Overview

The Audi A4 is an entry-level luxury car, built by the German, Ingolstadt based car maker, Audi AG. The A4 has been around on the US market since 1995 when the name 80 / 90 (B3 model) was dropped and the the Audi A4 (B4 model) was offered as the successor of the 80/90.

From 2004 to 2008 Audi built the third generation of the A4 model. The car was built on the Volkswagen Group B7 (PL46) platform, shared wit the Audi S4, Audi RS4 and SEAT Exeo. Third generation Audi A4 was more of a revised version of the previous A4. The B7 platform was an evolved version of the B6 platform, the steering settings were revised as well the suspension geometry; the car got new engines, navigation system and chassis electronics.

As its predecessor, the car was available in three body styles, four door sedan, five door station wagon and two door cabriolet.

Variants

Third generation Audi A4 was offered across the world with no less than 9 engines, five petrol and four diesel.

The entry level petrol engine was a 1.6 liter straight four that developed 102 hp @ 5600 rpm and a maximum of 109 lb/ft @ 3800 rpm. The engine came with a five speed manual transmission that delivered the power to the front wheels. In terms of performance the car could do 60 mph in 12.1 seconds, a standing quarter mile in 18.4 seconds and a top speed of 118 mph. As for the fuel consumption, the A4 1.6 returned 28.2 mpg on average.

Second engine as displacement was a turbocharged 1.8 liter inline four, wich had a power output of 161 hp @ 5700 rpm and maximum torque output of 166 lb/ft @ 1950 rpm. The same five speed manual was offered as standard and with and optional seven speed CVT; both delivered the power to the front wheels; the 1.8 T engine also was available with a seven speed manual that transferred the power to all four wheels. The Audi A4 1.8 T could get from zero to 60 mph in 8.3 sec / 8.3 sec / 8.7 sec (5MT / 7CVT / 6MT), cover a standing quarter mile in 16.2 sec / 16.7 sec / 16.8 sec and get to a top speed of 142 mph / 139 mph / 140 mph. On average the A4 1.8 T returned 27.1 mpg / 30.6 mpg / 24.5 mpg.

Next in the petrol range was a naturally aspired 2.0 liter straight four that generated 131 hp @ 5700 rpm and maximum torque of 144 lb/ft @ 3300 rpm. The engine came with a five speed manual as standard and a seven speed CVT as optional. With this engine the car was capable to do 60 mph in 9.5 sec / 10.0 sec (5MT / 7CVT), a standing quarter mile in 17.0 sec / 17.4 sec and a top speed of 132 mph / 127 mph. On average it returned 25.1 mpg / 23.4 mpg.

A turbocharged 2.0 liter straight four was offered, developing some 200 hp @ 6000 rpm and maximum torque of 206 lb/ft @ 1800 rpm. The engine came with a six speed manual as standard or a 7 speed CVT for the FWD model and a six speed manual for the Quattro (AWD) model. The Audi A4 2.0 TFSI could sprint from zero to 60 mph in 7.0 sec / 7.0 sec / 6.9 sec (6MT / 7CVT / AWD), cover a quarter mile from a standing start in 15.1 sec / 15.7 sec / 15.6 sec and do a top speed of 150 mph / 146 mph / 148 mph. Average fuel consumption was 28.8 mpg / 27.5 mpg / 26.7 mpg.

Top of the line petrol engine was a 3.2 liter V6 that produced 256 hp @ 6500 rpm and 243 lb/ft @ 3250 rpm. With this engine the A4 was available in FWD and AWD, for the FWD the standard gearbox was the 7 speed CVT with no optional gearboxes, for the AWD model the standard gearbox was the six speed manual with a six speed automatic offered as optional. With this engine the Audi A4 could do 60 mph in 6.5 sec / 6.4 sec / 6.6 sec (7CVT / 6MT / 6AT), a standing quarter mile in 15.0 sec / 14.7 sec / 18.8 sec and a limited top speed of 155 mph (either gearbox or drive). On average it returned 20.8 mpg / 18.6 mpg / 18 mpg.

Entry level diesel was a 1.9 liter inline four that had power output of 116 hp @ 4000 rpm and 210 lb/ft @ 1900 rpm. A five speed manual transmission was offered as standard. Not to 60 mph took 10.8 sec, a quarter mile was covered in 17.3 sec and the top speed was 125 mph. The car returned an impressive 34.4 mpg combined.

Mid range diesel was a 2.0 liter offered in two power outputs 140 hp @ 4000 rpm and 236 lb/ft @ 1750 rpm and 170 hp @ 4200 rpm and 258 lb/ft @ 1750 rpm. This engine was available in FWD and AWD variants and with the six speed manual transmission as standard and the seven speed CVT as optional (not available on the 170 hp version). With the 170 hp version of the engine, not to 60 mph was done in 8.3 sec / 8.2 sec (FWD / AWD), a quarter mile was done in 15.7 sec / 16.3 sec and the top speed was 142 mph / 139 mph. The A4 2.0 had a good fuel economy with 32.1 mpg / 29.1 mpg on average.

Next in the range was a 2.7 liter V6, which generated 180 hp @ 4250 rpm and 280 lb/ft @ 1400 rpm. A six speed manual was offered as standard and the 7 speed CVT was offered as optional. The Audi A4 2.7 could do 60 mph in 8.1 sec / 8.1 sec (6MT / 7CVT), a standing quarter mile in 15.5 sec / 16 sec and a top speed of 143 mph / 139 mph. On average it returned a healthy 32.2 mpg / 29.6 mpg.

Top of the line diesel engine was a 3.0 liter V6 that was available only with Quattro (AWD) and with a six speed gearbox as standard and a six speed automatic as optional. The power output of the engine was 230 hp @ 4000 rpm and 332 lb/ft @ 1400 rpm. Zero to 60 mph took 6.5 sec / 7.0 sec (6MT / 6AT), the quarter mile 15.0 sec / 15.5 sec and the top speed was 152 mph. On average it returned 24.7 mpg / 24.9 mpg.

Additional Information

According to 2007 Swedish vehicle inspection data, the diesel Audi A4 was the most reliable vehicle on the market with an inspection rejection rate of 0.0% in 3 year old category.