All-new A4 unveiled early

This is the car on which Audi will build its future. The marque's volume seller, the all-new A4 is also the vehicle that completes the full regeneration of one of the world's most hotly contested segments -- medium prestige saloons.

To be unveiled officially at the Frankfurt Motor Show in two weeks, the A4 will launch headlong into a pitched battle in all the developed world's major auto markets against the BMW E90 3 Series, Lexus' IS 250 and Mercedes-Benz's all-new W204 C-Class.

It will officially go on sale in its German home market in November. We'll see it Down Under, probably, in the second quarter of 2008.

Unlike its three rear-wheel drive competitors, the A4 will retain front-wheel drive as its default configuration with larger engined and performance variants using Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system. Status quo? Well, not really … The big news is the new generation A4's new underpinnings -- mechanicals that first saw the light of day in the A5/S5 coupe launched earlier this year.

Audi's teaser images have been carefully selected to keep everybody guessing on the close-cropped proportions of the front end. What we do know is the maker is saying the front overhang has been "drastically shortened" and the previously nose-heavy weight distribution has been equalised.

This latter chassis magic has been achieved largely by powertrain layout changes that see the transaxle redesigned to push the front axle line 154mm further forward.

If the A4 follows the S5's lead it will also feature a relocated steering rack, which promises to delivery a more 'genuine' feel at the wheel. The maker also states that much of the new car's suspension componentry is made from aluminium to reduce weight.

Even the quattro system has come in for a revamp. For the new A4, the all-wheel driveline gets a 40:60 torque split with the larger share being channelled to the rear wheels in normal driving. Audi says the key element to the new set-up is a mechanical centre diff which "instantly" channels drive to the axle with better traction, thereby decreasing the need for ESP or brake traction control intervention

Audi says the new A4 is 4703mm overall making it 117mm longer than the current car and a whopping 180mm longer than a BMW 3 Series and C-Class. At 1826mm it's also wider than all three competitors including the new C-Class.

The new A4's 2808mm wheelbase (previous: 2648mm) is also easily the longest in the class. Nonetheless, the body shell is more rigid and 10 per cent lighter than its predecessor.

Audi says the new car has "a substantial, powerful road stance and offers its occupants ample space in an interior full of light". Indeed, there's an all new interior that is now 20mm longer. Rear passenger knee room has increased 36mm to 908mm, says the carmaker and head and shoulder room have also been increased.

The dash features Audi's new elongated driver-focussed binnacle, a la A6 and S4/S5 and the centre console sees the A4 get Audi's MMI controller for the first time.

Expect quality, standard kit and the range of options available to buyers to jump a level with this new generation. 'Big car' features will include automatic electro-mechanical park brake, adaptive cruise and lane departure systems, smart key and multi-zone climate control.

A choice of five engines (see below) will usher in the new range -- in its home market at least. Comprising a choice of direct-injected atmo and turbocharged four and six-cylinder petrol and diesel powerplants, outputs will range from 105-195kW. Manual, Tiptronic (automatic) and Multitronic (CVT) transmissions will be offered depending on the engine choice.

One of the highlights of the new A4 will be the debut of Audi drive select. According to the marque, this system varies the engine, automatic transmission, steering and suspension damping characteristics to suit the driver's preferences. Part of the system is a new dynamic steering set-up that not only varies the steering ratio according to the car's speed but, at or near the car's handling limits, adjusts the A4's attitude via "slight, almost instantaneous changes to the steering angle".

It's unclear which models will feature Audi drive select, but we'd wager it won't be the cheapies. For the record, in Germany Audi will offer four trim levels: Attraction, Ambition, Ambiente and S-Line

Audi describes the new cars styling as consisting of "sculptured, curving surfaces framed by sharply defined outlines". It claims a drag co-efficient of 0.27 for the new car.

The swoopier, new look eschews the somewhat austere styling of the A4 to date. It features a "dynamic line" above the door sills, which Audi says rises slightly to the rear, and a "tornado line" below the windows which slopes downwards. In combination, says Audi, they "add profile and dynamic balance to the sides of the car". S-Line models will get more aggressive add-ons, including a deeper front airdam.

The aggressively styled front lamps feature LED daytime running lights in top-spec models.

Look out for more on the all-new Audi A4 upon its Frankfurt release. And check out The Carsales Network's full Frankfurt coverage commencing September 12.

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