Press Release
Page 6 - Standard & Optional equipment
At a glance:
-         Newly designed body with emphatically sporty styling
-         Dimensions: length 4,573 mm, height 1,391 mm, wheelbase 2,650 mm. Luggage compartment: 315 litres (246 litres with the hood open)
-         Engines (longitudinally installed):
3.2 FSI V6 developing 188 kW (255 bhp), 330 Nm, 0-100 km/h:
6.8 s, top speed: 250 km/h (governed)
2.0 TFSI developing 147 kW (200 bhp), 280 Nm, 0-100 km/h:
7.9 s, top speed: 238 km/h
1.8 T developing 120 kW (163 bhp), 225 Nm, 0-100 km/h: 9.4 s, top speed: 226 km/h
2.0 TDI developing 103 kW (140 bhp), 320 Nm, 0-100 km/h: 9.7 s,
top speed: 212 km/h
3.0 TDI V6 developing 171 kW (233 bhp), 450 Nm, 0-100 km/h: 7.3 s, top speed: 242 km/h
-         5-speed or 6-speed manual gearbox, alternatively 6-speed tiptronic (for quattro models) or continuously variable multitronic automatic transmission (in combination with front-wheel drive)
-         Front-wheel drive or quattro permanent four-wheel drive
-         Dynamic suspension: optimised four-link front suspension and self-tracking trapezoidal-link rear suspension for precise, agile handling, brake system with improved performance, latest-generation ESP
New: adaptive light (dynamic cornering lights)
Long version
Dynamism and design
An enjoyable and sporty driving experience, superior and complex technology, classic yet exciting styling and a level of luxury that even satisfies the demands made in the luxury class: Audi is presenting the new generation of a car that has become a classic – the A4 Cabriolet.
The advent of a new model generation is evident at first glance: the open-top four-seater now has the single-frame grille that typifies the brand. The newly styled rear lights add a further visual touch. The car’s taut styling, clear surfaces and tension-packed shoulder line extending along the entire body are characteristic features of the A4 Cabriolet.
The car’s technology lives up to the promise made by its new styling: the A4 Cabriolet is being launched with four engines, three of which are new. FSI and turbo technology represent the most advanced state of the art for petrol engines, as do the ultramodern piezo injectors in the three-litre TDI, for example. The sporty yet comfortable dynamic suspension converts the power delivered by these units into sheer driving pleasure – on every bend, on every mile of the journey.
Innovative and highly sophisticated technologies are an integral part of practically all vehicle areas and components: the optional xenon plus headlights with daytime running lights and dynamic adaptive light technology are proof of this, as are the continuously variable multitronic transmission, which is still unique, and quattro permanent four-wheel drive.
The quality of materials and workmanship in the interior are of a standard that need not fear comparison with the luxury class. The architecture of the driver’s area, especially the cockpit – a perfect synthesis of design, ergonomics and function – is pioneering.
The design
Exterior
Unmistakeably Audi: the new generation of the Audi A4 Cabriolet once again exhibits the brand’s typical design features. Their sports character is immediately visible at first glance.
The new styling elements are especially striking. They immediately draw attention at the front of the car: the striking single-frame grille and newly styled clear-glass headlights with their curving, emotional line give the new Audi A4 Cabriolet a completely new face.
The tubes of the main beam lights catch the eye behind the covers. They form the optical focus of the light units, framed to the side by the orange-coloured round indicator lights. Here, Audi’s design engineers have made technology visible.
The ratio of the large, clearly shaped body surfaces to the flat, equally bold strip formed by the windows is significant. The Cabriolet’s utterly sporty but elegant design captivates the onlooker at very first glance. Clear lines, large surfaces and not a join too many: these are the characteristic features of the new Cabriolet’s timeless elegance. The high, rising shoulder line, which extends along the entire side of the body, additionally enhances the vehicle’s powerful overall impression.
Lights behind clear glass catch the eye at the rear of the car, further emphasising the high-quality appearance of the A4 Cabriolet. The prominent rear diffuser is flanked by two tailpipes.
The Audi A4 Cabriolet always cuts a fine figure – with the top up or down. The electro-hydraulic hood is integrated harmoniously into the vehicle’s overall architecture, without the occupants having to accept any considerable compromises in terms of function.
The Audi A4 Cabriolet remains a genuine four-seater which, thanks to its generously dimensioned luggage compartment, can accommodate four people and their luggage on holiday.
Interior
On a convertible with the top down, the interior is more an integral part of the exterior design than on any other type of vehicle. It is therefore important for the interior to take up the formal principles of the exterior design. The perfectly tailored suit: in the Audi A4 Cabriolet, two apparent opposites are combined to produce an amazing synthesis of extraordinary ergonomics and subjective well-being.
The lines and surfaces of the new A4 Cabriolet’s cockpit extend far into the region of the door panel and centre console, quite literally seeming to embrace the driver. This “wrap around� effect, to use the designers’ technical term, is accentuated additionally by the A4 Cabriolet’s high, gently rising waistline. This feature is something that many customers value very highly, not least because of the remarkable sense of security that it imparts.
The architecture of the dashboard and centre console also provided the designers with scope for positioning a wide range of instruments and controls high up, ideally within the driver's field of vision, in other words. This is a basic ergonomic design that is adopted in every aircraft cockpit – and not without reason.
The lines of the driving area create a lively interplay of distinctly rounded, tangible shapes and graphically clear edges and notches. This area is thus divided up into clearly defined zones. These can be distinguished at a glance – a worthwhile ergonomic bonus that speeds up intuitive access to the individual information units and function groups. This process of locating involves both the visual and tactile senses: groups of controls and displays can also be identified by the materials used.
As far as the instruments are concerned, the most important information elements are located under a dome-shaped cover. The dial graphics of the large round instruments dispense with all fashionable gimmicks. Together with the standard central display, the white instrument lighting ensures optimum readability.
The most important controls for the occupants’ well-being are located in the centre console: deluxe automatic air conditioning, the audio system and the optional navigation system plus. The air conditioning controls on left and right are within easy reach of both driver and front passenger.
There are, however, more benefits to the interior design than sheer practicality. The design of the self-contained function zones also creates a basis for a wide range of combination options for materials and colours. From the designers’ viewpoint this opens up entirely new horizons, and for A4 Cabriolet drivers it provides scope for an unprecedented degree of customisation.
The customer’s tastes and imagination are almost unrestricted when it comes to the choice of equipment and trim. The fact that the finish and quality of all fabrics and upholstery materials are of a standard you would expect to find on a luxury car is a fitting reflection of how Audi perceives itself.
Comfort and space on all seats
The micro-engaging mechanism for adjusting the front seats adds a new dimension to finding the ideal seated position which will benefit all occupants, not just the taller ones. Their fore/aft position can be adjusted practically infinitely, in increments of three millimetres.
The seat surface, which is longer than the norm in this vehicle class, provides an outstanding thigh support. This applies in particular to the sports seats which, in addition to an adjustable lumbar support, come with a thigh support that can be adjusted horizontally to suit individual requirements.
The rear seats offer plenty of space, even for tall occupants – which is something that cannot be said of every four-seater convertible.
There is also more room than average for luggage in the Audi A4 Cabriolet: with a capacity of 315 litres with the roof closed, the smooth-floored luggage compartment is also well equipped for large quantities of luggage. The standard load-through hatch with ski bag for four pairs of skis or two snowboards can also be used to transport bulky items.
Body
The body of the new Audi A4 Cabriolet is noted for its very high torsional rigidity, reducing body twist to a minimum. This not only increases safety, but also boosts ride comfort. Additional measures increase rigidity still further: these include tube-reinforced side panels and an extremely rigid and robust windscreen frame. It goes without saying therefore that the new Audi A4 Cabriolet meets the most stringent crash test requirements without any trouble.
Audi is one of the pioneers of lightweight design. On the A4 Cabriolet, various materials such as steel and aluminium have been combined in such a way that it was possible to keep the vehicle weight down without reducing body rigidity and safety. This includes the expansive use of high-strength and very high-strength sheet panels. These special panels are used primarily in the front end of the new A4 Cabriolet, in order to absorb impact energy as effectively as possible in a frontal crash.
As a protective cage, the occupant cell must also make sure that deformations and intrusions are minimised in a crash. Part of this task is performed by three large tailored blanks incorporated into the floor area. The wall thickness of each of these blanks varies. They are joined together by laser weld seams. The advantage of this special technology is that the generally large-format tailored blanks can be structured in such a way that high wall thicknesses are only used in areas subjected to particularly high loads. The result is a highly rigid structure which weighs less.
For the passenger cell, the tailored blanks form a stable, homogeneous bond with the forward and rearward structure via a bifurcated system of support members. Audi’s development engineers optimised profiles, wall thicknesses and material grades in extensive crash simulations.
In the rearward structure, the vehicle’s longitudinal member – which has to absorb much of the impact energy in a rear-end impact – is made using tailored blanks of varying wall thicknesses and materials.
The use of tailored blanks at specific points around the doors also helps to save weight. Energy-absorbing aluminium plates are used in the doors for impact protection.
The hood
The new Audi A4 Cabriolet has a soft top which can now be opened electro-hydraulically at the press of a button in just 21 seconds – an improvement of more than five seconds on its predecessor. As well as aesthetic advantages, especially when the roof is closed, it also offers numerous practical benefits compared with other roof concepts. For example, A4 Cabriolet drivers still have ample space to stow their luggage – even when the hood is open.
The Audi A4 Cabriolet is a car for all seasons, whatever the weather: the soft top is noted for its outstanding acoustic and thermal insulation. The glass rear window is heated and therefore clears quickly in winter.
The electro-hydraulic hood opens fully automatically as a standard feature. It can be opened and closed at the press of a button. The fully automatic hood can be operated when driving up to a speed of 30 km/h. This is a particularly convenient feature, especially in the city where it is not always possible to stop suddenly, or just before parking the car, when approaching the garage, for example.
Audi is setting a new standard for soft tops with its optional acoustic hood. By using new fabrics with a higher material density as well as an additional padded layer around the C-posts, the noise level inside is reduced to a level that scarcely differs from that in the Audi A4 saloon. The new roof also improves the thermal insulation properties. This increases driving pleasure and comfort considerably when driving with the hood up. Audi offers a choice of four colours for the hood; the headlining comes in three different tones.
