It has been an established fact that the newer generation Audi A4 carries styling and looks that would put most cars on the shelf to shame. The first of the new A4s came to us back in mid-2008 and it succeeded in making everyone at CAR India fall in love with it at first sight. The beauty of the A4’s design is in the flair with which it combines an executive saloon character with the aggression similar to that of a sports coupe. The fantastic day time running LEDs in the headlamps , the creases running across the length of the car , the long running bonnet , the aggressive snout , the wide and chromed lined grille and the 17-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels make the perfect recipe for a car that would embarrass even a billion rupee vehicle. Anyways , a lot has already been talked about the styling of the sexy A4 and i think I should restrict myself here with the design so that I can move on to the novelty of the A4 seen on these pages.

We have already tested the 3.2-litre FSI and the 2.0-litre TDI powered A4s earlier. This time around , we have something more exciting than what you have read in the past – the A4 with the 3.0-litre V6 TDI motor. It might not sound as exciting as a 3.2-litre petrol powerplant , but trust me it’s much better. To start off with , let’s have a look at some figures that will make most of the things clear. There is 240PS of peak power through 4000-4400rpm and 500Nm of maximum torque at the driver’s disposal from 1500-3000rpm. Standstill to 100km/h in 6.79 seconds and the quarter mile run in a mere 14.68 seconds with an exit velocity of 152.29 km/h. Impressed? Ok , take this as a bonus – 200km/h comes up in less than half a minute from standstill. This is mind numbing. Literally. While testing this Audi , every time Aspi stepped on the gas , my upper body sank into the snug leather seats and my head sensed the lightness occurring due to the
G-forces acting up. So what is the secret behind all this performance? The answer is a revised 3.0-litre V6 engine , whose block is made from extremely lightweight and rigid vermicular-graphite cast iron , occupying space in the bay of the A4. Along with it comes the third generation common-rail system , which takes the credit for better air-fuel mixture formation and efficient combustion. What is even more interesting is the new VTG (Variable Turbine Geometry) turbocharger sitting in the vee between the cylinder blocks and the new charge-air intercooler. This new apparatus helps the A4 in building up instantaneous and linear torque , which is why we get an astounding drive from as low as 1500rpm and that too without much of a noticeable turbo lag. Another factor that helps in gathering high speeds at lower rpms is the tall gearing incorporated in the A4. Thus , the new 3.0-litre diesel heart along with its new injectors , turbo and intercooler works wonders when it comes to outright performance and takes your senses on a rollercoaster ride once the pedal is put to the metal.

If you have concluded that it is the performance that solely does the job of winning hearts over , hold on. Add the amazing Quattro permanent four- wheel drive system , a Superb chassis , a suspension that is slightly on the stiffer side plus electronics that aid the handling of the A4 and you will end up arguing whether the car should qualify as an executive saloon or a sports vehicle. The A4 becomes even more desirable with class leading interior space (though I still find it a bit cramped for a 50 lakh rupee car) , elegant interiors , a sufficiently large boot and small bits like AC vents in the seats for cooling your back! And if all this were from a car that delivers an overall economy of 11.6kmpl , why wouldn’t you want to buy one? Probably for the following reasons.

The Audi A4 is a fantastic machine. It stands far away from its segment players when it comes to performance. And it does so with its price as well. At Rs 36.4 lakh (ex-showroom , Mumbai) , the A4 is expensive. The technology package that comprises of acoustic and optical parking system , front/rear view camera , Multi Media Interface , music system and TV reception comes at an extra Rs 3.5 lakh. Add another Rs 1.1 lakh for the Bang & Olufsen sound system , Rs 90 , 000 for 18-inch wheels and Rs 1.47 lakh for the rear seat entertainment system. A fully loaded A4 on the road will drain your bank account by close to Rs 50 lakh. So then , does it compete with the 5 Series and the E-Class? Yes. And would it win there? I am sure it will!

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