More all-paw A4s join expanded Audi range

AUDI is cashing in on the popularity of its all-wheel-drive A4 sedan by adding more quattro-equipped models to the line-up in a bid to snare extra sales.

The A4 range will add lower-specification Ambition models to its existing turbo-petrol and diesel 2.0-litre line-up, which will adopt the S-Line badge and a bit more equipment as part of the model shake-up.

Quattro models account for four out of every five A4 sales in Australia, according to Audi Australia corporate communications executive Shaun Cleary, with the German luxury brand eager to expand its all-paw range to buyers.

The new entry-level A4 2.0 TFSI Ambition Quattro is priced from $57,100, plus on-road costs when equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox, just $1600 more than the current entry-level front-wheel-drive 1.8 TFSI model equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox and priced from $55,500.

A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox is a $2800 option.

As well as the all-paw underpinnings and the 165kW/350Nm 2.0-litre engine, standard equipment in the Ambition runs to a more premium satellite navigation system with live traffic updates, an audio system with a 20GB hard-drive and two memory card slots, 18-inch alloy wheels, Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights and LED tail-lights, a sports steering wheel with paddle shifters, tri-zone climate control air-conditioning and leather-trim seats.

Also gaining the Ambition badge is the $59,900 2.0 TDI quattro, featuring a 130kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, and the $62,900 2.0-litre turbo-petrol Avant wagon.

As well as a sportier looking exterior, the S line variants that replace the current 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel and petrol models add different-look 18-inch alloy wheels in five-twin-spoke design, more heavily bolstered front seats, a reversing camera with rear parking sensors, keyless unlocking and start, and a more premium 10-speaker audio system.

The S line range starts from $65,000 for the 2.0 TFSI quattro, $800 cheaper than the previous entry price for the now better-equipped line-up.

Audi also sells the entry-level 1.8 TFSI as a $58,500 wagon, however, a 3.0-litre V6 petrol and 3.0-litre V6 diesel are no longer offered as part of the range – apart from the $105,000 245kW/440Nm supercharged V6-engined S4 sedan and wagon.

Audi’s A4 is currently the fourth best-seller in the premium mid-size segment, behind Mercedes-Benz’s strong-selling – and in run-out ahead of an all-new model due late this year – C-Class range, BMW’s 3 Series and the sharper looking Lexus IS range.

The quattro models have grown in popularity to sit almost 60 percent higher for the first five months of this year compared with last year.

The all-wheel-drive layout is an important market advantage for Audi, whose rivals do not have all-paw versions of their mainstream passenger cars despite them being available in other global markets.

Luxury mid-size cars are bucking the slow sales start to the year for most of the other segments of the Australian passenger car market, up more than eight per cent in the first five months of this year as more premium brands become more affordable.

2014 Audi A4 quattro pricing*

2.0 TFSI Ambition	$57,100
2.0 TFSI Ambition (a)	$59,900
2.0 TDI Ambition (a)	$59,900
2.0 TFSI S Line	$65,000
2.0 TFSI S Line (a)	$67,800
2.0 TDI S Line (a)	$67,800
Avant 2.0 TFSI Ambition (a)	$62,900
Avant 2.0 TFSI S Line (a)	$70,800

*Excludes on-road costs.