First look: new-look A4 stunner!

AUDI has announced a stunningly effective facelift of its A4 sedan and wagon just two weeks out from its public premiere at the Paris motor show.

Not due on sale in Australia until around the middle of 2005, Audi’s new-look medium prestige contender was presented yesterday – a fortnight after pictures of its fiercest rival, BMW’s new E90 3 Series, were "leaked" and virtually over the top of the Australian release of what will be its next closest competitor, the facelifted Mercedes-Benz C-class.

The comprehensive revision of the still-fresh B6-series A4 (circa: June 2001) comprises angrier headlights, Audi’s gaping new corporate grille, a new shoulder crease, scalloped tail-lights and standard aluminium door sill trims.

No fewer than 10 engines will motivate the new A4, including an even more powerful 256kW V8 for the S4 performance king, the current version of which was launched here in February. The S4 Avant went on sale here in September, while the S4 convertible should debut at October’s Sydney motor show.

Due to arrive here around just six months later, the facelifted A4 will continue to be available in sedan and wagon (Avant) bodystyles, though a facelifted version of the topless A4 Cabriolet is yet to be revealed.

Audi Australia is investigating a number of engine and transmission choices for Australia, including both petrol and diesel power for the first time.

FSI direct injection and turbocharging are the big advances for A4’s petrol engines, while the 3.0-litre TDI turbo-diesel gains new piezo injector technology and of course A4’s revolutionary continuously variable Multitronic transmission and quattro permanent all-wheel drive systems continue.

In Europe, the new A4 engine line-up will include a new 188kW 3.2 FSI V6 and a new 147kW turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder dubbed 2.0 T FSI, while current Audi petrol engines to be carried over comprise the 96kW 2.0-litre, the 120kW 1.8 T and the 75kW 1.6.

The European turbo-diesel TDI engine range will include the 103kW 2.0-litre and the new 3.0-litre six-cylinder TDI engine (with common rail injection and piezo injectors) that already powers European-market A8 and A6 variants. It develops 150kW, with an impressive 450Nm of torque available between 1400 and 3200rpm. All A4 engines will be EU4 emissions standard compliant.

In quattro AWD A4s, the Tiptronic semi-automatic transmission option will be a new six-speed unit, while other A4s will be powered by either a five-speed manual, six-speed manual or Audi’s brilliant Multitronic CVT (continuously variable transmission).

A4’s four-link front and trapezoidal-link rear suspension systems have also been overhauled, including revised springs and dampers - the latter borrowing mounting points and dimensions from the new A6 – plus S4-based rear trapezoidal links and wheel carriers, and front track rods.

Along with more luggage space (sedan has a 460-litre boot, while Avant offers up to 1184 litres with the rear seat folded down), the facelifted A4 also gains optional adaptive Xenon headlights, active head restraints, adaptive front airbags and the MMI infotainment system.