First look: Audi wags A4's tail

AUDI AG has revealed the next generation of its popular A4 Avant in Europe - on the same day that Audi Australia announced pricing for the mid-sized pretige sedan upon which it is based.

Due on sale here from late April and expected to attract 2500 sales in 2008, the replacement for Audi's volume-selling A4 sedan will initially be available with the option of three engines: 1.8-litre turbo petrol, 2.0-litre turbo-diesel and a 3.2-litre V6. A 2.7-litre diesel V6 will follow a month later.

Opening the new A4 sedan range will be the 1.8 TFSI petrol manual sedan at $50,900. That's up $3100 over the the current price leader (excluding the $45,900 run-out A4 2.0 SE Multitronic), the $47,800 A4 2.0 manual.

The A4 1.8 TFSI Multitronic (CVT) version will add $2600 at $53,500 - which is $2650 less than the outgoing A4 1.8T Multitronic ($56,150).

Stepping up to the A4 2.0 TDI Multitronic sedan will cost $54,900 (well down on the current A4 2.0 diesel CVT sedan's $57,700 sticker price).

The A4 3.2 FSI quattro Tiptronic auto will top the range at $88,500, which is up from the outgoing model's sole S-Line version at $86,700 - the same price as the current 3.0 TDI quattro Tiptronic S-Line.

Arriving in May or June will be the A4 2.7 TDI Multitronic, which will slot in between the 2.0 TDI and the 3.2 FSI at $67,900.

For now there are no replacements for the current A4 2.0, A4 1.8T quattro or 3.0 TDI quattro variants.

Meantime, the new A4 Avant is both significantly larger and lighter than the current model it will replace by October this year.

Based on the same platform as the A4 but first doing dty underneath last year's new A5/S5 coupe twins, the latest five-door A4 wagon will also benefit from a new five-link front axle that has been moved further forward to better centralise engine weight.

The result is a longer wheelbase and shorter front overhang, and an overall length of 4.7 metres - almost 120mm longer than its forebear. Hence, at 490 litres with the rear seats in place, and 1430 litres with them stowed, the newest Avant is claimed to have the largest luggage capacity in its class.

Audi says the new wagon body is also considerably more rigid, but is around 10 per cent lighter than before.

The new A4 Avant will come with five engines in Europe, but is currently available here in four variants: 2.0 Multitronic ($54,050), 1.8T Multitronic ($59,750), 2.0 TDI Multitronic ($61,300) and 2.0 TFSI quattro Tiptronic ($71,450).

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