Test drive Audi A4 B8 since 2007 sedan

Without two six

Audi has achieved unprecedented success in Russia. The-2000 plan was completed in June. More than half of the sales was on the A6 model. But the Germans seemed to feel this imbalance - and a new Audi A4 leaves for the market.
The new Audi A4 did not show at the Paris Motor Show, explaining that Parisians were used to watching the fact that you can buy today, and the four will go to dealers after the New Year. In Russia, they like to discuss the merits of everything - even that no one is going to buy. This does not apply to the new A4. The Moscow Bureau Audi expects that the novelty will seriously change the solo sales solitaire, not only squeezing the older sister-A6, but also composing the real competition of Mercedes S-Klasse and Volvo S60.
It won't be small. The body of the new four has changed very logically. Having got rid of light teenage angularity inherent in the previous version, the machine fit perfectly in design between the troika and the six. Designers thoroughly worked on everything that is behind the middle resistance of the body. The rear doors, wings, panel, trunk lid and lanterns have changed. The new A4 has become similar to the current A6, but only less. However, now the difference in size also decreased. The four became 69 mm longer, 33 mm wider and 13 mm higher. Visually, this is not very noticeable. This is not for the eyes, but for the knees of the rear passengers. And on the driver’s chair you can drive so far that the indispensable hero of all test drives-a driver with an increase above the average-will hardly squeeze the clutch pedal without looking up from the back of the seat. The driver’s landing is interfered only by the torpedo beard descending down. On cars with a manual gearbox, where the gas pedal is located closer to the beard, this circumstance is somewhat annoying, especially since the company itself compares the interior with a suitable costume. Apparently, the size is not suitable for everyone (unfortunately, the same drawback is also inherent in A6), although the costume is really great. The finish is impeccable. High -quality plastic, natural wood inserts or aluminum, a leather salon, as an option, or fabric, as a standard. Serial equipment A4 is generally very rich. Sideguard curtains that protect the ESP electronic stability system with an assistant in braking (it comes into force at an emergency stop), a separate climate control for a driver and a front passenger, alloyed discs ... everything says that it says that it says that it says that Before you is not an old A4, but without four minutes the sixth. Such standards dictate the market: younger models are drawn to the elders. The bar was greatly raised by colleagues from Stuttgart, introducing the new Mercedes C-Klasse. Mechanical engineers from Ingolstadt tried to make no worse than the neighbors, leaving one trump card behind them.
CHAIN \u200b\u200bREACTION. Automobile arms race invigorates. It is worth putting one company on a new series of cars adaptive control of the gearbox, as the other will immediately have intellectual. The same option appears on cars of different companies under different names and abbreviations. However, Audi has something really unable to have analogues-at least direct competitors. This is a new automatic landscaped Multitronic transmission.
Multitronic is borrowed with A6 and so far is installed only on these two models. Supposing technical details, we can say that the Multitronic is a thousand -way metal chain connecting two pulleys of diameters variables. There is simply no such thing as the number of programs: the gear ratio is exactly what it is at the moment. This allows you to fully use the potential of the engine. The arrows of the speedometer and tachometer live as if in different dimensions: the speed is growing, despite the fact that the revolutions can increase, remain unchanged or fall. What does multitronic give in practice? Feel, not very much. Acceleration confident and smooth. The same electric motor gives. Neither shocks nor jerks, of course, is impossible to notice. However, it is not easy to feel the switching on other modern machines, if only it is not specially hung up on this. True, the manufacturer assures that the car is practically not inferior with a machine with a machine with a machine with a machine with a mechanics, and it consumes less fuel. The numbers do not amaze the imagination: some tenth shares of a liter, but still nice. If we compare Multitronic with a regular automatic, then it becomes even more pleasant - here the winning is more serious. Multitronic - undoubted pride of Audi. Why, if he is so good, he is not on Volkswagen? Not strangers, it seems, people. The answer is simple and intelligible. This is marketing. Audi cars should have some features that emphasize the special status of the brand.
Multitronics have a manual mode. Six conditional gears can be switched both by the gearbox lever and buttons on the steering wheel. Naturally, this option cannot replace the mechanical gearbox: electronics will not allow you to move from the second gear or stick the first to 80 km/h, although such attempts are very reminiscent of the curiosity of a person who first encountered automatic doors at the airport: they will have time to open if they run up if they scatter properly?
Multitronic is still offered only on front -wheel drive cars. There is no problem to marry it with all-wheel drive, as there is no Audi, but for some time it will take. So Quattro will still go in two proven versions: with a manual box and Tiptronic (a familiar automaton with the possibility of manual gear shifts).
Features of national consumption. The new A4 is starting with five engines. Four new engines: two gasoline volumes of 2 and 3 liters (they replaced 1.8 and 2.8) and two turbodiesels-1.9 TDI (130 hp, a pump-record system) and 2.5 TDI (the same as on Allroad and A6). In addition, the old 1.8t engine (turbo, gasoline, 150 hp) is proposed, and in mid -2001 the most modest will appear - a modified gasoline volume of 1.6.
According to forecasts, a front -wheel drive two -liter four with Multitronic will be the greatest demand in Russia. On the one hand, there is a low price specially agreed for Russia (approximately from $ 26 thousand), on the other hand, acceptable power. It is acceptable. Therefore, the car itself, both by its appearance, and interior decoration, not devoid of sports spirit, initially sets up on something more. However, on the mountain roads where the test was held, there was enough motor, so that, without freezing his heart, to finish overtaking on the counterclaim in time.
   A three -liter V6, coupled with all -wheel drive and a manual gearbox, leaves completely different impressions. And again this is predictable that in a car with a capacity of 220 hp. Under the gas pedal will always remain a stock of gunpowder in order to shoot at the right time. Suddenly and pleasantly surprised a 2.5-liter turbodiesel. Awesome dynamics! Gas to the floor - and the arrow of the tachometer almost at the same moment rests against the red zone - 4,500 revolutions. But this car is unlikely to become a sales leader. And it's not about price - it will start from $ 33 thousand, but in the preference of Russian consumers. They still shy about diesel engines. And the station wagons are underestimated (A4 Avant will be represented by the next fall in Frankfurt). But what Audi buyers never needed was an outsider in advice.
Text and photo Sergey Sherestnikov

 

Source: "Autopilot"