Surf to www.autobild.de and take the Audi link from there...

PO

I respect your standpoint - please tell me how do you know it - because I regard Autobild as a 'reputable' source, and would like to know if I'm mistaken. (I know about the 'fakes' on Automedia as well...)

Regards

PO

and the consensus appears to be that they are 'wishful thinking,' assembled to pique public interest and sell magazines. In looking at the shots, there are peculiarities of construction that make me think they cobbled together pieces of A6 and a couple of other Audi 'shapes' (in the great computer photo mixmaster) to suggest what *they believe* the new model *ought* to look like.

Having reskinned the current A4 relatively recently, I doubt that Audi have the next one far enough along in road testing for whole-body spy shots to be taken yet.

Rgds,
Roger

there is a paragraph that says something like "look at these computer photos....". I think that pretty much explains it right there.

Matt

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THE LITTLE A6

Do we know this car? That's right, the new A4 looks like its big brother the A6. From 2001 on an entire family will be spawned, from a four-door sedan to a sporty coupé.


From Ingolstadt to Munich? According to the map that's about 100km. A quick Audi will cover this in 45 minutes on clear road. Of course the "Münchener" feel that Ingolstadt lies far away, behind the Seven Mountains. [meaning that BMW considers Audi beneath them]
Wrong.

For, Ingolstadt has caught up with Munich; seeing its latest success one could even say it has overtaken Munich. As of August, Audi has sold 179520 cars in Germany in 1999, which is about 6.8% of this market segment. In the same time BMW has sold 163540 vehicles which amounts to about 6.2%. Thus Franz-Josef Paefgen could finally conclude that "Audi is successfully on course." And the name of that course is growth.

Indeed the Lord of the Four Rings also knows that after the years of plenty there is the threat of lean times ahead. The A4, the biggest sales hit of the Audi brand, is already 5 years old despite the latest face-lift, and it is losing more and more ground against the fresh 3-series from BMW. Customers will have a long wait for the successor. The new A4 appears in Summer 2001, in four versions: foor-door sedan, avant, coupé, and cabriolet.

First we will see the sedan. Take a leisurely look at our computer image: indications are the A4 will be a little A6, with its typical curved roof line, high side flanks, and short rounded boot. It is futile to look for any surprises, especially at the front end, where the "Ingolstädter" take precious few risks. Just a year ago we dreamed that the A4 would receive the short powerful nose of the TT. Dream on. Instead, the chrome grill hangs in front like the familiar old buck's head at the pub. Nothing modern there, just an appeal to the earlier A4 customers. Pretty but boring. Attention, Audi: The family resemblance between BMW's 3- and 5-series is also something to yawn about.

Then where are we to find the advancements in the A4? Clearly, they are in the details. The three goals of the builders are: more room, more comfort, more luxury. So, the Audi will ride on VW's new B platform, like the next Passat. The longer wheelbase of this platform gives a bit more legroom to rear passengers and also serves to moderate the stiffness of the A4 suspension. To further address driver complaints about the latter, aluminium will be used in the structure to make the chassis more light-footed. This will be the only application of aluminium this time; the body will still be made of steel.

Inside we have six airbags, three interior atmospheres to choose from, and a new computer system. After all the A4 must be prepared for the rapidly developing software features of tomorrow. These will let us take for granted the monitoring of traffic warnings, as well as radar to measure the distance to other vehicles, and the shift patterns of the new Multitronic transmission which is set to replace the current auto box.

Keyword: powertrain. With much gnashing of teeth, Paefgen had to concede the premiere of the gasoline direct-injection engine to VW, even though Audi had a prototype ready in 1997. This leap of "progress through technology" was first manifested in the VW Lupo. Not until 2001 will the A4 follow, with 1.4-liter 100hp, a 1.6-liter 120hp, and a 1.8-liter 145hp versions of the engine. The six-cylinder engines (165hp and 193hp) will have to forego the direct injection technology for now. To round out the palette, there will be a 3.0 liter V6 giving 220hp.

With that, we automatically jump to the heart-pounding department with the most attractive of the A4's: the coupé, which is expected to debut in 2002. This flat, stretched silver arrow blows away all memories of the previous coupé (the one with the fat-lipped rear) just with its performance alone. This car will be fitted only with one of the six-cylinder engines, for example the 2.7t with 260hp. It is not to be ruled out that the super-sporty RS4 engine with 380hp will one day motivate this noble Audi; with quattro only, of course.

It's only a short hop from the coupé to the cabrio, which will be designed once again by Karmann. The folks in Osnabruck still build the almost-forgotten cabriolet, which is still based on the Audi 80. It is an oldie next to the elegant four seater which could be folding its roof by 2002, electrically, of course, and without a roll bar.

Then Audi could stand by beaming with pride, for at last the A4 family is complete as is that of the Bavarian competition. A full progam against BMW - a sunny outlook for Audi.


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