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Think "Audi" and you probably think "quattro", the German maker's monicker for its four-wheel-drive system. Audis have always been beautifully built, but for most buyers the thing that makes them special - the thing that much of the marque's image and advertising is built on - is quattro
and the rally heritage that comes with it.
When it comes to the all-new Audi A4, you might have to think again. Of the four models launched in New Zealand by European Motor Distributors (EMD), only one has quattro - the flagship $102,900 3.2-litre V6 sedan.
The rest, a 1.8-litre turbo-petrol, plus a brace of 2.0 and 2.7 V6 turbo diesels, are front-drive-only. As if to add insult to drivetrain injury, those front-drive cars also run Multitronic continuously variable transmissions.
The lack of quattro isn't by design, says EMD Audi boss Glyn Tulloch. "The reason we haven't got a lot of quattro is because we haven't got access to the high-performance engines that need it, like the 3.0-litre turbo diesel," he says.
Those cars will come later. The monster 3.0 TDI quattro will arrive in September, about the same time as the Avant wagon body style, and should sell for about the same price as the top 3.2 quattro model.
Next year, there will be a 2.0-litre petrol-turbo, which will line up against the $78,900 2.7 TDI front-drive version, and the entry model will remain the $67,900 1.8T.
Even then, front-drive models will outnumber quattros but probably not in registrations, says Tulloch.
Should you wait for all-wheel-drive? Probably if the brand means sporty cars to you, but the existing diesels, which won't be paired with quattro in the foreseeable future, are impressive in their own ways.
The front-drive A4 - based on a new platform with improved weight distribution - is dynamically sound, although still no match for the chassis characteristics of the rear-drive BMW 3-series and Mercedes C-class.
But the diesel/Multitronic combination is unique to Audi.
The 2.0 and 2.7powerplants are ultra-relaxed and CVT is efficient at keeping the torquey diesels at their optimum operating speeds. Slide Multitronic into its pseudo-manual mode and you have eight preset "steps" to shift between.
So, just how torquey are those diesels? The 2.7 TDI makes 400N at an incredible 1400rpm and Multitronic will keep it there all day. The 3.2 petrol mill, mated to a conventional six-speed automatic, makes 330Nm, but not until 3000rpm.
Cabin styling is typically subtle and, as always with Audi, class-leading in the quality of materials and fit/finish.
All A4 models are available with a high-tech system called Drive Select, which can incorporate Dynamic Steering and Adaptive Suspension.
Drive Select ($850) is operated via a push button in the cabin and allows the driver to set the steering assistance, transmission behaviour, throttle mapping and suspension damping to comfort, sport or automatic models.
Dynamic Steering ($2500 on all models) introduces a variable-ratio rack that's more direct at low speeds, while Adaptive Suspension ($3000) alters the firmness and control of the chassis.
Dynamic Steering is similar in principle to the BMW's Active Steering, although the Audi system is leagues ahead for smoothness and feel.
Drive Select with Adaptive Suspension is standard on the top 3.2 quattro with the S-Line package ($109,400).
The ultimate Drive Select system is only available on A4 models fitted with the optional satellite navigation system ($5500), which have a different centre console set-up and switchgear. Another setting, "individual", allows the driver to mix and match settings of each Drive Select component, so you can have comfort steering with sport transmission and automatic damping, or any combination of the above.
