First look: Audi takes A4 off-road

NOT content with launching an all-new A4 sedan and wagon range, plus two-door A5/S5 coupe and five-door Q5 compact SUV derivatives thereof, Audi has now applied an A6 Allroad-style crossover treatment to its A4 Avant.

Those who are already confused by the plethora of mid-size models now offered by Audi should not despair, however, as the A4 Allroad quattro is almost certain not to be sold Australia, where the conceptually-similar Q5 crossover goes on sale next month.

Rather than unveil the A4 Allroad at Geneva on March 3, when Audi’s motor show limelight will be reserved for the piping-hot new TT-RS Coupe and Roadster, Audi has issued full European pricing and specifications for the latest A4 variant.

Priced from €37,100 ($A72,745) in Europe, where the A4 Allroad goes on sale in mid-2009 as only the second Audi Allroad model since the original A6 Allroad appeared in 1999, the A4 crossover will be powered by two diesel and one petrol engine.

The entry-level A4 Allroad quattro 2.0 TFSI (155kW/350Nm) is claimed to sprint to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds – slightly slower than the flagship 3.0 V6 variant (0-100 in 6.4 seconds) but a whole two seconds quicker than the mid-range 2.0 TDI, which can hit Australia’s national highway speed limit in a claimed 8.9 seconds.

The TFSI variant is the thirstiest of the trio, however, and returns stated average fuel consumption of 8.1L/100km/h, while the 125kW/350Nm 2.0 TDI returns 6.4L/100km and the 176kW/500Nm 3.0 TDI returns 7.1L/100km.

The 2.0 TDI will come with a six-speed manual transmission as standard in Europe,0 while the TFSI petrol and 3.0-litre diesel engines get Audi’s new seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Riding on Audi’s 40/60 front/rear torque-dividing all-wheel drive system, the A4 Allroad misses out on the larger Allroad model’s lower bodyside cladding but adds standard roof-rails plus matt-grey sills, wheel-arch protectors and lower bumpers with stainless steel inserts.

Along with 20mm-wider wheel tracks courtesy of standard 17-inch alloy wheels, Audi says the A4 Allroad offers more ground clearance than the A4 Avant upon which it is based, at 180mm, along with Off-road Detection Technology, which is claimed to senses the type of road surface and automatically adjusts the car’s ESP stability control system to suit.

Optional A4 Allroad features in Europe will also comprise Xenon headlights, a two-part panoramic glass sunroof, three-zone climate-control, active cruise control, hard-drive storage and a 14-speaker, 505-Watt Bang & Olufsen surround sound system.

Like the A4 Avant, the A4 Allroad offers 490 litres of luggage space, extending to 1430 litres with the rear seats folded.

However, Audi says a “wealth of practical flourishes” are added specifically for the Allroad version, including a reversible load-liner and an (optional) reversible mat, rear 12-volt outlet, electro-mechanical tailgate system and load-securing set including telescopic rod and strap retainer.

Read more:

Audi prices Q5 under $60K