New Audi A4 sedan joined by Avant
Audi's latest A4 range expands with the Avant TFSI and Avant TFSI quattro, priced from $63,900Australia's mid-size luxury wagon segment has been augmented this week by the arrival of the new Audi A4 Avant, the second wave of the all-new B9 series to arrive in Australia following the A4 sedan launch in February.
The A4 Avant is available in two models: the front-wheel drive 2.0 TFSI sport (from $63,900) and the all-wheel drive 2.0 TFSI quattro sport (from $72,900), both using a 2.0-litre direct-injection four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.
The 2.0 TFSI develops 140kW in the 4200rpm-6000rpm range and 320Nm between 1450rpm-4200rpm. Average fuel consumption is 5.6L/100km, CO2 emissions 129g/km and the claimed rest to 100km/h time is 7.5sec.
The 2.0 TFSI quattro makes 185kW over 5000-6000rpm and 370Nm between 1600 and 4500rpm, and achieves a zero to 100km/h time of 6.0sec. Combined fuel consumption is 6.6 L/100km and the CO2 emissions figure is 152g/km.
Both cars come standard with a dual-clutch seven-speed S-tronic automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle shifters.
There’s no diesel Avant (the A4 sedan comes in 140kW/400Nm 2.0 TDI Quattro form) because, as Audi Australia product planner Peter Strudwicke says, “It doesn’t make sense to bring in the diesel -- it was very low volume [in the B8 series] and with the petrol's low fuel consumption, there is no LCT incentive”.
Despite being larger in all measures but height (and width, if you include side mirrors), the new Avant is 70kg lighter than B8 Avant thanks to the use of a raft of weight-saving measures.
Luggage capacity has grown over the B8 Avant by 80 litres to 505 litres with the 40/20/40-split back seat in place, or 1510 litres with the rear seats folded.
New features include a sensor-controlled tailgate, activated by a kick motion under the rear bumper (there's also conventional electric operation) and an electric cargo blind.
The A4 Avant comes standard with the same array of driver convenience and safety features as the A4 sedan, highlights including LED headlights with adaptive function, pre-sense city (AEB) with pedestrian detection, an exit warning system (that warns occupants getting out of the car of vehicles and cyclists approaching from the rear), cross traffic assist, side assist and pre-sense basic, which prepares the cabin and occupants if an emergency is detected.
Pre-sense rear uses rear radar to sense potential rear-end collisions and if it deems a car is approaching too fast it flashes the A4’s hazard lights rapidly.
Both models have standard MMI Navigation plus with 8.3-inch screen, MMI touch, DVD player, 10GB music storage, live traffic and five included map updates, DAB+ digital radio, Audi connect, Audi Smartphone interface (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), 7.0-inch high-res colour Driver Information Screen, sports electric-adjustment front seats with electric lumbar support, sports steering wheel with shift paddles, leather seat trim, three-zone climate-control and hands-free tailgate opening/closing.
The 2.0 TFSI quattro adds 19-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels (in place of the 2.0 TFSI’s 18s), sports suspension, a 180-Watt 10-speaker sound system with subwoofer, driver’s seat memory and folding side mirrors with heating, dimming and memory functions.
The Avant will bring a handy sales boost for the A4, Strudwicke saying Audi expects about 60 to 70 cusomers a month.
Audi Australia sold 150 A4 sedans in April, against 533 Mercedes-Benz C-Class and 387 BMW 3 Series registrations.
2016 Audi A4 Avant pricing (plus ORCs):
A4 Avant 2.0 TFSI S tronic 140kW — $63,900
A4 Avant 2.0 TFSI quattro S tronic 185kW — $72,900
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