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VORSPRUNG durch technik (advancement through technology)
went forward yet again with the recent unveiling of the
new A4 at PGA Cars (official distributor of Audi
vehicles) in the country.
Billed
as a 2009 model, the new A4 closely resembles its A5/S5
sports coupe sibling, especially at the front end. The
austere Bauhaus-inspired lines of the previous model A4
remain, but more sinewy surfacing and edgy detailing
give the new car a fresh, new appeal. The B8 (chassis
code for the new A4) also looks expensive, with taut
shut lines and neat details like LED running lights.
Coming from the A4’s first truly new platform (known as
MLP or modular longitudinal platform) since 1995, it
moves the engine 5.9 inches rearward by mounting the
differential forward of the gearbox, allowing the center
line of the front wheels to be relocated closer to the
nose.
The
detailing is highly impressive, especially the controls
for Audi’s optional MMIS (Multimedia Interface System),
which has a wide range of functions, including the sound
system. The A4 also is available with an optional
505-watt Bang and Olufsen audio arrangement that feeds
10 channels of sound through no fewer than 14 speakers.
While
the previous model eventually blossomed into a car of
true desirability for keen drivers, this new one manages
to up the ante again with newfound levels of response,
body control and fluency. Audi Drive Select allows the
driver to choose between comfort and sport modes.
The
steering, which features a rack that is now mounted low
in the front of the engine bay close to the front
wheels, is said to provide more direct steering action.
The steering wheel goes from lock to lock in just 2.2
turns, so it reportedly responds to inputs quickly and
relays information back from the ECU with added clarity.
The
Philippine market will receive two introductory A4
variants—a 1.8L four-cylinder turbocharged fuel
stratified injection (TFSI) version and a 2.0L
four-cylinder turbodiesel injection model—priced at
P2.55 million and P2.68 million, respectively. |
