Skip to main content

Audi S4

We’d say that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, but, between the Audi A4 and A5, we’re not sure which is the female and which is the male. We don’t know what it says about us, but we like them both. The A4 and A5, we mean. Following the lead of the recently face-lifted Audi A5 and S5, Audi’s A4 and S4 sedans get similar cosmetic updates and technological additions for the 2013 model year.
It’s a little obvious to say that the most evident change to the A4 and S4 is the front fascia, but it’s unavoidable. The new headlights and rounded nose very much mimic those of the new A6, giving the car a more streamlined look. Even if you’re not a geek for automotive design, compare this car with the A4 of the late 1990s and it’s easy to appreciate the influence of angles and creases on cars that previously looked like suppositories. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that—we hear suppositories have low wind resistance and great fuel economy.)
While the powertrains carry over—a 211-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four for the A4 and a 333-hp, 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 for the S4—Audi has taken care to add more gadgetry to keep its mainstay sedan competitive. This includes updates to the optional MMI infotainment system; our favorite is the addition of a touch-sensitive pad that allows the driver to input commands to the nav system by “writing” letters with a finger. Audi has already implemented this system in the A6, A7, and A8, and we’ve found that it works extremely well at deciphering even the most chicken-scratch handwriting.

The European press release for the A4 also includes info on the wagon and Allroad versions. We know that the A4 Allroad is headed here, so we suspect the regular A4 Avant is going to bite the bullet in the States. An Audi rep’s comment that a final decision hasn’t yet been made solidifies this hypothesis.
Between the attractive front end and some new toys, the dynamically strong A4 should be able to minimize defections to the all-new BMW 3-series. When the next A4 arrives in a few years, that model will pack a diesel engine and, we suspect, many other big-picture updates that were just too costly to implement with this face lift. The goose and gander don’t mind waiting a few years, right?

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

KTM X-Bow Superlight

The extensive use of bare carbon fibre has kept the weight to a minimum The KTM X-Bow Superlight is one of the variants of the KTM X-Bow model range. As the name suggests the Superlight is the lightest model in the range - but not by much, the base model KTM X-Bow is just 5 kg (11 lbs) heavier. Although the Superlight is a full 40 kg (88 lbs) lighter than the GT4 version. The weight reductions to the KTM X-Bow Superlight have been made possible through the extensive use of carbon fibre. The monocoque structure with integrated crash protection is composed entirely of carbon fibre and left unpainted to show of the carbon fibre weave. The few body panels which are fitted to the X-Bow Superlight are also formed from carbon fibre. Additional weight savings were also achieved through the use of unique light-alloy wheels finished in a dark lacquer. Powering the KTM X-Bow Superlight is the same Audi-sourced 2.0 litre turbocharged engine found in all the X-Bow models. This engine puts out 24...
Read more

McLaren 650S Sprint

McLaren’s new 650S model now comes in three flavors, the standard road going 650S, the competition-spec 650S GT3 for serious racers, and now there’s the 650S Sprint which is aimed at track enthusiasts who still want a little bit of comfort. The 650S Sprint also replaces the MP4-12C-based 12C Sprint as McLaren’s track toy for the super-rich. Compared to the road model, the 650S Sprint features increased downforce and better cooling airflow to the 3.8 litre twin-turbocharged V8. It also features a competition-spec fuel tank and quick-fill cap, a larger radiator borrowed from the GT3 car, a new hood with additional cooling ducts for the radiator, front wing louvres for improved airflow, reduced ride height and recalibrated damping and spring rates, 19-inch center-locking race wheels with either Pirelli slicks or wet tires, onboard air jack system, and an upgraded braking system. On the inside the McLaren 650S Sprint features a stripped-out design with a FIA-approved rol...
Read more

Maserati Ghibli vs BMW 6 Series : Which Will You Buy?

When considering vehicles like Maserati Ghibli and the BWM 6 Series Gran Coupe, both reflect an effort toward blending dignified luxury with exhilarating performance. Though beholding vehicles of this caliber is always an exercise most fruitfully left to the natural eye, the image above serves as a simple example of each sedan’s inherent dignity. In lieu of experiencing each vehicle’s performance profile from behind the wheel, the table provided similarly works to demonstrate what both Ghibli and BMW’s 6 series have been engineered to accomplish. Comparing the Maserati Ghibli vs. BMW 6 Series in this regard yields a number of important emphases. Local clients will notice that both vehicles develop their identity around six-cylinder engines with a pair of strategic turbochargers. Yet regardless of identical displacement and analogous induction technology, Maserati serves its Ghibli clients with significantly greater quantities of horsepower and torque. In addition to t...
Read more