Last month, the fifth-generation A4 debuted at the Frankfurt auto show. It has been announced that the 2009 Audi A4 will be going on sale in North America by September next year.
The new Audi A4 is made of steel. Though is comes bigger than its predecessor, adding up 4.6 inches on the overall length and 2.2 inches on the overall width, the unit body weighs 10 percent less because of the use of steel components, which were tailored in thickness to their designated location. Overall, it still weighed 44 pounds more than the previous model, at 3,109 pounds.
The exterior body engineering was greatly changed as it carried all the customary Audi design cues, which makes it much comparable with the A5 coupe.
The interior also adopted the design of A5 on the dashboard, center console and trims. The 2009 year model A4 is equipped with an electronically operated handbrake, automatic air-conditioning and multifunction steering wheel all standard equipment for the European-specification models, which will be on-sale by November.
Among optional features are Audi s MMI (Multi Media Interface) along with satellite navigation, a powerful 505-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system with MP3 compatibility and Bluetooth function for mobile phones.
The exterior dimensions have been increased to create greater space inside, mostly on the rear where the knee room has been made larger by 1.4 inches. The luggage capacity was also enhanced by 0.7 cubic foot, making in measure 17 cubic feet with the rear seats in place.
As always, Audi has taken safety into consideration. The new Audi A4 performed well in crash testing. It now has stronger body shell. It was also loaded will the usual airbags, including side curtain airbags, ABS, Brake Assist, latest electronic stability control and a monitoring system for the driver s blind spot to improve the safety from lane changes.
More than being equipped with quality catalytic converters, the 2009 Audi A4 achieved a significant change that comes from its longer-wheelbase chassis. The innovation enabled the front suspension to more the wheels forward by 6.1 inches more than the current A4. The wheelbase was entirely stretched by 6.6 inches, while the front track with 1.7 inches more in width and the rear with 1.6 inches more in width as well. It has been made longer through relocating the differential for the front wheels ahead of the clutch.
The vehicle is said to be more responsive to steering inputs as there is less mass leading the front tires down the road brought by fewer inches of front overhang.
The A4 now has optimized five-link front suspension, like the A5, complemented by the customary multilink independent rear suspension. In addition, the components are mostly made of aluminum to decrease weight that would eventually provide more responsive suspension action. The larger engine bay allows the relocation of the steering rack, which results in more direct steering action along with improved feedback from the tires.
An added optional feature is the variable damping control. It works to improve the vehicle s ride quality, making it more competitive to the Mercedes C-Class when it comes to overall comfort.
Aerodynamics was also enhanced to improve high-speed stability that will provided added measure of refinement while driving on long travels. Audi says that the A4 achieved a very slippery drag coefficient of only 0.27 Cd.
As with the mechanical aspect, the new A4 will be made available with two gasoline engines, including a turbocharged four-cylinder and a naturally aspirated 3.2 L V6.
Currently, the A4 will have a four-cylinder engine matched with front-wheel drive, while the V6 with all-wheel drive. But, there will also be an S4, featured with a 350 horsepower version of the 4.2 L Audi V8. However, it will be not until early 2009 that the S4 will arrive in the European market. That would mean the S4 will most likely be seen in the US as 2010 model year.
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