Launched: 2016 Audi A4 - Has cutting edge LED headlights! 2.0 TFSI from RM249k

[Amirul]

Audi Malaysia has officially unveiled the all-new B9 Audi A4. Recently debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show, this 5^th generation A4 is built on familiar MLB platform, but sport new chassis features as well as uprated engine performance and revised exterior design.

The new Audi A4 is introduced in Malaysia in a sole engine choice for now. Specifically the 2.0 TFSI petrol unit as base variant and then a sportier S-line variant. Price starts at RM248,900, however, the first 100 buyers are entitled to an introductory price of RM239,900.

2016 Audi A4 2.0 TFSI

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol
Power: 190hp at 4,200-6,000 rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,450-4,200 rpm
Zerotohundred: 7.3 seconds
Transmission: 7-speed S-tronic dual-clutch auto
Dimensions: 4,726mm (L), 1,842mm (W), 1,427mm (H)
Weight from: 1,405kg
Price: RM248,900

Exterior

First thing to be noticed on the A4’s exterior is the sharpened crisp lines, with the trademark Singleframe grille that now appears wider. The mildly-restyled headlights feature Xenon Plus as standard and also include options like LED and matrix LED setup.

The Matrix LED headlights use twelve LEDs and three reflectors, with the help of a camera to provide optimum lighting ahead without blinding oncoming drivers. The headlights also operate in 64 stages, enabling the car to activate dynamic turn indicators as well as illuminating upcoming turns.

A precise and prominent shoulder line gives the car an athletic and elongated appearance. At the rear, the new A4 gets 3-dimensional tail lights, or what Audi calls a ‘multi-faceted 3D-design’ comprised of 48 LEDs.

The ‘regular’ A4 and S-line can be distinguished via several aesthetical features. At the front, where the lower ‘intakes’ are, are finished with twin horizontal chrome strips on the base A4, while the S-line gets more aggressive T-shaped chrome elements.

The side sills on the S-line also looks more prominent and aerodynamic, while the wheels are 17-inch 5 parallel-spoke alloys on the base A4 and 18-inch 5 twin-spoke ‘Star’ design alloys on the S-line. There are ‘S-line’ emblems on the front fenders of the S-line A4. No visual difference at the rear, though.

Interior

The B9’s interior design is flooded with high-tech stuffs. The driver-focused wraparound cabin architecture has also been redesigned to give a fresher look and improved ergonomics. There is a horizontal architecture that is carried from its exterior design into the cabin, giving a sense of a floating dashboard, marked with continuous Aluminium Ellipse inlays and air-conditioning vents that extends across the console.

The cockpit gets Audi’s 12.3-inch virtual instrument cluster that is first introduced in the new TT sports car, while an 8.3-inch tablet-style display in the centre console provides infotainment purposes, capable of Audi Connect, LTE connectivity and WiFi hotspot. Steering is a sporty 3-spoke multi-function, leather-wrapped and is equipped with shift paddles as standard.

The front seats of the new A4 are electrically-adjustable with 4-way lumbar support, with class-leading rear seats space, capable of 40:20:40 split. Boot space is rated at 480 litres and can be extended to 965 litres when the rear seats are fully folded.

Unique to the S-line package are illuminated front door sill trims with aluminium inlays, Alcantara leather front sports seats in black, S-line sports leather steering wheel and numerous other sporty bits that adds up to an additional RM25,000.

Engine

Under the bonnet of the all-new Audi A4 is the marque’s latest 2.0-litre TFSI 4-cylinder turbo engine. With 190 horses and 320Nm of torque, the numbers are sufficient to catapult the A4 from Zerotohundred in 7.3 seconds followed by a 240km/h top speed.

Audi says that the new engine will return a class-leading fuel-efficiency rating of just 5.0 litre per 100km and a CO2 emissions rating of 114g/km.

At the other part of the globe, the new Audi A4 is available with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed S-tronic dual-clutch auto, however only the latter is made available to our market. The S-tronic gearbox replaces Multitronic unit on the outgoing A4s.

Chassis

As for the improvements on the car’s handling, the new B9 A4 receives reworked 5-link axle setups on both front and rear suspension. It uses ‘hydromount’ to reduce vibration and improves comfort without compromising the car’s driving dynamics.

The suspension also boasts newly-developed Continuous Damping Control (CDC) shock absorbers with electromagnetically-controlled valves, working hand-in-hand with an electromechanical power steering system that is lighter and is claimed to improve steering response.

Compared to the outgoing A4, the new B9 Audi A4 is also lighter by up to 110kg, thanks to lightweight construction on the car’s body; die-cast aluminium D-pillar, hot-stamped components for passenger cabin and aluminium castings for front suspension mounts.

For more information about the new Audi A4, please visit www.audi.com.my.

 

[ixeo]

Beautiful car. The previous one was nose heavy, and so is this. I wonder why they do that, unlike their cousins from Bavaria, trying to achieve perfect weight distribution.

Are they trying to prove that they can compensate for physical shortcomings with their technik? *ponders*

 

[Amirul]

Beautiful car. The previous one was nose heavy, and so is this. I wonder why they do that, unlike their cousins from Bavaria, trying to achieve perfect weight distribution.

Are they trying to prove that they can compensate for physical shortcomings with their technik? *ponders*

The engine in this new B9 A4 employs lightweight construction and only weighs roughly about 100kg. Hopefully it's not too nose-heavy as before.

 

[6UE5t]

Beautiful car. The previous one was nose heavy, and so is this. I wonder why they do that, unlike their cousins from Bavaria, trying to achieve perfect weight distribution.

Are they trying to prove that they can compensate for physical shortcomings with their technik? *ponders*

Never a fan of Audi front grill design in the last decade or so, even this new one.

Unlike BMW, it's still a FWD car, so more difficult to achieve 50:50 weight distribution.

 

[ixeo]

Never a fan of Audi front grill design in the last decade or so, even this new one.

Unlike BMW, it's still a FWD car, so more difficult to achieve 50:50 weight distribution.

I kinda like it, but looks are subjective. The RS series is even nicer IMO. And recent Kias look like Audi from far. LOL.

 

[6UE5t]

I kinda like it, but looks are subjective. The RS series is even nicer IMO. And recent Kias look like Audi from far. LOL.

Yeah, to me all these Audi look as well as R35, the Lancer GT/Evo X/Inspira, and all those other cars with the big black area from top to bottom in the front looks like a gaping mouth without teeth! I just never get used to that, no matter how many times I look at them they always become a sore eye to me. I need to have a bumper line in body color that separates the top part/grill and the bottom opening, the traditional styling I suppose.