By: Kenric Nilsson & Rochelle La Mont
Audi is certainly standing true to their corporate tagline of “Vorsprung durch technik” (Translation for us non-German speakers: “Progress through technology”). After a thorough reinvention from the 2009 model, the new Audi A4 packs a stronger punch, offering the much sought a fter performance of a 6 cylinder, with the fuel efficiency of a four cylinder engine. There has always been a mild sense of guilt upon purchasing a six cylinder vehicle; whereas, there has always been a sense of iniquity upon the purchase of a typical four cylinder model. The Audi driver truly can have his cake and eat it too, with the biggest, fastest & most fuel efficient vehicle in the sports sedan category. Under the hood you’ll find a 2.0t engine, named one of Ward’s top ten best engines, with an impressive 136hp, averaging 30 miles per gallon, and reaching speeds of up to 130 mph.
The new A4 is offering an 8 speed triptonic automatic transmission with manual shift control, a definite upgrade from the earlier 6 speed automatic gearbox offered in the earlier models. Some A4 models also contains a unique start/system that turns the engine off when the gear level is in neutral and the clutch pedal us raised & a reculperation system that converts kinetic energy into electrical energy as it decelerates, charging the battery, which means less load on the engine when it comes to acceleration. Aerodynamic enhancements, including lowered suspension and measures to flatten the underside, further work to improve fuel efficiency and overall performance. Audi’s state of the art Drivers Information System (DIS) lets people pretend they are Michael Schumacher, with similar technology indicating the optimal time to either up shift or downshift that he relies upon while racing formula one cars. It’s not hard to see why the A4 is a viable alternative between its much more expensive competitors, along the lines of the BMW 3 series, and the Mercedes C class, being among the most affordable in its series. And for all of you with safety on the mind, the Audi A4 was 2010’s top safety pick by the Institute of Highway Safety. Here’s to having out cake and eating it to with the sophisticated, fuel efficient, technologically advanced Audi A4.