Press Release
The captivating design
With its fine precision and captivating styling, the exterior of the new A4 Avant highlights the lead that Audi maintains when it comes to automobile design. The designers re-proportioned the dimensions with respect to the model’s predecessor: The roof contour slopes more in this model, while the flat D pillars lend an elegant flow to the silhouette and powerful horizontal lines accentuate the width of the tail.
At 4.70 meters (15.42 ft) in length, the A4 Avant is large, making an impression on the road that is both stately and powerful. Although more rigid and safe than that of its predecessor, its body has undergone a dramatic weight loss thanks to smart, light-weight construction.
The cargo area of the new A4 Avant—the largest among its direct competitors—holds 490 liters (17.30 cubic ft) in its basic format. The maximum volume is 1,430 liters (50.50 cubic ft) with the rear seats folded down. The rear seats split 60/40; a load-through hatch with a separate ski/snowboard bag is available as an option. Intelligent solutions such as a reversible cargo floor, a separator net and a convenient cover for the cargo area also come standard. Options include numerous luxury features ranging all the way up to an electrically operated tailgate.
The interior is roomy, with a feel of light and elegance, and is refined still further by a wide range of high-tech, luxury-class solutions, including climate-controlled comfort seats ventilated by small fans. When you take a seat in the A4 Avant, you should be prepared for two typical Audi experiences: A sense of well-being will surround you from the very first second and the strictly logical layout of the controls will immediately unfold before you. Another area where Audi is setting new standards is passive safety. Passengers are now even better protected, thanks to the innovative interaction between the adaptive airbags and the belt tensioners with adjustable belt-force limiters. This feature selectively controls the intensity of airbag activation and the level of belt force in response to the seated position and severity of the accident.
The new Audi A4 Avant runs with five powerful, refined engines delivering output ranging from 105 kW (143 hp) to 195 kW (265 hp). All of these engines come with direct injection—FSI technology for the gasoline models, common-rail technology for the TDIs. All TDI units and the four-cylinder gasoline engine feature turbocharger technology. The engines in the new A4 Avant consume significantly less fuel than their predecessors, delivering evidence of the success of the Audi efficiency strategy. Highly precise manual and tiptronic transmissions and a multitronic continuously variable automatic transmission transmit engine power either to the front wheels or to the quattro all-wheel drive, which, by slightly favoring the rear axle for torque distribution, reveals an especially dynamic nature.
Driving pleasure: dynamism and comfort
The new A4 Avant is a car that handles with agility, precision and playful ease. The differential and clutch have traded places on the drivetrain, allowing the new five-link front suspension to move forward by 154 millimeters (6.06 in) and, in so doing, perfectly balancing the axle loads. The dynamic suspension was redesigned from the ground up. The use of numerous aluminum components has made the suspension, links, wheels and brakes unusually lightweight.
A whole bundle of innovative technologies makes this model still more intriguing: Audi drive select is an optional system that allows the driver to influence how the engine, automatic transmission and steering system operate simply by pressing a button. The system can be supplemented with at least one of two modules—an adaptive control system for the shock absorbers and/or Audi dynamic steering, which operates on the basis of a superposition gear. This changes the steering ratio in response to vehicle speed. When approaching the limits of handling, Audi dynamic steering stabilizes the new A4 Avant by intervening instantly with small steering maneuvers.
Innovative supporting systems taken directly from the luxury class make driving even more exciting and masterful by regulating the distance to the vehicle in front, helping the driver change and maintain lanes and providing assistance for parking.
The communication and entertainment systems are also pure high-tech and range up to the deluxe sound system made by Danish specialists Bang & Olufsen. Audi offers three equipment lines for the new A4 Avant: Attraction, Ambition and Ambiente.
The body and trunk
The design of the Audi A4 Avant serves as an expression of its character: exciting and dynamic. With the sculptural curves of its surfaces and the sharp lines that frame them, the car underscores the leading role that Audi enjoys in the field of automotive design. The side and roof are linked by a barely visible, seamless joint—a feature that points out the high level of precision that goes into an Audi. The headlights, with their “wing” elements, are technological works of art. Daytime running lights come standard with the xenon plus headlights and consist of 14 white LEDs.
The dimensions of the Avant have been redesigned in proportions that are sportier than the model’s predecessor: The front overhang has been shortened, while the length of the hood and wheelbase has grown significantly. The new A4 Avant measures in at 4.70 meters (15.42 ft)—nearly 12 cm (4.72 in) longer than the previous model. The body is more rigid and safe than in the past, yet, thanks to smart, lightweight steel construction, has shed about 10 percent of its weight. The 1.8 TFSI version of the A4 Avant weighs a total of only 1,470 kilograms (3,240.80 lbs).
The cargo area of the newest addition to the Audi family—the largest among its direct competitors—holds 490 liters (17.30 cubic ft) in its basic format. The maximum volume is 1,430 liters. The split rear seat back can be folded down in just a few steps. When the tailgate is open, the roll-top cover can slide back along special grooves with just a light touch. The A4 Avant also comes standard with a reversible cargo floor and an aluminum roof rack. Audi also provides a variety of luxury options, such as an electromechanically powered tailgate or a roof rail system with a mounting set for luggage.
