 2012 A4 Quattro automatic came in at 21 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the freeway using premium fuel, but revised figures for the 2013 model haven't been released yet.


The major change aboard for the entire A4 lineup is the adoption of electric power steering. Seeing as mid-range Audi Quattro models have never been singled out for having exceptionally precise steering response or feedback, we were only minimally concerned. The new electro-mechanical rack neither improves nor worsens this situation, as the onus with Quattro has more to do with the way torque is managed front to rear. In this case, the steering feel is fine relative to expectations, but it still trails both the 3 Series and C-Class for fidelity and communicativeness, though not as much as it did when Quattro was biased towards front-wheel drive. Tires for our drive were top-option 18-inch Bridgestone Potenzas from the Sport Package – base U.S. cars will receive 17-inch shoes. While the 18s fill the wheel wells nicely, the taller sidewalls of the base 17s will doubtlessly be the best bet for those whose day-to-day drudgery includes rougher road surfaces.

The new steering setup allows for one more significant contribution to the fuel-saving parade, as the power assist only engages when the system detects large enough steering inputs to warrant it. Longer, uneventful stretches of road will see the assistance cut out to save fuel. In addition, the A4's rear suspension control arm mounts have been altered and the rear dampers retuned, all in order to give the whole a slightly less passive feel to the rump through curves. Did we feel the changes? Well, a little, but these tweaks are truly matters of fine-tuning.


Cruising along with the constantly working Quattro all-wheel-drive system sees the three-differential system employing a 40:60 default torque split and, thanks in part to torque vectoring fore and aft, chassis dynamics are as good as we can ever remember finding on an A4. Our hope is that this translates into a more dynamically gifted RS4 should they build it, since the previous car could be something of a hippo when the slicing and dicing started. Aiding the A4's dynamism is the latest version of Audi Drive Select. For our dollar, it's an option you really should get, especially if you're choosing the eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox. The optional $2,950 ADS suite alters throttle response, Tiptronic transmission shift points and the steering weight. Changes are actuated through the Multi Media Interface system's ADS screen, and the Individual mode allowed us to customize each to our liking. Other modes include the existing Comfort, Auto and Dynamic, as well as for the first time an Efficiency setting that both hastens upshifts and delays downshifts for heightened fuel economy while you're easy moseying.

Inside the A4 sedan, it's largely the same solid and well-assembled success of yore, though some nips and tucks have occurred. The MMI onboard system now has just four buttons to it instead of the previously confusing eight. All climate control settings have thankfully returned to analogue and are no longer controlled from an MMI interface, and if you opt for seat heating, then these controls are analogue as well. The volume **** for the sound system can now be toggled left or right to skip between tracks. These are small but significant steps to improving the A4's everyday livability, changes that demonstrate Audi is committed to refining the ergonomics of its interiors, not just adding new features for their own sake.


For 2013, the optional leather interior in Sport or Sport Plus trims is now the firmer and grainier Valcona hide, not the usual Nappa. This subtle change is part of Audi's quest to provide a sportier feeling cabin. The leather looks and feels the part, and it revealed itself as properly grippy over Portugal's undulating roads.

Ingolstadt's humble 80/A4 model range has been dicing it up in the junior executive fray since 1972, but with the Four-Ringed juggernaut picking up speed in chunks these last few years, the A4 is finally closing on the 12.5+ million sales of the BMW 3 Series (and the only slightly less numerous Mercedes 190/C-Class). The A4 Quattro still has the edge in inclement weather performance over the existing 3 Series with xDrive or C-Class 4Matic, but its rivals are very good pieces of work and gaining ground. There's also the specter of Cadillac's new ATS sedan lurking in the shadows, and we suspect it won't be long until there's an all-wheel-drive model to take this all-weather battle to new heights.


Europeans will get a 268-hp 3.0-liter supercharged TFSI V6 trim that falls between this 208-hp 2.0-liter TFSI and 329-hp (SAE rating) S4, but six-cylinder power is notably absent from the A4's U.S. lineup these days.

We'll see what Audi has to announce at the Detroit Auto Show when they hold their world premiere press conference for this upgraded model. Look for the 2013 A4 Quattro to start at about $33,000 when it lands in the States this July.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/03/2...-drive-review/

Fizzboy7

Poor Audi. I love the A4, but it just has some strange things going on with it. Mainly, the sad or crying-eyed rear end. Getting rid of the split dual exhaust was also a step down. Do love the contrasting bamboo light wood against the dark dash. Infiniti did this with the first G35 and it livens up things nicely.
If only Audi believed in subsidizing their leases like they did back in the early 2000's, this car may sell much better. As the numbers are now, the 3 and C beat it to crap.

Blackraven

Well imho, the (B8?) platform is still going strong. I wouldn't discount it against the BMW 3 or MB C class just yet hehe.

spwolf

i might buy used one this month... but really dissapointed in the interior quality and IS still looks considerably better exterior wise.

Fizzboy7

A credible car no doubt, but the lease rates aren't even close to similarly priced BMW's and Mercedes. Audi used to dump these, but lately have been trying to rebuild residual and resale values via high leases.

2BENVD

iTrader: (1)

looks mean on the outside and cozy inside

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

The front end looks like a Jetta now. Love the interior though.

516IS

iTrader: (12)

Exactly my thought... still, a clean looking car...

LexFather

I fell asleep looking at it

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Guess their leaving the dual exhaust exclusive to the S4 now

LeX2K

The exterior is very generic. De-badge it, and it looks really blah. You de-badge any car and it loses some flair and identity, but this car looks very nondescript. I do like the interior though. What's with the numerous plugs in the bumpers?

J.P.

yeah , I had to go back and look at the front again to just confirm what I was seeing...... was very boring

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Parking sensors, tow hook, and headlamp washers I believe

whoster

holy crap debadging it just makes it horrible....

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

2013 Audi S4

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2013-...photo-4713894/

The always-bustling Audi stand at next month's Detroit Auto Show figures to be cluttered with a full range of eighth-generation A4 models, all of which arrive in the States sometime between June and July. The line's real marquee model is, of course, the RS4, but that Rennsport ingredient will not be seen on the stand in Cobo just yet. (So let's change that to almost full range, and some sources are saying that there will not even be an RS4 this go-round.) The sauciest A4 present will be this model, the new S4, considered by many – this reviewer included – to be the real gem of the range, especially in comparison to the seriously costly RS4.

It's best to call this the "latest" S4, because it is definitely not all-new. However, it does partake of the mid-cycle changes to the "B8" eighth-generation, some of which we recently addressed in a first drive of the A4 and A4 Allroad Quattro. For now, though, we really don't need big changes – we'll be happy if the S4 remains our lower-volume secret.

Aesthetically speaking, the S4 plays off the changes we saw in the A4. The hood is curved more to add presence, the whole face looks stronger and wider due to accentuation of the horizontal lines and the addition of larger intakes at the bottom corners. The standard-fit bi-xenon lights are new, as are the fog lamps in those redesigned lower intakes. The S4's now signature single-frame grille receives the folded upper corners like the rest of the range, adding a bit of visual edge. Overall, the S4 doesn't shout about its performance credentials, it's much more muted than something one might expect from the performance arms of other German automakers.


Still brandishing 329 horsepower between 5,500 and 6,500 rpm and 325 pound-feet of torque from 2,900 to 5,300 rpm, the S4's 3.0-liter supercharged and direct-injected V6 has been a big crowd pleaser ever since it started showing up in hotter Audis (and other VW Group products) a few years back. 0 to 60 estimates remain at 4.9 seconds, though we've seen 4.7 seconds out of the departing model. And, of course, rather than electronically limiting this hotter A4 to the usual 130 mph, the S4 receives a 155-mph v-max.

While the Audi Quattro GmbH folks have warned us to prepare ourselves for a vastly improved track experience with all upcoming RS models, they tend to believe that this S4 is one of the finest sport sedans for the street. Over the course of many miles we drove on coastal Portuguese roads in this mambo red six-speed manual example, it was reaffirmed that Audi has it right. Attacking squirrelly country two-lanes, the S4 shines as a special everyday driver that could make a much costlier RS4 unnecessary for many – unless you have big, police-free straightaways and serpentine bits of tarmac in your backyard.


The closest C-Class that Mercedes-Benz has to match this tweener S4 is the European-market 302-hp C350 4Matic that will supposedly arrive in the States for the first quarter of 2012. (Why is there nothing between it and the 451-hp C63 AMG?) In the case of BMW, there's the 302-hp 335i xDrive sedan, but what looks like the best competitor on paper is the Infiniti G37x AWD with 328 hp and naturally aspirated 269 lb-ft of torque, since the Acura TL SH-AWD (like the other Germans) comes up just a tick short at 305 hp. Then again, it would be great just to get all of these volume sportsters together with the coming Cadillac ATS and its 323-hp V6 and unconfirmed (as yet) all-wheel drive.

While visions of all of what could be dance through our heads, our drive proves that the Audi S4 is a very well balanced affair, and occasional vicious moments have been made possible by the S-Line package that snugs the S4 1.2 inches closer to the ground than the A4. Along with a change in stance, the S4 has been given a sportier suspension with more rigid dampers and springs. As with the civilian A4s, the S4 also has a modified mounting point for the rear control arms that makes the tail end of the car seem to follow more willingly and not just hang off the back.


If you're keen to get the best S4 drive experience possible, the $1,100 optional sport differential with Audi Drive Select is a must-have addition to the $48,000 Premium Plus trim car you see here. If you have no intention of going for this option, there's really no spectacularly convincing reason to buy the S4 unless you're addicted to having at least six cylinders under the hood. This setup gives you the full-featured version of ADS for calibrating the adaptive suspension, dynamic steering, engine and throttle responses (along with shift points if you opt for the seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch). In addition, the ADS menu offers the Individual mode that includes the sport differential setup for making the rear-axle side-to-side torque play as invasive (or unobtrusive) as you like between Comfort, Auto and Dynamic settings.

Of course, the best setup on Portugal's great roads was Dynamic mode, and we made the most of the chassis and its tuning by taking several laps of a 20-mile loop that was more like an amusement park. Overtaking in Dynamic mode was a cinch – the additional supercharged power and torque place the S4 in a sweet spot all by itself. It's while out dicing around on these loveable routes that one wonders why more haven't discovered the S4. Paying upwards of $55k to get an example just as we'd like might seem a bit steep, but for those who need their all-wheel-drive sport sedan to be just so – i.e. a bit more premium and agile than the others – then it's tough not to choose the S4. At least, that is, until we get a go in an AWD ATS in the near future. This is what you're shootin' at, Cadillac.


All A4/S4 models now come with electric power steering. While this move raised brows on the latest BMW 3 Series, it's not really a cause of great upset here. Audi Quattro models have always felt like heavier cars through the curves, so there's not really a significant change in this steering action. What the new system does provide is greater efficiency overall, since the assistance seamlessly deactivates whenever it is not needed. Together with faster fluid heating after cold starts and reduced mechanical friction between moving parts in the supercharged V6, Audi engineers tell us that such peripheral improvements help the car achieve around eight percent more miles per tank. Besides, on the car we tested, with its sport differential and full suite of ADS modes in action, much of the understeer present in lesser A4 models has been done away with anyhow. The steering feel in corners of all descriptions has been greatly improved thanks to these upgrades. To repeat: If you buy this car, get this setup.

Another excellent addition to the S4 for dry weather frolics is the 19-inch $800 optional wheel/tire set. The car driven here came with the stock Premium Plus 18-inch wheels and 245/40 Bridgestone Potenza all-season treads (understandable given the season), but in these bone-dry conditions with the sun-warmed tarmac, we figure the 19-inch 255/35 tires would have made a difference in the bends. While you're at it, the $1,000 Titanium exterior trim package looks great, too. But should you go for the seven-speed S-tronic? It's the favorite Audi transmission when looking to eliminate the clutch pedal from the foot well, but this six-speed manual is great. You'll be fine no matter which you choose.


Three changes in the interior worth noting are the simpler Multi Media Interface (MMI) analogue controller on the console with four buttons instead of eight, a volume **** that also now toggles left and right to skip tracks, and an available wifi hotspot and 3D Google sat-nav graphics via Bluetooth. It really starts to sound more and more like an A8, doesn't it?

We already loved the revamped Audi A4, and the combination of attributes that the higher-performance S4 assembles is very compelling stuff that no one else quite matches. Optioned right, it's a solid road warrior, particularly for those who need an all-weather sport sedan. Just don't tell anyone – it's our little secret.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/04/2...-drive-review/