I thought I knew exactly what I wanted until I received Audi's "Order Guide" from my dealer. Now, things are not so clear. Here are a few of my concerns:

1. The only engine available is the 2.0 turbo. That is OK because the turbo would have been my choice even if the V6 from the A5 was available. The problem is the transmission: Apparently, the automatic is mandatory for all trim levels with no manual available. Is that correct? How much longer would I have to wait to get a manual?

2. The "standard" package wheel is described as "17-inch 6-spoke alloy"; the "premium" package wheel is "17-inch premium design alloy"; and and the "premium plus" package wheel is "18-inch 5-spoke alloy". What do all these wheel choices look like?

3. What does the "Audi parking system (rear)" included with the "premium plus" package consist of?

4. Also, what does the "Audi side assist lane change assistant" included with the "premium plus" package consist of?

5. "Rear side airbags" is an option? On a $40K+ automobile? In 2008?

6. My state has the rear license plate only. Do I really need the optional "front grill filler panel"? What does it look like?

7. What will I get if I DON'T order the optional "wood interior trim" on a regular (no "S" package) A4?

That is enough for now. All input is welcome.

1. See <a href="http://forums.audiworld.com/a4b8/threads/609.phtml">this</a>.
2. No idea.
3. For the definition see <a href="http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2/tools/glossary.html">this</a>.
4. See above.
5. Sure. USD isn't as strong as it once was and options were being shifted around. For example, heated seats or something like that was an option in the US on the B7 2.0T but was standard for Canada.
6. No you don't need it. What does it look like? It's merely a mounting bracket for the front license plate.
7. Aluminum trim.

Small children and side airbags don't go well together. They are usually an option for that reason. The only Audi that has them standard is the A8.

If you for-go the wood, you get the aluminum trim. Rear airbags aren't that common elsewhere. Audi has led the way for some time with the option.

NM

here we are in May and the car has been around, in Europe, in the press, at shows for what? 6 months?

We dont know

1. what its gonna cost
2. what the wheels look like
3. what the interior choices look like
4. what the hell a fast-shifting tip is
5. what the mpg is for the US-bound engines will be -- more important now to many of us

So all the hype and anticipation is getting really old. we should be able to order it now and get it in 6 weeks. or dont introduce the damn thing until you`re ready.

I gotta say there are other choices out there. Just as example -- Saab comes out with a cool model -- turbo X -- and its in the magazines one month, in the showrooms the next. Can order now for summer deliv. I`m just saying... people will stray of you string them along for too long.

It's been like that for all of their vehicles. North America gets the vehicles a year later, honestly probably good to work out the quirks.

I despise BMW's nickel and dime pricing.

for the rear side airbags to be safe the occupant has to be sitting upright and buckled in. they could break a kid's neck if the little **** is dicking around in the back seat playing with toys, stretching out, etc... and lets face it, the bulk of humanity is too busy driving with a cell phone, putting on make up, and not thinking about how their kid needs to be seated in order to get a benefit from the airbags and not get killed.

another reason why baby seats should be installed in the middle positon if the car has rear side bags.

I as best as I can tell, they're standard equipment on at least the current 328i and 328xi.

The only 'headlight' option I can find is whether or not you want Xenon.

<ul><li><a href="http://www.audi.co.uk/audi/uk/en2/new_cars/a4/saloon/gallery/360_exterior_view.html">http://www.audi.co.uk/audi/uk/en2/new_cars/a4/saloon/gallery/360_exterior_view.html</a</li></ul>

According to my dealer, the Audi Connection, Cincinnati

1. The only engine available is the 2.0 turbo. That is OK because the turbo would have been my choice even if the V6 from the A5 was available. The problem is the transmission: Apparently, the automatic is mandatory for all trim levels with no manual available. Is that correct? How much longer would I have to wait to get a manual?

Answer or Good Guess: You can place an order today for either the Auto or the Manual indeed they claimed they would place the order for a 3.2, too -- why pay more for less performance based on the way "we" or I drive which is torque is more impt to me than HP from 1,500 to 5,000 rpms which is the range where the 2.0T shines esp compared to the lower torque at higher rpm 3.2, which will cost some $4,300 to $5,000 more than the 2.0T. Oh yea, the 2.0T will get better mileage and if you really want to, you will be able to "do evil and wonderful things" to the 2.0T to improve its performance, for far less money than the 3.2 would require for a fraction of the improvements in the HP and torque dept. A mild chip, e.g., in the 2.0T will increase HP and torque sufficiently to show the 3.2 its butt most of the time. Add other things that make the 2.0T breathe better and, it just keeps getting better. Me? 258 pound feet of torque [standard] is more than adequate, damn near ample (when compared with/to the 3.2)

2. The "standard" package wheel is described as "17-inch 6-spoke alloy"; the "premium" package wheel is "17-inch premium design alloy"; and and the "premium plus" package wheel is "18-inch 5-spoke alloy". What do all these wheel choices look like?

Answer or Good Guess: Although you can probably see the 17 and 18 inch wheels on international website, the only possible guess for the 19" is "like" the wheel that is on the current RS4 (there is a picture here on AudiWorld of a new B8 A4, in white, with what are, I assume, the 19" wheels and they look a lot like RS4 and S8 wheels on cars on my dealer's showroom floor.)

I think this represents the 18" (red) and 19" (white)wheels klik/go here:

http://www.audiworld.com/model/index.html

3. What does the "Audi parking system (rear)" included with the "premium plus" package consist of?

Answer or Good Guess: Two things parktronic (sensors that measure distance and report back to the driver with an ever quickening tone that goes from beep, beep beep, to beep beep beep to beeeeeeeeeeeep -- meaning you are about a 18" or maybe 12" from an object), thing two --"premium plus" adds a rear backup camera (look at a current A6 with this option and you can see how it works, ditto the option on a Q7, it is pretty cool as it draws lines on the pavement on the screen, that is, that show you the result of your steering wheel's input to the final backwards destination of the car as is moves in reverse.)

4. Also, what does the "Audi side assist lane change assistant" included with the "premium plus" package consist of?

Answer or Good Guess: Think side parktronic -- there are yellow lights in the outside rear view mirrors that will flash if there is something in your blind spot (detected by a technology similar to the parktronic -- think radar or sonar for instance.) If you want to change lanes and there is something in your left rear blind spot as you attempt to move from a right lane to an adjacent left lane, the light (or perhaps vibrating steering wheel or perhaps some other additional enunciator) flashes in your periphial vision to effectively say "Danger Will Robinson, Danger!!!)

5. "Rear side airbags" is an option? On a $40K+ automobile? In 2008?

Answer or Good Guess: "ZBT helps keep baby dry, protects while baby's sleeping:" it's not the cost that is the issue it is that rear baby seats and rear side air bags may not play well together and may be hazardous to the child's continuation on planet earth, alive. Not uncommon to be a relatively low cost option -- side curtain airbags are there no matter what, however.

6. My state has the rear license plate only. Do I really need the optional "front grill filler panel"? What does it look like?

Answer or Good Guess: You need the filler-plate to fill in the gap (think David Letterman's toothy and gappy smile) that you would have in/on the front bumper without it -- it is no charge.

7. What will I get if I DON'T order the optional "wood interior trim" on a regular (no "S" package) A4?

Answer or Good Guess: Looks like aluminum, might be "plastic aluminum." It doesn't exactly look cheap, but it is "colder" than the wood appliques -- some folks think it is more sporty, some don't, some think the wood is more luxurious, probably most do. I went with Ibis white, premium plus and the beige interior with the light wood trim, auto trans, 19" wheel package, sport suspension, bla bla bla no SLine but virtually everything offered -- one slight piss off: apparently NO heated REAR seats offered in US, but on other NON-Us configurators.

Why?

Hope this helps.

WKRP in Cincinnati

Good to know that they've gotten a handle on the costs associated with a large number of options and their associated inventory problems. Back in 2000/2001 BMW had up-charges for a number of items that "should" be standard for the segment (automatic climate control, fog lights, split folding rear seats, etc). The nickel and dimery, at the time, made the value of the A4 even greater in comparison since it offered a higher level of standard equipment in direct competition.

My brother got a 335i auto a few months after I picked up my Euro delivery 335i manual. Interestingly, our cars had the same exact $44,900 MSRP but arrived at with a different set of options. He got the folding rear seat option.

For some reason, the design of the entire rear seat bottom cushion is different when you opt for the fold down seat option, presumably so that it folds flat when it is lowered. It looks rather odd.