Cars - Audi A4

	Cars - Audi A4

The Audi A4 is a mid-size luxury car made by Audi. It was introduced in 1995, replacing the Audi 80 (called the Audi 4000 in North America) and Audi 90.

B5 (1995-1998)

Audi debuted the model in 1995 on Volkswagen's B5 platform, which it shared with the fifth generation Volkswagen Passat. Like the Passat, it had a longitudinally-mounted engine and standard front wheel drive, although the vast majority of A4s Audi sells come optioned with their quattro all wheel drive system. The Avant station wagon arrived a year later.

A wide range of engines were available to European customers, ranging between 1.6 L and 2.8 L, including a 1.9 L Diesel available with VW's new "pumpe-düse" technology, capable of achieving a then high power value of 110 PS (81 kW), although Audi's 2.8 L V6, carried over from the old 80/90 was the only engine option in North America until 1998.

The Audi A4 was the first model in the Volkswagen Group to feature the new 1.8 L 20V motor with five valves per cylinder, based on the unit Audi Sport had developed for their Supertouring race car. At the time, besides Audi, the Ferrari F355 was the only production automobile in the world with a five-valve head design. A turbocharged version produced 150 PS (110 kW) and 210 Nm (155 ft.lbf) of torque. This technology was added to the V6 family in 1996, starting with the 2.8 L V6 30V, which now pumped 193 PS (142 kW).

Audi also debuted their new Tiptronic transmission on the B5 platform, based on the unit Porsche developed for their 964-generation 911. The transmission is a "manumatic", meaning it offers the driver a choice of driving the car as either an automatic or a clutchless manual.

B5 facelift (1998-2001)

Audi refreshed the model in the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show, with sales beginning in Europe in early 1998. Besides the introduction of a 2.4 L 30-valve V6 (replacing the outdated 2.6 V6), the most important additions to the range were the 2.5 L V6 TDI engine with 150 PS (110 kW) and standard quattro and a 6-speed gearbox, as well the new high-performance S4, now part of the A4 lineup (the previus S4 had been a Audi 100). New taillights, headlights, door handles, and other minor exterior/interior changes rounded out the cosmetic updates.

In mid 1998, the 1.8T engine available outside Europe had its power output raised to 170 PS (125 kW), while the 12-valve V6 was replaced by the 30 valve unit that had been available in Europe for two years.

In 1999, Audi debuted an even higher performance model, the RS4, like its predecessor RS2 available only in the Avant body.

B6 (2000-2005)

An all-new A4 debuted in late 2000, now riding on the B6 platform. The 1.6 L base model remained unchanged, but most other gasoline engines received either displacement increases or power upgrades. The 1.8 20 valve Turbo was now available in two versions, with 150 or 180 PS (110 or 132 kW), this one with a standard six-speed gearbox, while the naturally aspirated 1.8 L straight-4 and 2.8 L V6 were replaced by 2.0 L and 3.0 L units, still with five valves per cylinder, the most powerful of which was capable of 220 PS (162 kW) and 300 Nm (221 ft.lbf) of torque. The 1.9 TDI engine was upgraded to 130 PS and was now available with quattro, while the 2.5 V6 TDI high-end model was introduced with 180 PS (132 kW) and standard quattro. The Avant arrived in mid 2001.

For 2002, Audi upgraded power in the 1.8 Turbo engines to 163 and 190 PS (120 and 140 kW respectively), and in the 2.5 TDI intermediate version to 163 PS. A year later, Audi reintroduced the S4, now powered by a 344 PS (253 kW) 4.2 L V8, as well as an A4 Cabrio convertible variant, finally replacing the 80-based Audi Cabriolet that had been discontinued in 1998.

Audi also introduced a continuously variable transmission developed by LuK, named Multitronic, which replaced the Tiptronic on front wheel drive models. The transmission won considerable praise from the automotive press and is generally regarded as being the best of its type in the world, due to its light weight and promptness in response, but its use was limited to models with a maximum of 310 Nm (229 ft.lbf).

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Cars - Audi A4

B5 (1995-1998)

B5 facelift (1998-2001)

B6 (2000-2005)

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