Next year will see the arrival of the all-new versions of the Audi A4 and A4 Avant – known as the Audi S4 – which will have RS levels of performance and which have been unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show.
Available to order from spring, they will be seen on our roads in the summer with an incredible V6 TFSI engine fitted to the top S4 models which is promising a sprint speed of zero to 62 mph in less than five seconds.
The new 3.0 litre engine produces 354 PS for that impressive performance with a top speed of 155 mph – which is electronically restricted – and fuel economy of around 38 mpg and emissions of 170g/km.
The Audi A4’s platform has been completely re-engineered and the new car will be lighter and packed with technology.
There’s also a new eight speed auto gearbox with fast gear changes which will switch to freewheeling mode to help the car save fuel whenever possible.
New Audi S4 will have all-wheel drive
The new Audi S4 will also have all-wheel drive with 60% of the engine’s torque going to the rear wheels.
The car is also controlled at speed by the use of a sport differential which applies the power to the wheels that need it most.
Audi also say that its new S4 and S4 Avant are also great performers off-road – though by this they mean mountain passes and racetracks.
As potential owners would expect, the interior of the new Audi A4 is sumptuous with lots of quality leather being used and the cabin has been designed to be impressive.
Designers have used brushed aluminium, leather and Alcantara help give the impression of being sat in a car from a higher segment.
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The instrument cluster is dominated by a high res 12.3 inch touchscreen which offers three views including a sport screen which displays the rev counter prominently.
The touchscreen also offers voice control and infotainment as well as satnav.
A growing trend for new cars is for them to have Internet connectivity and that is the case with the new Audi S4 which enables a Wi-Fi hotspot to be created to send emails and surf the web.
It also means that drivers can access Audi’s portfolio of Internet offerings.
Standard features include a range of driver assistance systems including adaptive cruise control, parking assist and cross traffic assist. There’s also a traffic sign recognition system and collision avoidance assist.
The official launch of the new Audi A4 cars takes place next spring when the full spec and prices will be revealed.