Test drive Audi A4 Avant 1996 - 2001 station wagon

EURAVICHER

To distinguish the new Audi A4 Avant from the old, you need to put two photos in front of you or put two cars next to you. One 1999, the other - 2001. But the outside of the matter is only half of it.
 
For almost a year, the Russian market was left without departments. The previous model, launched into production in 1995 and updated in early 1999, disappeared from the salons last fall. New will appear by the end of the year. It is difficult to say how much this disappearance upset Russian buyers. It is well known that the station wagons are not very complained of. In relation to A4, this means that in 2000, for 14 sedans sold, we had one advantage, while in the total volume of the concern, this ratio is approaching 50/50.
AT FIRST SIGHT. The world premiere of the new Audi A4 Avant took place in September. The first thing to say is the new advantage will please the owners of old advents. Because the old ones with the advent of a beginner will not automatically fall into the category of second-hand-hat-they are too similar. A little modified front headlights and rear lights, which descends to the level of anti -tumens chrome edging of the radiator grille and a lowered bumper line. I tried to understand from the press release what I missed in the guise of a new car, but found only standard descriptions: sports, fit, muscular, large, but not bulky, clear in lines and elegant. Probably, in another case, it would be called restyling.
It is known that the best station wagons are called Avant, ”the branded booklet modestly reports. And if it is known - so what else is needed? Not visible differences at first glance, bringing the car to the category of new products.
Diesel machine. On one of the parking lots of the Tigel Berlin Airport, rented by the Audi concern for the days of the world journalistic presentation, I chose a car with a mechanical gearbox and a 1.9 TDI engine. Honestly, I chose the car in color: Red was most suitable for filming in cloudy weather. The calculation was simple: on the way to the hotel, photograph it, and then ride a pleasure on more powerful cars. But it turned out that the car is driving with the 1.9 TDI engine, and even like in all modes and in all programs. On the fifth, an acceleration was still decent for the maneuver on the autobahn, and the car began to dull the car only in the sixth gear, when the fuel consumption fell up to 4.5 liters per 100 km (by the way, there were no six -speed boxes of 1.9 TDI on the A4 sedans). In addition, at speed, the light tractor noise of a diesel engine, noticeable in the parking lot, dissolved in the rustle of the wheels. Naturally, I once again scolded the stubborn Russians to myself, who stubbornly ignore diesel engines. I was even more imbued with respect for the turbodiesel, when I tried exactly the same car on the way back, only with a two -liter gasoline engine. The same 130 hp, the same manual box, front -wheel drive, while others are subjectively perceived as less powerful. Gas to the floor in the fifth gear - and practically nothing. But all the same, the sales leader in Russia (judging by the numbers of sales of the A4-Sedan)-all the same gasoline two liters. Later I realized why. The price of the diesel version of the advanced (1.9 TDI) will be $ 3200 higher than for a two -liter gasoline. The diesel, however, eats less - at one gas station it can wave 1300 km - and fuel is cheaper for it. But the savings at current Russian prices for fuel are a little more than the dollar per hundred kilometers. That is, in order to recapture the initially overpaid $ 3200, you need to drive almost 300 thousand km! Almost like the moon. Add here a more frequent oil change (every 7.5 thousand km), recommended by the manufacturer for countries with bad fuel, and take into account the advice on using the domestic diesel fuel: before pouring it into the tank, it is better to let it stand in the cans so that all the dirt sank to the bottom. But, it seems, the Russians have made their choice: out of 250, only two of the TDI engines sold this year sold this year. By the way, over the year, since the presentation of the A4-Sedan, two new modifications of diesel engines have appeared. 1.9 TDI is now presented in two versions - 100 and 130 hp, and a hurricane 2.5 TDI supplies not only 180 hp, a mechanical box, quattro, but also with the front -wheel drive - strangled up to 155 liters . S., this turbodiesel is first aggregated with multitronics.
Go remember. We have already written about what is multitronics. But recall. This is a stepless automatic transmission, which is a wide metal chain connecting two pulleys of alternating diameter. In all characteristics - in any case, the declared manufacturer - is practically not inferior to a manual box. Multitronics costs an additional $ 1,500, but gives the driver less than enthusiasm. Acceleration figures - as well as fuel consumption - are the same as on a manual box, and the dungeon of a three -liter, for example, engine, do not feel. Experts say that the point here is in emotions: they say, with manual switching you feel a sharp acceleration, and uniform acceleration does not start so. Maybe, but what do we pay for not for our own illusions regarding a particular machine?
There is no multitronics with a Quattro all -wheel drive - until the exit to the cardan shaft has been developed. Quattro is supplied with a manual box and a tiptron (stepped machine gun with a manual gear shift). Full -wheel drive is offered on cars with an engine of 150 hp. That is, with the already mentioned 2.5 TDI (180 hp), popular 1.8 tons (150 hp), modernized 2.4 (170 hp) and top 3.0 (220 liters. With.).
It remains to mention the budget engine 1.6 to create a complete picture. But his 102 hp Do not reach the QUATTRO nameplate.
EU ERUROVAGON is not for the EurOVASK. As you know, the fastest station wagon in the world is the Audi RS4 Avant Quattro, made on the basis of the already withdrawn from the production of the machine. The EVERECHIP cubic meter accepted on board, it can disperse to 100 km/h in five seconds. When RS4 appears on the basis of a new advantage, it is impossible to say for sure - representatives of the concern say that, according to tradition, the most charged version is brought to the market closer to the moment when the production of ordinary station wagons begins to curl up. That is, not soon. But with confidence it is possible to say that a non -existing supervago will be able to take away almost as much as the predecessor. In any case, the loading volume on new advantages increased by 52 liters with the rear seats raised, although it decreased with full layout - now it is 1184 liters instead of the previous 1250.
But additional niches appeared in the new advantage. One, under the floor of the trunk, contains 65 liters, in the other, in the glove box, a refrigerator can be installed. Small, just on a bottle. Its filling, as well as the filling of the trunk, is a matter of habit and taste. And with the taste of owners of advances, they believe in Audi, everything is in order. Otherwise, why would they accurately choose the best universals in the world?
       
Text and photo Sergey Sherestnikov
       
Model/Modification Audi A4 Avant 1.9 TDI AUDI A4 Avant 2.0
Manufacturer Audi AG/Germany
 
BODY
Type station wagon
Number of doors/places 5/5 5/5
ENGINE
Type of diesel, with a pump-record system, with a turbocharger and intermediate cooler gasoline with multi-point electronic injection
Front location, longitudinally
 
Working volume (cubic cub) 1896 1984
Number/location of cylinders 4/row
 
Power, kW (L.S.) at about./Min. 96 (130) at 4000 96 (130) at 5700
Moment (Nm at about./Min.) 285 at 1750-2500 195 at 3300
TRANSMISSION
Front front drive
The gearbox is mechanical, 6-speed mechanical, 5-speed
SUSPENSION
The front / back is multi -link, on double levers, a reptile stabilizer / independent, trapezoidal, reptile stabilizer
STEERING
Type gear rack with a hydraulic booster
Min. The diameter of the turn (m) 11.1 11.1
Brakes
Front disk ventilated
The rear disc
ABS electronic 4-channel, EBD electronic 4-channel, EBD, ESP
Dimensions/volumes/weight
Length/width/height (mm) 454/1766/1428
Wheel base (mm) 2650 2650
Mass, equipped/complete (kg) 1460/2010 1400/1950
Tires/Disks 195/65 R15 V/7JX15
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km/h) 203 208
Acceleration to 100 km/h (sec.) 10.2 10.2
Economy
Fuel consumption, city/highway (l/100 km) 7.6/4.7 10.9/6.2
The expected price in Moscow is $ 32 thousand $ 28.8 thousand.
 

Source: "Autopilot"