Background: Audi, the luxury division of Volkswagen, markets a full line of sedans and the two-door Cabriolet convertible. The Audi brand was introduced to the United States back in 1969, offering a range of front-wheel drive sedans at a time when front-wheel drive advantages were not well established. Sedan offerings include the A4, A6, and A8. All Audi sedans are available with the permanently engaged, Quattro all-wheel drive system, which works automatically without any driver input. Last year, more than 60 percent of Audis sold in the United States included the Quattro option. This past June, Audi introduced the 1998, five-seat A4 2.8 compact sedan. The A4 is Audis best-selling vehicle in the United States. In fact, of the 17, 019 vehicles Audi sold in the United States from January to June this year, 11,068 were A4s. Audi introduced the A4 2.8 sedan in the fall of 1995 as a 1996 model. This fall, Audi begins selling the 1998 A4 Avant station wagon in showrooms.Audi sales have steadily improved in the United States during the past two years.
New For '98: The big new addition to A4 2.8 is the optional automatic transmission with Tipronic feature. This system allows the vehicle to be shifted into gear using automatic transmission, or the transmission can be upshifted and downshifted manually using an easy-to-operate special shift gate. Horsepower increases this model year to 190 from 172.
Safety features: The A4 comes nicely equipped with a full range of safety features. Dual front air bags, front passenger side air bags, body crumple zones, anti-lock brakes, five-mile-per-hour bumpers, child safety rear door locks and traction control are all standard.
Standard equipment: As with many luxury offerings, the A4 comes nicely equipped. Standard features include: power windows, power central locking system, electronic climate control (air conditioning) with polling filter, cruise control, tilt/telescopic leather-wrapped steering wheel, five-speed manual transmission, rack and pinion power steering, rear window defogger, intermittent windshield wipers and even a headlight washer system. The A4 also comes pre-wired for compact disc players and portable car phones.
Optional equipment: Five-speed automatic transmission (with Tiptronic feature), heated seats, glass sunroof, Quattro all-wheel drive, leather seat upholstery, compact disc changer and a sports package, including sport suspension top the list of notable options.
Trim Levels: Audi's A4 is available in two trim levels: the six-cylinder A4 2.8 and the four-cylinder A4 1.8 T. The 1998 A4 1.8T becomes available later this fall.
Price: The 1998 Audi A4's manufacturer's suggested retail price checked in at $28,120. With options including automatic five-speed transmission ($1,075), Leather upholstery ($630) sunroof ($1,190) and Quattro all-wheel-drive ($1,600), our bottom line totaled $34,435 including a $500 destination charge. The 1997 A4 1.8 T, Audi's lowest-priced offering, starts at $22,990.
Seating comfort: In front, both driver and passenger have ample head and leg room, even with the optional sunroof. The leather, eight-way power driver's seat with lumbar adjustment was both comfortable and supportive. In back, riders have limited head and leg room. Audi promotes the A4 as a five-seater, but three adults in back is a real stretch.
Interior: Polished walnut wood inlays surround passengers and adds to the interior's ambiance. The instrument cluster is well designed and is backlit at night in red. The instrument cluster also has a clock. Not a digital clock but a clock with minute and hour hands. However, most other readouts, including inside and outside temperatures, are digital. Temperature settings, manual fan speed and fan directions are controlled from a series of buttons. The rectangular-shapped stereo situates above the climate controls. A hand-operated emergency brake sits between the front bucket seats, along with dual cup holders. A flip-top storage bin doubles as an armrest. Cruise control is found on the turn signal stalks and headlights activate from a second, stand alone, left-hand side stalk. Windshield wiper are controlled from a right-hand side stalk.
Engine: The A4 2.8 is powered by a 2.8-liter (thus the 2.8 name), double overhead cam, V-6 engine with five valves per cylinder (two for intake, three for exhaust). Horsepower increases to 190 this year, up 18 from last year. Electronic multipoint sequential fuel injection comes standard. Our A4 2.8 Quattro with automatic transmission traveled from 0 to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds. The A4 1.8 has a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine delivering 150 horsepower.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 102.6 inches Overall length: 178 inches Overall width: 68.2 inches Height: 55.8 inches Front headroom: 38.1 inches Front legroom: 41.3 inches Weight: 3,318 lbs.
Exterior: The aerodynamic exterior is rather conservative looking for a sports sedan. The front grille incorporates the four-ring Audi logo. Sixteen-inch, all-season tires fit onto 16-inch, five-spoke, cast aluminum wheels. Color choices include: Tropic Green, Aquarell Green, Pelican Blue, Brilliant Yellow, Pearl White, Cactus Green, Sable Brown, Bamboo, Casablanca White, Silver, and Lazer Red .
Trunk: The low-liftover trunk lid opens into a flat-floor area capable of holding 13.7 cubic feet of materials, average for this size vehicle. The back seat rest has a 60/40 split, handy when transporting large materials. There is a also a pass-through window containing an expandable storage sack useful for transporting snow skis.
Fuel Economy: Our A4 Quattro test-drive vehicle included mileage estimates of 17 miles per gallon city and 27 highway. In combined driving, our vehicle with 3,800 odometer miles averaged 19 mpg. The fuel tank holds 16.4 gallons of unleaded gasoline. The fuel tank door and trunk are linked up with the central locking system and lock automatically when locking the power door locks.
Final thoughts: The German-built A4 is a worthy competitor in the entry-level, high- performance luxury segment. Even at speeds of 75 miles per hour, the suspension and ride is noticeable smooth and quite. During sharp cornering, body sway is minimal. The optional all-wheel drive option is ideal for shoppers looking for this feature outside of the sport utility segment. |