First Look Review

Audi recently took the wraps off its next generation A4 sedan. It is now wider, longer, lighter by 120kgs and is filled with quite bit of new technology. It will make its official debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show and is expected to reach the Indian shores by the middle of next year.

This fifth generation of the A4 sedan (B9) appears to have an evolutionary design rather than a completely new one. The fascia appears to have gotten sharper and now gets a horizontally slatted grille, matrix LED headlamps (which we suspect will be optional) and most importantly a new bumper.

The side profile has a strong shoulder line and it has been carried over from the B8 generation car but thanks to the sharper fascia, it now looks like a complete design. Like the front of the car, the rear too has undergone a comprehensive update in the form of a larger bumper and re-shaped tail lamps (now full LEDs) which are now more in line with parent company Volkswagen’s global design.

The interior of the new A4 is where Audi appears to have done most of its work. Gone is the asymmetrical design and in its place has come a cleaner and simpler layout. The screen for the MMI system has become a free standing unit while the entire dashboard has become smaller with lesser number of buttons. Audi has replaced the four- spoke steering wheel with a sportier three piece unit.

One of the newer additions is a completely digital instrument cluster which can also show navigation data as well as other information. Expected to be standard on the top-spec petrol and diesel variants (for India) is a rear-seat entertainment package and connectivity for Apple as well as Android devices. Audi has increased the overall length of the car and so consequently the wheelbase has increased from 2.81-metres to 2.82-metres, a significant jump with regard to rear leg room.

The 2016 A4 is being offered with a new range of four-cylinder and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines globally. India will get one four-cylinder petrol and diesel engine as well as one six-cylinder diesel engine.

The petrol is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit that produces 187bhp and 370Nm of torque. The diesels on the other hand are 2.0-litre and 3.0-litre units that produce 147bhp/320Nm and 215bhp/400Nm. All the engines will get a seven-speed dual-clutch AT as standard. We expect that the 3.0-litre TDI will also be offered with the Quattro technology.

The Audi A4 will be launched in India with a significant increase in price as compared to the current car. Once considered the entry-level luxury car, the A4 like its other European rivals, has moved up a notch. The competition includes the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Jaguar XE and the BMW 3 Series.