2008 Audi A4 Revealed

Audi had set out to create the new A4 with excellent driving dynamics and sporty proportions in mind, in order to that the German manufacturer has had to do some serious changes.

Longer by roughly 113 mm (4.7 meters overall length), the new A4 has had some surgery to shorten the front body overhang while the bonnet and wheelbase are both longer than before. The differential has swapped places with the clutch (torque converter in the auto) to allow the front axle to move forward by 154 mm. Audi says this will ensure ideal axle-load distribution.

Audi has also tinkered with the suspension, the new A4 is blessed with a completely new suspension design, one which is mostly made from weight-saving aluminium.

One of the noteworthy technologies in the new A4 is the Audi drive select, a system which can vary the engine, auto transmission, steering and suspension damping characteristics to suit the driver's need, on the fly.

Enough about the cars design and technology, what about the power? Audi will give buyers a choice of five different engines, from 105 kW to 195 kW (not including the new RS4 obviously).

The four-cylinder petrol engines will all be turbocharged, like the diesels, and mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox, tiptronic automatic transmission or multitronic continuously variable transmission (CVT). The A4 will be driven via either front-wheel drive or Audi's famous quattro permanent all-wheel drive.

The new A4 will be on display at the Frankfurt Motorshow next month and also make its way to the Australian Iinternational motorshow (Sydney) in October.

The 2008 A4 is expected to land in Audi dealerships around April next year. Pricing and Australian specifications are still not finalised.