2002 Audi A4 - Improving the Breed
There's only one problem with producing a runaway hit. You've got to make what you do next at least as good. That's a formidable task when your last small sport sedan was the impeccable A4, and even harder now that the A6 and TT have stolen some of the limelight. Is the new car up to the task of sustaining Audi's consummate fans?
It certainly looks the part. While more understated than the radical TT, the new A4 is immediately attractive, and a perfect fit for Audi's urban professional market. There are hints of the TT in the front fascia and the A6 at the rear, but the rest is all A4. The design strikes a unique balance, aggressive enough to spark fires of passion, yet exuding good taste rather than ostentation.
While the design integrity is obvious, under the skin its structural integrity is increased by 45%. This is immediately noticeable when the roadway becomes less favorable, keeping its composure over uneven highway joints, frost heaves and pavement wrinkles. The A4's independent suspension has been reworked to take full advantage of the newfound stiffness and longer wheelbase. It bites into tight corners in any weather condition, making a hero out of juvenile drivers and experts alike - aided much by quattro AWD and one of the best traction control systems I've tested.
Audi's wonderful 20-valve 1.8-L turbo 4-cylinder engine has been tweaked to 170-hp, making the base engine a force to be reckoned with. As good as it is it seems strange that VW, Audi's parent company, has fitted a more powerful 180-hp version of this engine in the VW GTI and Jetta. Shouldn't VW's premium brand receive the hottest performing 1.8T? Still, it was only a few years ago that Audi's 6-cylinder produced just over 170-hp. Now, the new 3.0-L V6 puts out an impressive 220-hp, due much to its 200cc increase in displacement. When you spring for the engine upgrade the 5-speed manual that comes standard with the 1.8T gets replaced by a new 6-speed manual transmission. It shifts smoothly but 1st gear is very short. If you're not in a rush, the 6-speed actually takes off smoother from 2nd, but this could result premature clutch wear and isn't recommended. A Tiptronic automatic is optional.