Audi has introduced a new version of the A4, called the 2.0 litre TDI, after having previously presented it as a concept car. The letter “e”, when appearing in the name, denotes the economic version of this new model, with an average fuel consumption of just 4.6 litres/100 km, and CO2 emissions of 119 g/km.

These are impressive figures compared to the 2.0 TDI 143 hp, with similar performance, which has fuel consumption of 5.5 litres per 100 km. The new model has start-stop system, six speed manual gear change and onboard computer indicating the optimum moment for gear change. With a lowered based and new front air intakes, aerodynamics have been improved.

Tyres are 16 inches measuring 205/60, and the engine with its 136 hp, reaches a top speed of 215 km, with 9.5 seconds to hit 100 km/hr. The new Audi A4 will be available from July in sedan and avant versions, at a price of about 30,800 euros.

Continue reading: New Audi A4 TDI ecological version

While it’s no surprise that the German magazine Auto-Bild, should choose a German car as the most beautiful car of the year, 2008 sees the third year in a row when the title has been won by Audi.

After the TT in 2006 and the R8 in 2007, Audi has won this prize for 2008 with the A4 (seen in the photo in the S version). Audi also won awards in the sedan and station wagon categories.

The competition represents the opinion of 42,000 Auto-bild readers, who also appreciated the Q5 as the best SUV in the off-road segment. The renewed A3 also got itself the gold medal in its category, and concluding was the Metroproject concept, second in the category of development phase/concept car. Audi will be recognised by the magazine’s director at the Paris motor show.

Source | Audi AG

Continue reading: Audi: best car awards, Auto-bild 2008

Audi’s commercial for its new A4 doesn’t mince its words - compared to similar model BMWs, Mercedes or Lexus, there’s nothing that comes close to the speed and fuel efficiency of this Audi. And that’s it - a simple, effective message.

Continue reading: Audi A4 commercial: no match for this sedan

EuroNcap has again put to the test some of the latest models of the last few months. Testing was carried out on seven of the cars most suited to families: Audi A4, Skoda Superb, Citroen Berlingo, Ford Kuga, the VW T5 Caravelle and the two smaller ones, the Hyundai i10 and the Seat Ibiza. All the cars did well in the test on child safety, gaining four stars which is currently the highest protection available on the market for passengers from 18 months to three years of age.

From recent research users have understood the importance of using the correct accessories for child safety during travel. However, latest studies show that 60 percent of car users still don’t correctly use such equipment. Among the most frequent cases, wrong instalment of baby seats or the wrong choice is the highest instance. EuroNcap believes these errors are caused by limited available information on the correct use of car seats, while stating that the best way of fixing a baby seat in the car is the ISOFIX system which should be offered by companies at no extra cost.

Continue reading: EuroNcap: safety tests on seven new arrivals

Some updates on the Audi A4 destined for the US market: with availability in October the Ingolstadt vehicle will have a new 2.0 TFSI engine, increased to 211hp, 11 more than currently in use on many VAG models, with 350 Nm of torque.

The two-litre car will be equipped with the modern Audi Valvelift system controlling distribution and allowing the sedan a 0-60 miles (0-96 km/hr) in just 6.5 seconds. Combined with the engine - presented on the Avant at the American debut - it will be possible to choose as optional extras the double clutch, S tronic shift.

Management is also considering the introduction of a 3.0-litre V6 TDI for the American market. After Mercedes, that with its BlueTEC presented itself in great pomp to American customers, another German manufacturer is betting on diesel to reinforce its presence in the US.

Update: corrected eroneous reference to Steptronic shift

Continue reading: New York 2008: Audi implements new 2.0 TFSI on the A4

World Car Fans publishes some spy-shots of an Audi A4 being tested in the snows of northern Sweden. If the quadruple exhaus tubes and the big alloy rims don’t lie, it should be the new Audi S4, which should be coming out later this year.

The biggest unkown of the new S4 is the engine: will it be the same 4.2 litre V8 FSI of the S5, with 354 ps ? Or will it get un upgraded version of this same V8, with up to 390 ps ? Or, again, it could get the new V6 3.0 Turbo-FSI that everyone expects to come out soon, which should output 333 ps.

Continue reading: The new Audi S4 in the snows of Sweden

Audi has a new batch of photos of the new A4 Avant: 28 hi-res pictures in all. Enjoy (see our previous post for all available information about the new A4 Avant).

Continue reading: New images of the Audi A4 Avant 2009

Audi presents the new Audi A4 Avant. Compared to its predecessor, the new estate from Ingolstadt is quite a bit longer, at 4.70 cm. The external dimensions are the same as the saloon, with its shorter front overhang and a body that is both more rigid and lighter.

The A4 Avant has a luggage capacity of 490 liters with the rear seat up and 1,430 liters with the rear seat folded.

The engine range will be the same as the saloon: at the start there will be two gasoline engines, the 1.8 TFSI (160 ps, 250 Nm) and the 3.2 FSI (265 ps, 330 Nm), and two diesel engines, the 2.0 common-rail TDI (143 ps, 320 Nm) and the 3.0 V6 TDI (240 ps, 500 Nm). The 2.0 TDI engine will also come in a 170 ps version, with a torque of 350 Nm.

Continue reading: Audi A4 Avant 2008

For the delectation of anyone who is as obsessive-compulsive as us about new cars, here’s a link to the microsite of the new Audi A4, a nice gallery of wallpapers of the new saloon from Ingolstadt and a video with studio shots of the A4 where the excitement consists mainly of seeing the xenon plus headlights and LED daylights being switched on and off.

Continue reading: New Audi A4 - microsite, wallpapers and video

Some more photos of the new Audi A4, this time with the S line trim. And, to go with them, the official press release on the Audi A4 (pdf , 29 pages), of which you can find the brief version below the fold.

Continue reading: More about the new Audi A4

Official images of the new Audi A4 are here. The design of te B8 model of the mid-premium saloon from Ingolstadt seems to be a very moderate evolution of the previous model. Maybe too conservative.

The proportions seem to be a little more aggressive, maybe thanks to the shorter overhangs, the longer hood and the longer wheelbase. The hood has a little more of a slope and finishes in slightly less imposing single-frame grille. The headlights have pretty showy LED daylights.

Fortunately, underneath the body the changes are much more interesting. The MLB modular system made it possible to move the engine 154 mm backwards, for a better weight distribution.

Continue reading: New Audi A4 - official images and data

The official announcement for the new Audi A4 is expected tomorrow (august 28th). In the meantime, in an announcement about “efficient drive systems”, Audi has released some interesting tidbits that help us put the new A4 (B8) in perspective with the previous two generations (B6 and B7).

In the chart above (click on the image for a higher resolution version) you can see a comparison of technical data between B6, B7 and B8 for an A4 1.8T. A first thing to be noted is the very smal difference in weight, with the B8 25 kg heavier than the B6 (from 1,370 to 1,395 kg).

Another interesting thing is the passage from the old 1.8T to the new 1.8 TFSI. Power output has risen from 150 to 170 ps, torque from 210 to 250 Nm (passing through the 163 ps/225 Nm for the A4 B7), while fuel consumption is down 15% from 8.3 to 7.1 liters per 100 km. CO2 emissions are down 15% too, from 199 to 169 g/km. Performance should be sensibly better, with a 0-100 km/h time that should be down from 8.9 to 8.4 seconds.

Via | Auto.cz

Continue reading: Audi A4 B8 - first official informations