TEST: AUDI B7 A4 TFSi
Photography: Tom Goh
Words: Jason
When you talk about German cars, the first few manufacturers that come to mind would be BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The driving machine from Bavaria offers superior driving experience while the silver arrow is an undisputed figure of social status. However, their stablemate from Ingolstadt has not been enjoying the same level of recognition here in Malaysia. Audi has long been in the forefront of high performance automobiles, with its motorsports history dating back to as far as 1930s. Audi has made its mark from the World Rally Championship to Le Mans. Certainly, they are not new to making cars, and believe me when I tell you they make very good cars. | For enquiries or test drives, please contact: Euromobil Contact: 24Hr Audi Assist More Below |
Video For best results, please click play and then pause to start buffering first before playing. | |
Enter the new Audi A4 2.0T FSI, featuring Audi’s Nuvolari grille front. The clear headlights blend seamlessly with the body, complimented by an aggressive front grille which also serves to channel air into the engine bay. The front-end styling echoes design elements of the Audi, one look at it, and you’ll know it belongs to the same family as the other new Audi models, the A3, A6 and A8. While looks are subjective, most would agree with me that the A4 is simply stunning, but here, I’ll let the pictures do the talking. The range of colours offered is vivid and lively, especially the one we have here in a shade of red. No less eye catching would be the exhaust tips at the rear, which gives an indication of just what the A4 is capable of. The rear end also houses a pair of finely crafted rear lights that fuses to the body of the car, giving shape to its body. It makes you wonder, how Audi managed to offer so much boot space while maintaining a sculpted rear end. The middle of the trunk houses four distinctive rings, unmistakably, an Audi. Admiring the car from the side, the sleek lines subtly allure you to run your hand along its body. You can’t help but feel attracted to it, eager to slide in and take control; you hear whispers telling you to just get in and go. Being in the driver’s seat gives a sense of familiarity; one can instantly tell that it’s a German stallion, as the driver takes precedence over everything else. Thanks to its ideal driving position achieved with the precise adjustment of the electric seats. Lines extending along the door trim and centre console quite literally appear to embrace the driver, which is further accentuated by the A4’s high waistline. Vital information was in full view of the driver, clearly illuminated with a cool amber glow. The fuel consumption indicator which tells you how many km is left is rather imprecise, but I would give it the benefit of doubt as my driving style was very irregular. Cruise control comes as standard, but there were no extra gimmicks or gadgets in the cabin and gauge readings are limited; or in other words, nothing to divert the driver’s full attention on what’s at hand -- the steering; holding it gives a sense of satisfaction, the grip, the volume, the feel, it was perfect. Audi certainly had the driver in mind. While there’s nothing to scream about the interior, it doesn’t short-change its passengers either. A full leather trim adorns the interior of the car, giving the impression that it was almost tailor-made for the A4. The rear has sufficient headroom and legroom for passengers; enabling a total of 4 adults to be seated comfortably in the cabin, while the doors close with a reassuring thud. While the driver is having the time of his life behind the wheel, the passengers are indulged in an audio bliss thanks to the Bose in car entertainment system. Audi certainly went with one of the best audio manufacturers in the world to furnish their cars, and it paid off handsomely, as nothing beats the feeling of having a live orchestra performing for you while you’re on the wheel. With a turn of the ignition key, the car comes to life immediately with no hesitation. The four-cylinder, two-litre turbocharged engine sounds very subtle, and only when you begin to redline the car you would feel the grunt that is hidden beneath the skin of this executive saloon. Overtaking proved to be a breeze as the throttle responded effortlessly, advancing forward like an Imperial Star Destroyer - seemingly unstoppable. The car lunges on forward even when your foot is off the pedal. Truth be told, the powerplant of the A4 is the exact same block used in the Volkswagen GTi. While it may appear to be rather simple and empty in the engine bay, it simply indicates how much space there is for you to bolt on the go-fast goodies. With a strong and proven engine block as the base, the potential to squeeze even more power out of it is only limited by how much you’re willing to spend on it. The flipper-style shifters respond quickly to the drivers input, precise and clever, like a race car, while the seat holds you firmly as you put the pedal to the metal which sets the A4 in motion, tearing through still air.
While the powerplant of the A4 is a force to be reckoned with, Audi didn’t fail to impress with its braking prowess either. Front and rear disc-brakes complete with hydraulic brake assist, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the electronic brake-pressure distribution (EBD) completes the safety line-up. The tyres provided however, were not performance oriented as it was inclined towards comfort and noise suppression which is preferable for everyday driving. Audi also employed very irritating reminder beeps for the safety belts which I despise, but have learned to appreciate. The headlights, while handsomely fused into the car, is also intelligent as it powers up automatically once it detects darkness, no more driving around like a forgetful bat. With its bi-xenon lamps, the car looks menacing at night, and even more so if you see one in your rear view mirror. The brightness of the lights is impressive, and the light beams have clear cut off points. With auto-levelling projectors which tilt the beam upwards or downwards, depending on your car’s angle, it ensures that other cars on the road are not blinded by its intense beam. This is an example of how xenon lamps should be used. Overall I find the lights on the Audi A4 much better than many other cars – even ones costing twice as much This Audi A4 is a front engine mounted, front wheel driven car. With the bulk of its weight in the front, especially when the engine mounted far up front, it exhibits characteristics of understeer, especially when tackling corners beyond the legal speed limit. Understeering is a trait common to all front engine mounted, front wheel driven car, and honestly speaking, the A4 faired particularly well. The suspension definitely proved itself while we were prowling the roads of KL, full of holes on every other turn. It dampened the bumps and blips gracefully, ensuring the least interruption to the cabin. For enthusiasts however, the suspension may fall short of your expectations if you’re always travelling beyond the legal speed limit and attacking every turn. This is because the stock suspension is tuned with comfort in mind. Of course, an enthusiast would have already checked out the quattro variant of the A4, but that’s a story to be told on another day. | For enquiries or test drives, please contact: Euromobil Contact: 24Hr Audi Assist |
More Images Below: