Audi to reveal new A4 this month

Audi has confirmed it will stage the global premiere of its all-new A4 in Germany by the end of this month.

The next-generation A4 sedan and wagon's official reveal will take place sooner than expected on June 29.

Audi yesterday invited key members of the media to the exclusive global reveal at its Ingolstadt headquarters in less than three weeks.

As we've reported, the first new A4 since 2009 will go on sale in Australia next year, in both sedan and Avant form.

The sedan version of the German luxury car-maker's direct rival for the top-selling Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW facelifted 3 Series and all-new Jaguar XE was snapped completely undisguised earlier this week.

As the spy shots show, the latest A4 will be evolutionary in design, but features a sleeker profile and more chiselled front-end styling led by a protruding single-frame grille flanked by deeper-set, more angular headlights.

Both the sedan and wagon versions of the new B9-series A4 will ride on the Volkswagen group's new MLB Evo platform, which will be used widely across the Audi range from the A4 upwards.

Once again, front-wheel drive will be the standard configuration with quattro all-wheel drive to remain available as an option, but the engines will be mounted longitudinally rather than the more fashionable transverse ('east-west') configuration. Over decades Audi has engineered its larger models with engines running 'north-south' but driving the front wheels.

The new A4 will benefit from the weight savings of around 100kg thanks to the new platform and body's use of high-strength steel, aluminium and composites to make up its overall structure.

Both the sedan and Avant are expected to be available in plug-in hybrid form, supplementing a range of four- and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.

However, the current model's Multitronic CVT gearbox will no longer figure in the line-up, as Audi is expected to concentrate on six-speed manual and both seven-speed dual-clutch and nine-speed automatic transmissions.

Naturally, the new A4 will form the basis of replacements for the S4 and RS 4 performance models, as well as the next-generation A5, S5 and RS 5 Sportback, coupe and convertible.