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Before the world premiere at the IAA 2015 in Frankfurt / Main, Audi invited people to Venice to get to know the new Audi A4 B9. I could not and did not want to miss this opportunity - after all, the newest middle class offspring from Ingolstadt has already become criticized in advance.
Of course, Audi would put a very good car on the wheels, no question about it. But in terms of design & technology, the material published so far on pictures and paper promised disillusionment. Is this criticism justified? “Vorsprung durch Technik” - does the ninth-generation Audi A4 live up to this claim? Among other things, it was necessary to find out.
At the Venice airport, I first stroll past the various A4 models.
Well, silver does not come into question.
Tango red looks more interesting. Simple chrome double pipe? Ah, 3.0 TDI. Go then. I take.
And the 2.0 TFSI quattro in Arablau, I'll take it too.
2.0 TDI would be too banal somewhere - like silver.
It must be loud.
Bad theme design - new A4 or just a facelift?
In the booth there was still enough time with cigarettes, with Axel Griesinger to evaluate the design of the new Audi A4. The first impression immediately reveals that the previous press photos do not do justice to the B9. I had already expected that, it happened to me Audi A3 but exactly the same. Only when the 8V was in front of me did I really appreciate the thoughtful and coherent design. He looks like the predecessor? No, not at all.
Audi A4 in the S-line trim - detailed exterior
There are many small details that add up to an exterior design that quickly makes the viewer aware that more than just concealment or lifting has happened here. As an example, the hood is called here. This lies almost overlapping on, protrudes on the sides over the fenders, so that no gap is visible. The resulting edge is continued as a style element and light edge behind the fenders. The ugly necessity becomes a quick style element.
The absolute optical highlight is the Matrix LED headlights. Many people may disagree about the current Audi design, but the headlamp design, the boys and girls from Ingolstadt have it easy. The LED technology leaves a lot of room for design and that can be seen. Whether the facelift of Audi A1 and Audi A6, A7 or just the new Audi A4 - the headlights are design pieces.
Overall, the A4 remains at first glance an Audi. What scold the one uniformity is for other brand identity. For example, the single-frame grill, which is flatter, wider and sharper on the B9. And that Audi is aware of the identity-forming property of this feature, can be seen in more detail. The single frame emerges approximately in the baffle of the steering wheel and framed the four rings. Fine idea.
Piekfein - The interior of the new Audi A4
The parade discipline remains the interior. In keeping with the ara blue of the exterior, the contrast stitching of the beige leather is decorated in dark blue. In combination with the open-pored oak decor I almost want to jump the heart out of my bosom. No clear-lacquered burl wood, but a slightly rough, textured wooden surface exude a fine nobility. The climate control unit enclosed in the chrome frame and the keys arranged underneath are suitable for this purpose. In the center console, the interior looks pleasantly reduced.
The shift gate with the selector lever as an armrest, the leather-Alcantara combination - here I feel at home quickly, without being slain by too much complexity. I will not be killed until I am in the depths of the MMI and the virtual cockpit be issued. Both require getting used to. As fascinating and beautiful as the technology is, the combination of large MMI display, Audis virtual cockpit and the head-up display sometimes provides information overkill.
As beautiful and tidy as everything appears and as much as dashboard caresses can indulge in their haptic pleasures - the cockpit of the new Audi A4 is not free from criticism. Personally, I think the free-standing display is a bad habit. It destroys the stringent cockpit design. It doesn't look quite as bad as the Pattex solution from Daimler - but beautiful is different. I long for the retractable display in the A3, A6 and A7.
Also, the start button is ergonomically unfavorable in my opinion, but that is also a question of habituation. My biggest criticism is the paddle shifters behind the wheel. The great premium claim that the Ingolstadt cherish, the interior is fair - the Schaltpaddles do not do this. These are downright cheap. Lousy, light plastic. And especially with a part, where I may stalk more often. Please hand over here again, Audi.
Audi A4 (B9) 2.0 TFSI quattro & 3.0 TDI quattro - on the move
Both engines push vigorously, pulling off effortlessly and confidently. Both the 2.0 TFSI quattro with 185 kW / 252 PS and the large 3.0 TDI quattro with its 200 kW / 272 PS have plenty of power. Inside, it goes into a roundabout and with only medium accelerator pedal position you push the sedan out again - a quick look at the speedometer, followed closely by a kick on the brake pedal. With both engines, the driver is traveling very fast too fast. But this cool nonchalance, with which both engines push out of the cellar, brings joy and calms down immensely. I do not always have to - but I can, if I want.
Who throws the A4 on country roads in curves and how I provoked clumsy load changes with my angular driving style, can even swing the tail. In general, however, the A4 is extremely balanced. The steering does its job well and unobtrusively, letting the A4 Limo maneuver in the city without much force and becomes more direct with increasing speed. But just in the dynamic mode of the drive select I would wish for more commitment and directness in the middle position.
Despite adaptive dampers and dynamic steering - great differences were not noticeable in the individual modes. I could do without the two points well. Because in general, the suspension tuning is very balanced, safe and with a perfect compromise between comfort and sport for my taste. The A4 is full on the asphalt, curbs and irons but almost everything away, which gets in the way and still leaves considerable Kurempempi - thanks to the quattro drive.
Emotionally, the 3.0 TDI touches more. That's surprising to me as an old diesel smasher. Although both engines offer exuberant performance, the 2.0 TFSI quattro remains emotionally pale. He sounds constricted under load and unwilling, yes, almost stubborn. Sure, he is doing really well, but the engine is blaring too much for me. That makes the three-liter diesel lighter, more confident and energetic. His voice fits the delivered performance, not only balances out of every bend, no, he sounds pithy for large-volume diesel. That's the way it has to be.
The 3.0 levels tiptronic, the 8 automatic transmission from ZF, also fits the good engine impression of the 8 TDI. In direct comparison with the S tronic 7 dual-clutch transmission in the 2.0 TFSI, the 8 gearbox acts more confidently, more safely, to the point. For example, anyone who goes from sailing to zero load in partial load, so that the transmission must downshift, feels that the tiptronic switches much more subtle. The S tronic, on the other hand, rattles and pats in the drivetrain, switching to the lower gear in a disgusting way. To admit, these are small, fine details - but these are the decisive factors.
»Vorsprung durch Technik« - The Predictive Efficiency Assistant
Behind this jammed marketing interjection hides what actually makes a head start. The technologies behind it may not be new, their composition is already. Navigation data, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and steering lane departure control work hand-in-hand and ensure efficient driving. The cruise control is set to 100 km / h, no vehicle drives in front of us, the A4 keeps up the pace. Based on the navigation data, the system recognizes that we are approaching a curve that should be approached at a lower speed. Instead of braking, the powertrain goes into the sailing function, slows down and saves fuel - even before I see the curve.
At corner exit, the Audi accelerates back to the set 100 km / h. We slide in front of us as the vehicle suddenly slows down. A moment later we pass an 80er sign - and are already driving 80 km / h. Again the car and the technology reacted before the traffic sign was visible. This from Audi so chunky predictive efficiency assistant (PEA) called system works equally at construction sites, in traffic jams and - as already known by the ACC (adaptive cruise control) - in front of driving road users. This system always adjusts the speed to the circumstances, even those that the driver has yet to register. The whole thing happens partially autonomous and worked very reliably during my trip, even if it takes some getting used to.
The new Audi A4 (B9) - Conclusion
A blessing that Audi sticks to the A4 modular modular building block (MLB), which here in its second evolutionary stage as MLB evolution forms the basis for the ninth generation of the A4. A blessing only because the longitudinal engine configuration also allows six- and eight-cylinder engines - and still need the space S4 and RS 4. Thanks to MLB, the Audi A4 can also break away from the MQB Passat.
The Audi A4 Sedan - and certainly the Avant - is the perfect travel vehicle. Quiet, isolated, completely sovereign B9 pulls its tracks.
It is difficult to criticize the Audi A4. Because the Ingolstadt present here a damn mature, very good car, which allows only detail weaknesses. Perfection - technologically as well as driving and design - is scary. Audi still remains true to a certain extent. The design was carefully, but in the right places markedly improved. The variety of details makes the charm here. Technologically Audi offers (almost) the full program, but without opening up really new. But the sheer abundance and the possibilities of combining existing technologies are impressive. Thus, the new Audi A4 is also very, very technoid. A car that comes along almost perfect - and therefore suffers from a certain lack of emotion.
"Lead by technology"? If you expect new technologies in a new model with this claim, you will be disappointed here. The technological advantage becomes clear when linking existing systems. Noticeable. The so-called predictive efficiency assistant shows very impressively how the combination of existing assistance systems creates an almost frighteningly intelligent vehicle. And what I have experienced with the new Audi A4 is »Vorsprung durch Technik«.
The Audi A4 (B9) is currently celebrating its premiere at the IAA 2015 and can already be ordered. Price starts the A4 at 30.650 €, the driven 2.0 TFSI quattro and 3.0 TDI quattro are available from 44.450 € or 50.100 €.
Text: MvB Photos: MvB
