Report - Audi India introduces the A4 facelift in India

03/05/2012 - 16:24 | Audi A4 facelift, Audi | Shoeb Kalania

Audi launched its new A4 today morning at Tote on the Turf at Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai.

Mr. Michael Perschke, managing director of Audi India started the presentation by saying that the launch had to be advanced after experiencing an outstanding sales performance. He did not state the real reason, which we all know is the imminent launch of the new 3 Series from BMW India!

The new A4 starts at Rs. 27,33,000/- ex showroom Maharashtra, which makes it affordable by almost Rs. 70,000/-. This shows that Audi is really looking to play the price card wherever possible.

Perschke then introduced the changes of the A4 with a bit of history of the model and a report on the sales and future plans of Audi India. The A4 has been Audi’s bestseller for 39 years now and is in its eighth generation.

In the first quarter of 2012, the Audi A4 outsold its core competition in India and BMW will be looking reach the top position with the new 3 Series.

Pointers from Launch:

Audi plans to surprise its customers with two more models, one of them could be the S4 (the C63 AMG equivalent in Audi) which according to Mr.Perschke is under testing and may be introduced soon. The other model could be the facelift of the Q5 revealed recently. Both models may have a year-end launch.
Audi Car Life to be soon introduced on other models as well.
While Audi scored in total 27 awards in 2011-2012, most features of the seven times award winning Audi A8 and Audi A6 are now available in the Audi A4 such as LED Daytime Running Lights, Driver Information System, Xenon Plus Headlights, Audi Music Interface and Efficiency increase (Energy Recovery).
More than 10 million Audi A4 models have been sold worldwide
A target of selling 8,000 units has been set by Audi for 2012.
More dealerships to be added taking the total number to 25 by the end of 2012, which include Bhopal, Lucknow and Mumbai South.
2831 cars sold during January-April 2012.

These are the excerpts from the press release issued by Audi India today.

Exterior:

The design is even cleaner and more distinctive.
The horizontal lines at the front are more pronounced, the engine hood is more arched and the upper corners of the single frame grille are tapered.
The cross ribs and the Audi rings are highlighted three-dimensionally.
The redesigned bumpers are striking with their angular air inlets, their revised grilles and the flat front fog lights.
The headlights have also been updated. Their lower edge forms a subtle wave; their interior has been restructured. With the standard xenon plus headlights, the LED daytime running lights form an elegant clasp.
The design of the headlights carries over to the tail lights, which are optionally available with LED strips.
The rear bumper with the diffuser insert has been redesigned.
There is a selection of 6 paint finishes.
The S line exterior package is also available as an option.
1.8 TFSI and 2.0 TDI are available with 16’’ standard wheels with tyres 225/55 R16, 17’’ wheels are available as options.

Interior:

The interior of the A4 models is now a bit more elegant.
Many control elements are framed in narrow chrome clasps; the steering column stalks and the ignition key have been redesigned.
Audi claims the ergonomics have been fine-tuned.
The MMI infotainment system now has just four buttons; the volume knob now includes a skip function.
Other improvements concern operation of the automatic transmission, air conditioning system and the leather multifunction steering wheel.
All interior colors – except black – have been re-coordinated.
For 1.8 TFSI and 2.0 TDI, Leatherette and Milano interiors are also available.
The new, one-piece fascia of the instrument cluster is color-coordinated with the interior. For 1.8 TFSI and 2.0 TDI inlays in Walnut brown are available.

Engine:

The Audi A4 is available with a choice of two diesel engines and one petrol engine.
All engines feature forced induction and direct injection and the petrol engine comes standard with the start-stop system.
The 2.0 TDI generates 143 hp and the 3.0 V6 TDI produces 245 hp.
A new highlight of the TFSI family is the new 1.8-liter engine. This four-cylinder unit features innovations like the control of the valves and their lift, the thermal management concept, the injection system, the turbocharger and the integration of the exhaust manifold into the cylinder head.
The Audi A4 1.8 TFSI offers a fuel efficiency of 15.64 km/l (ARAI) while the 2.0 TDI offers a fuel efficiency of 16.55 km/l (ARAI), ensuring best in class fuel efficiency.

Drivetrain:

1.8 TFSI and 2.0 TDI have multitronic and the quattro version 3.0 TDI have the seven-speed S tronic gearbox.
The quattro permanent all-wheel drive system is available with the 3.0 TDI.

Chassis:

The arrangement of the rear trailing arms and the shock absorber characteristic has been re-tuned.
New in the A4, the electromechanical power steering requires no energy for straight-ahead motion, thereby reducing fuel consumption by up to 0.3 liters per 100 km.
All front-wheel-drive models of the A4 feature the electronic stabilization program (ESP) with electronic limited slip differential.

Audi Car Life:

The new Audi A4 is the first Audi which offers the fully integrated Audi Car Life product, which combines financing, service plan, insurance and extended warranty.
Audi Car Life is a convenience product for elite customers, which integrates finance, insurance, service plan and extended warranty.
With Audi Car Life, customers can enjoy maximum convenience as these services can be bundled into one single EMI rate.

2012 Audi A4 Price (ex-showroom, Maharashtra)