Audi gives regular A4 range an early facelift
BY JUSTIN HILLIARD | 27th Jun 2018
AUDI has revealed a subtle facelift for its A4 mid-size car that ushers in a new S Line Competition package, with the Sedan and Avant wagon body styles to arrive in Australian showrooms early next year.
While changes to S4 and RS4 performance variants are yet to be confirmed, the regular A4 picks up “more striking front and rear styling” alongside redesigned 16- to 19-inch alloy wheels for the Sport variants sold exclusively in Australia, according to the German marque.
Specifically, the front end features pentagonal side air intakes with an inset U-shaped trim element that is backed by a honeycomb mesh insert. Separate openings in the inlets help distribute airflow into the wheel housings and past the wheels for improved cooling.
While the headlight and signature Singleframe grille designs are retained, the latter’s slats feature a 3D look when the S Line exterior package is optioned. The front splitter that resides below is wider than before.
The rear end is punctuated by its tweaked bumper that incorporates a narrower diffuser, while the flanking exhaust tailpipes are now wider and trapezoidal instead of smaller and round. The interior appears to carry over unchanged.
The S Line Competition package makes its brand debut on the A4 and ups the ante with a Selenite Silver front splitter and stone-chip guard strip, an RS rear spoiler (Avant only), silver or black four-ring logos on the lower section of the rear doors, LED headlights, 19-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels, a sport suspension and red brake callipers. Exclusive Turbo Blue paintwork is optional.
Inside, RS carbon-fibre inlays, a three-spoke multi-function steering wheel and black partial-leather sport seats are added on top of the S Line Black interior package. S sport seats in Magma Red or other colours are optional.
The non-performance A4 line-up currently ranges in price from $56,100 before on-road costs for the sedan 1.4 TFSI Sport to $73,300 for the Avant 2.0 TFSI quattro Sport.
Local pricing and full specification will be announced by Audi Australia closer to the updated A4’s launch early next year.
The ninth-generation A4 range launched locally in Sedan form in February 2016, while the Avant arrived three months later. The S4 variant of each lobbed 12 months later, while the RS4 Avant hit showrooms last month.
Sales of the A4 have taken a hit this year, with 635 examples sold to the end of May – representing a 34.7 per cent decrease over the 972 deliveries made during the same period in 2017.
This effort currently places the A4 fourth in the $60,000-plus mid-size-car segment this year, with it trailing the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2641 units) and CLA (1413), and BMW 3 Series (1209) but ahead of the Audi A5 Sportback (347) and Volkswagen Arteon (312), among others.
