Edmunds First Drive: 2009 Audi A4

[Colin]

I fought through the crowds to sit in it at Frankfurt........... very much like an A5 inside. Indeed, very like the A5 sedan that it really is.

Just one thing wrong for me........ no S4 version for the foreseeable, and I have to replace my current S4 in march 08 when the lease is up. So I'll have to look elsewhere (Alfa 159 looking a good bet at present!)

[Raza]

I fought through the crowds to sit in it at Frankfurt........... very much like an A5 inside. Indeed, very like the A5 sedan that it really is.

Just one thing wrong for me........ no S4 version for the foreseeable, and I have to replace my current S4 in march 08 when the lease is up. So I'll have to look elsewhere (Alfa 159 looking a good bet at present!)

You have an S4?  2004?  2005?  Stick or automatic? 

And what 159 do you want?  Q4?  If you want the FWD version, you should get the Alfa GT instead.  It's beautiful. 

[GoCougs]

So the HIGHER end 3.2 is slower than a V6 Camry? Damn.

I would have major issues shelling out $40k for a performance/luxury sedan from an upper tier auto maker that couldn't outrun (at least in a straight line) a $25k Camry.

[TBR]

Yes, because acceleration>everything else .

There are plenty of $40k luxury sedans that are slower than the Camry (including three from Lexus and one from Toyota).

Also, don't forget that that is a manufacturer's estimate, most likely it will at least be able to get into the high 5s.

[Colin]

You have an S4?  2004?  2005?  Stick or automatic? 

And what 159 do you want?  Q4?  If you want the FWD version, you should get the Alfa GT instead.  It's beautiful. 

I do have an S4..... March 2005, one of the very first of the facelifted models with the large grille.

It has a proper gearbox, none of these self-shifting thingys..............







I drove an Alfa GT recently - the car that I pictured in the Photography Competition thread (#56)....... and it was a great drive (yes, even though it was the 1.9 JTD version!). Sadly, our Car Fleet people only have the 159 on the list........ I'd go for either the 3.2 or the 2.4 JTD.

If I can afford an RS4, and if there are any left, that is the other (very costly!) option.... the sedan is already out of production, though, so it would have to be the Avant, and that will cease production soon, as well.

Watch this space......... the car ordering package is due soon! 

[Raza]

What about going for something used?  The old RS4s must be dirt cheap, and I've always loved them.  But hell, an RS2 will only run you 10 grand or so.  I'd love one of those.

[saxonyron]

Colin, can I have it when you're done with it?    Beautiful car - and great pics.  You must have a blast with that thing. Where are you from? I'm on my way!  Regardless, I'm jealous as hell.  I love my 2.0T, but only lust after the S4's. Right now I'm looking at a 3 month gap over here when my A4 lease is up this Feb. and the new B8 A4's are out.  you Europeans get the good stuff a lot earlier than we do!  

[Whats Up DOHC]

I still think a bare-bones RWD A4 would sell very well. Aside from styling, why would anyone get a FWD A4 over something like a GTI?

[Raza]

I still think a bare-bones RWD A4 would sell very well. Aside from styling, why would anyone get a FWD A4 over something like a GTI?

Status drives sales of lowest rung models.

[ifcar]

I still think a bare-bones RWD A4 would sell very well. Aside from styling, why would anyone get a FWD A4 over something like a GTI?

If people are buying A3s over GTIs, they'll buy anything.

[sportyaccordy]

If people are buying A3s over GTIs, they'll buy anything.

All they have to do is move the diff and add a driveshaft. I would pay the premium for a RWD A4;

[Raghavan]

All they have to do is move the diff and add a driveshaft. I would pay the premium for a RWD A4;

Me too.
Audi has been coming out with some fantastic looking cars lately... Just wish they were RWD.

[TBR]

I say these same things and everybody says I am ridiculous.

[SVT_Power]

I say these same things and everybody says I am ridiculous.

Blasphemy. You are ridiculous.

[Raghavan]

I say these same things and everybody says I am ridiculous.

Couldn't have been me. I'm the resident RWD troll.

[r0tor]

Audi would have to flush the legend of Quattro down the toilet to do RWD... its not going to happen

[the Teuton]

AWDFTWOMGWTFBBQ!

[Raghavan]

Audi would have to flush the legend of Quattro down the toilet to do RWD... its not going to happen

How?

[TBR]

Audi would have to flush the legend of Quattro down the toilet to do RWD... its not going to happen

How would offering RWD instead of FWD do that? Audi diehards could get quattro and 3-series cross shopppers could get a lower price tag and better fuel economy. Audis are already engineered as RWD cars, it is stupid to make them FWD imho.

[sportyaccordy]

How would offering RWD instead of FWD do that? Audi diehards could get quattro and 3-series cross shopppers could get a lower price tag and better fuel economy. Audis are already engineered as RWD cars, it is stupid to make them FWD imho.

Exactly. Take the tranny off a BMW and put on a longitudinal FWD transaxle. That's basically what Audi has done. A relatively inexpensive RWD turbo-4 Corolla sized car would PWN!!! Esp. for 31 grand or whatever they're charging for it. I'd get that over the G35 any day.

AWD just doesn't make sense to me in the context of stability control, etc. My dad has driven his M45 through 2 NY winters no problem, on low-profile all season tires.

If Audi wants to beat BMW so bad why not go with what works? Can you imagine a RWD RS4??????

[r0tor]

in case you haven't noticed, Audi has spent the last 20 or so year bragging the performance advantages of Quattro, racing cars with Quattro (sans R8 and R10), and creating a supercar with Quattro...

If you go to any audi forum, you'll quickly realize the die-hard Audi fan would rather have Quattro AWD over RWD for any driving application

[TBR]

Did you read my post? I specifically noted that Quattro would still be available to make Audi diehards happy.

[r0tor]

The problem is as I explained Audi has spent 20 years with saying Quattro > RWD > FWD ... and the audi buyers believe it

[850CSi]

AWD just doesn't make sense to me in the context of stability control, etc. My dad has driven his M45 through 2 NY winters no problem, on low-profile all season tires.

+1

[Colonel Cadillac]

Exactly. Take the tranny off a BMW and put on a longitudinal FWD transaxle. That's basically what Audi has done. A relatively inexpensive RWD turbo-4 Corolla sized car would PWN!!! Esp. for 31 grand or whatever they're charging for it. I'd get that over the G35 any day.

AWD just doesn't make sense to me in the context of stability control, etc. My dad has driven his M45 through 2 NY winters no problem, on low-profile all season tires.

If Audi wants to beat BMW so bad why not go with what works? Can you imagine a RWD RS4??????

Ever wonder why Audis sell so well in the Northeast? Quattro. Same with Subaru. My parents used to have a RWD Volvo 740 GLE, and I'll say this with pure confidence, it sucked ass in the winter. It could barely get up my driveway and getting it into the garage was nearly out of the question. With the Allroad, it has never been an issue.

[saxonyron]

Ever wonder why Audis sell so well in the Northeast? Quattro. Same with Subaru. My parents used to have a RWD Volvo 740 GLE, and I'll say this with pure confidence, it sucked ass in the winter. It could barely get up my driveway and getting it into the garage was nearly out of the question. With the Allroad, it has never been an issue.

I appreciate you guys with the RWD concerns, but as far as I'm concerned, Audi with quattro is where Audi wants to and needs to be.  I know their B8 A4 and other future cars will have a more RWD-ish set up with better weight distribution and rear biased quattro, and that's great.  But going back to marketing, any upscale Audi will be sold quattro. And as noted here by Rotor, Audi has been all about quattro for 20 plus years.  There are plenty of people who are very happy with FWD setups who don't care about performance and who don't have the first clue of what torque steer is.  They just want a nice European sedan with a bit of luxury.

Charlie's right - in the snow belt, AWD is a huge selling point.  I came very close to buying a RWD G35 in '06, but the day after my test drive, it snowed like hell.   I went running back to the Audi dealer and closed the deal the next day. 

[Raghavan]

The problem is as I explained Audi has spent 20 years with saying Quattro > RWD > FWD ... and the audi buyers believe it

The people who want Quattro will still get it, and the people who cross shop it with the 3 series will get RWD. That's all there is to it.
In states where it doesn't snow (like California) you don't need AWD and FWD is dumb. RWD would be the best. In the snowbelt states, people can still have their Quattro.
Audi already has the engineering, styling and interiors down. IMO with RWD, Audi will make the A4 a very good competitor to the 3 series.

[CALL_911]

Audi will make the A4 a very good competitor to the 3 series.

Even though the 3er is winning, the A4 isn't exactly out of BMW's rearview mirror.

[Raghavan]

Even though the 3er is winning, the A4 isn't exactly out of BMW's rearview mirror.

Yeah, but with RWD, the A4 would be neck and neck.
I know i'd definately buy a RWD A4/RS4 over a 3 series/M3.

[CALL_911]

Yeah, but with RWD, the A4 would be neck and neck.
I know i'd definately buy a RWD A4/RS4 over a 3 series/M3.

I don't think I would.