Audi A4 allroad
Motoring Channel Staff - 17/February/2009
|
Audi A4 allroad
The Audi A4 allroad comes with quattro AWD and is
higher off the ground and wider than the A4 wagon
Rugged on the outside, luxurious on the inside
This is how the Audi A4 allroad looks in brown
Audi's A4 allroad gets an Offroad Detection (ORD)
module in the electronic stability control system
|
Geneva,
Switzerland
– Scheduled for a Geneva Motor Show unveiling, Audi's all-new A4 allroad adventure vehicle has broken cover. Taking
the Audi A4 wagon to a new place with a multi-role chassis, the new
model pinches a number of the design cues that make its bigger brother,
the A6 allroad, such an iconic model. As
the name suggests, the A4 allroad is designed to tackle terrain that
would have leave standard cars all banged up and damaged. With
a raised ride height and a 20mm wider track, plus mild underbody
protection and a set of semi-offroad tyres, the new model is
kitted out for a more adventurous buyer than the standard A4. The allroad models have a robust appearance. Black wheel arch extensions similar to
Holden's design on the 2003 model Adventra are in evidence, as as new
front and rear bumpers with 'rugged' silver appliques. It
rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, has LED running lights and will be
equipped with a large range of safety features including a bevy of
airbags. Audi
issued a press statement for the launch of the A4 allroad that
included the phrase, "A vehicle that knows no boundaries." Though it features quattro all-wheel drive, the above boast
would be a figurative approximation. Off-road enthusiasts
would take one look at the ground clearance on this A4 allroad and
dismiss such a frivolous claim. While this model misses out on the
adjustable suspension system of the A6 allroad, the smaller
soft-roader does have one redeeming aspect in the form of a new
off-road detection function that is integrated into the electronic
stability program (ESP). Here's the official line on the Offroad Detection (ORD) system: "On rough terrain, the A4 allroad quattro relies on a high-tech feature
of its Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP): the Offroad Detection
(ORD) technology automatically identifies the type of driving surface
and adjusts the ESP's control parameters accordingly. "When the driver
depresses the gas pedal, ESP increases propulsive power by tolerating
more wheel spin than otherwise. If necessary, it will override for a
time in the interests of safety." Rivals for the new Audi A4 allroad quattro include the fresh-faced Saab 9-3X and to a lesser extent the Subaru Outback. Like
most Audi models, a range of optional equipment will available, from a
digital TV system to a high end Bang & Olufsen stereo plus there's even a
2-piece panoramic glass roof to let the sunshine in. The interior appears to be typical Audi: lots of leather and excellent ergonomics. The
boot has 490 litres of space and this opens up to 1430 litres with the
rear seats folded flat, and has a long load area for bulky items. Audi's
new compact off-road wagon will be on sale first in Europe during the middle of 2009. After
it's public debut at the Geneva Auto Salon, the Audi A4 allroad will be offered on sale in the Northern summer with three
of its best engines: two diesel mills and one petrol: 2.0-litre Turbo Petrol TFSI
 Power: 155kW (210hp)
Torque: 350Nm
2.0-litre Turbo Diesel TDI
Power: 125kW (170hp)
Torque: 350Nm
3.0-litre Turbo Diesel TDI
Power: 176kW (240hp)
Torque: 500Nm The
most popular model in Europe is predicted to be the 2.0-litre TDI
version, which has the slowest acceleration of the three at 8.9 seconds
for the zero to 100km/h dash, but it's the most frugal. It has a top speed of 213km/h (132mph) but uses an average of 6.4L/100km which is very fuel efficient. Powered
by the same 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine believed to be slotting under
the hood of the new generation VW Golf GTI, the Audi A4 allroad 2.0
TFSI outputs 350Nm and sprints from zero to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds, has
a top speed of 230km/h (143mph) and uses around 8.1 litres of fuel per
100km. The big daddy model, the 3.0-litre twin turbo diesel V6,
takes just 6.4 seconds to reach 100km/h. It's faster than the petrol
model and has a higher top speed of 236km/h but is also more
efficient, using just 7.1L/100km on the combined city/highway driving
cycle. Audi is expected to bring the new A4 allroad to Australia late in the year.
Related Links:
- Audi Sportback Concept (2009)
- Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI (2009)
- Audi A5 (Road Test)
- Audi A5 Cabriolet (2009)
- Audi A7, A8, R8 Roadster (2010)
- Audi A1 Sportback Concept (2008)
- Audi S4 (2009)
- Audi TT Clubsport quattro (2008)
- Audi S3 (Road Test)
- Audi
RS 4 (Road Test)
- Audi S8 (Road Test)
- Audi R8 GT3 (2009)
- Audi TT Coupe (Road Test)
- Audi Q5 (2009)
|
