Has Audi finally managed to close the gap between its A4 and the long-time German kings of the premium market, asks Michael McAleer, Motoring editor.
Audi is on a roll at the moment. Few firms can claim to match the product expansion of the German marque. In just over a year it has: released a completely new sports car in the R8; updated its flagship A8; introduced a new coupé range with the A5; revised its TT range; and unveiled a concept car that will bring the brand back into the supermini class. It finished the year with the launch of its new A4, alongside a couple of niche players like the RS6 and A3 convertible.
It's enough to make your head spin. It has certainly made the long-term kings of the premium segment - BMW and Mercedes - sit up and take notice.
Since the days of the original Quattros, Audi has been trying to separate itself from the mainstream sibling brand at parent Volkswagen. Yet in the eyes of the brand snobs in the executive market, there was always that hint of VW about the whole package. While Mercedes owners looked down on the Bavarians, so they in turn derided the Wolfsburg model range. Not any more.
Hard work, particularly in the production facilities, have left the four rings with a reputation for solid build quality and decent engineering.
The current offerings can rightly challenge for position alongside the other two more established brands. What's more, it means Audi is no longer in the direct line of fire of upcoming rivals from the east: particularly Lexus.
Cars like the R8 and the RS performance variants no doubt offer great publicity and a "halo effect" to the product range, but it's in cars like the A4 that this premium strategy will be won or lost.
First impressions are very positive. The exterior styling, while not wholly different from the outgoing model, points to a significant increase in the size of the car. Side profile views don't really make that much of a difference from the outgoing version but it's the sharper lines at the rear, particularly the little lip on the tailgate that offer a more sporting look. Up front and the more chiselled shape is similar to that on the recently launched A5 coupé range, along with the 14 LED daytime running lights that give the car a real signature presence in traffic.
It has a more youthful appeal than its predecessor, while not seeming as bulky as the 3-Series or as traditionalist as the Mercedes - at least in its Classic specification guise.
The fact that Audi has managed to steal some of the sporting image from BMW is very significant, for it has long held the reputation as the younger executive's car of choice. However, as it has become bigger of late, that youthful role has now fallen upon the 1-Series coupé. That leaves the 3-Series somewhere between the coupé and the class-leading 5-Series. BMW may have to redefine its 3-Series in the near future. In the meantime, Audi seems confident about where it wants the A4 to go.
This is no facelift or minor tweaking. Audi has largely re-engineered this latest model to reflect the renewed determination to push the A4 right to the fore against its rivals. For a start the revised chassis is mated with a new suspension system and improved steering system.
They have also adjusted the engine format and pushed the front axle 154mm forward. That might seem a relatively trivial statistic until you think back to those early lessons in science class, or your days building soapbox racers. More weight up front means that as your wheels turn into a corner at speed, the front nose still drags you forward, resulting in understeer.
The changes have made a significant difference to the A4's handling and makes it one of the best handling front-wheel-drive cars in its class, right up there with the likes of the Ford Mondeo.
These new handling traits are perfectly matched to a steering system that's nearly as sharp as BMW's and ahead of Mercedes.
Having driven several versions of this car at the initial launch, and after a week in this 2.0-litre diesel version on Irish roads, we're convinced this engine is best suited to the car, both for all-round performance and seeming weight balance. While the 1.8-litre petrol engine will obviously be of interest to most Irish buyers, our advice would be to test the diesel version before signing up. The 1.8-litre may feel light and nimble, but the 2.0-litre is the best all-rounder and seems more in tune with the car's dynamic ability.
As expected from a diesel, it's a real treat when you kick down from a standing start, with a low-range torque that knocks out any petrol equivalent. The six-speed manual transmission is short and punchy, far better than the multitronic system still on offer by Audi. We would prefer a little more distance between the gates for first gear and reverse, but you get used to it after a short time and the ratios are well matched to the engine's performance.
ONE OF THE STRONGEST POINTS OF the A4 is build quality. Audi has won several plaudits for the fit and finish of its interiors and this car is no different. While the interior plastics are not of the same calibre as Audi's larger models, they do seem better than those in either the BMW or Mercedes and the controls are easy to operate.
In keeping with its German rivals, the options list should only be approached with a definite budget in mind and the written permission of your bank manager. Add a few options that you think are really needed on a car in this class and the price shoots up. At no stage did we think the test car was abundant with opulent or extravagant extras - it still had cloth seats and no Sat-Nav - yet the options had already added €11,005 to the initial price.
In Audi's defence, a similar visit to the options list at BMW quickly pushes its price up as well, though like-for-like comparison shows Audi's extras slightly more expensive. You can't help feeling hard done by when you start considering a car because it seems well priced at €44,200, but leave the dealership €55,000 lighter. For those looking for a higher level of standard specification included in the price, the less established premium marques, such as Saab and Lexus, still offer better value, if not the same driving enjoyment.
So is the A4 better than the 3-Series or Mercedes C-Class? The gap between the brands has certainly closed. We were never a fan of the A4 - though we love the RS4 version - but this new car leaves us really tempted to opt for Audi in this category. The C-Class made a serious attempt at toppling the 3-Series earlier last year and now this car comes along and, for our money, should force BMW to rethink the direction it is going with its strongest selling model range.
The new A4 has the sort of traits we always associated with the Bavarian brand in this class - a taut, well-built package that matches sharp steering responses with an agile ride and admirable on-road balance. It's as if Audi has been to the gym for the past few years while BMW has been enjoying the fruits of earlier labours a little too much.
For all that, the BMW is likely to see off the Audi challenge for now, if only because it still has more brand kudos, and lower emission levels on its diesel counterpart that will see prices fall substantially from July 1st.
Where once the 3-Series ruled the roost in driving terms, Mercedes gave it a run for its money early last year, and now Audi seems ready to steal its crown. It's only by a very tiny margin, and we are racked with indecision on our choice in this section, but after a week behind the wheel of the Audi, we can't help feeling it's the one we'd opt for if faced with the choice.
Factfile
Audi A4 2.0 TDI 143bhp Manual CC: 1968 BHP: 143 0-100km/h: 9.4 secs Top speed: 215km/h L/100km (mpg): 5.5 (51.4) CO2: 144 g/km Price: €44,200 ex-works
ENGINE:1968cc four-cylinder inline diesel engine with common rail injection system offering 143bhp @ 4,200rpm and 320Nm of torque from 1,750rpm. Front-wheel drive with six-speed manual transmission
SPECIFICATION:Standard features on the 2.0-litre diesel include: dual front airbags; dual front side airbags; front and rear curtain airbags; ABS with ESP; auto air-con; 16" alloys; cloth upholstery; halogen headlights with daytime running lights; heated side mirrors; electromechanical parking brake; gearshift display in information panel of dash; leather steering wheel; space saver spare wheel.
Options fitted to our test car included: 17" alloys (€1,446); Bluetooth (€861); folding rear seats (€494); anti-glare rearview mirror (€417); alarm (€767); electric lumbar support for front seats (€451); rear parking sensors (€664); cruise control (€451); driver information with colour screen (€197). Total options on car came to €11,005.
L/100km (MPG):
Urban: 7.5 (37.7)
Extra-urban: 4.3 (65.7)
Combined: 5.5 (51.4)
CO2 emissions (combined): 144g/km
Pre-July: VRT rate: 30 per cent;Annual road tax: €590. From July 1st: VRT rate: 20 per cent; Annual road tax: €290
STARTING PRICE:€44,200 (ex-works)