All New Audi A4 1.8 TFSI (Five-Millionth Audi A4)

Did you know that it basically took Audi 126.5 million years to finally agree with everyone alive that having a tall 4,6 or 8 cylinder engine set up high and way in front of the front axle does not do wonders to the handling of their front wheel drive sedans? Having driven the current A6, the previous generation A4 (B7 series) as well as the earlier ones too, I have to say that massive understeer is the preferred way for these front wheel drive Audis to corner.

On the B7 A4 I remember driving it hard and it felt so nose heavy that even with a pointy nose it felt as if the steering was the one end of the stick and the other end was the large elephant hanging off of it. That A4 was a pretty good car and in 2.0TFSI form was a fast ride but the high speed handling on a twisty road was really bad. I would assume this trait would be lessened in the Quattro or All wheel drive version of the cars, but in the front wheel drive A4, it basically was awful.

Now this brings us to the current B8 Audi A4 1.8 TFSI launched around two years ago. The car I tried is owned by a friend of mine and it is a car that is very familiar to me. His ride pictured above is the 1.8TFSI 160bhp spec that comes with the larger 18inch tires and rims. It looks so much better than the stock 17inch rims that the standard car is specced with.

I suppose it was because of nearly universal criticism of mega understeer that Audi had finally decided to re-engineer the engine and gearbox placement of the A4. The wheels are now at least 8cm forward compared to the earlier setup and this equates to better handling as well steering feel. The car does not drive like you were sitting just slightly behind an arrow's head in flight. You actually have a car in which does not fight the laws of physics all the time unlike the earlier versions.

This time it feels like you're driving a front wheel drive car with a normal transverse engine instead of a longitudinally placed one (even though it is still longitudinally placed). Imagine driving a slightly larger Honda Civic (in terms of nippiness). This is the first 4 door front wheel drive Audi ever that behaves decently well.

There is very little sign of it being nose heavy like its predecessors. It is a car which you can fling into corners, of course there's none of the tail out antics being a front wheel drive and it will only show mild understeer at speeds in excess of 150km/h on high speed sweeping corners. On tighter corners, it is poised and predictable, with the A4 managing to turn accurately and without much of the artificial steering sensation of the previous variable assist steering wheel. It still lacks feel, but it is better than the previous A4.

Audi's convention of internal numbering go behind a logical series from the 80 to the A4 with the first release selected as the B5-series, followed by the B6, B7, and the present B8. In an auto show in Frankfurt, B8 series of the Audi A4 was launched in 2007 and the Geneva auto show in 2008. At present, B8 engines include both petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engines offer 1.8 liter, 2.0 liter and 3.2 liter as well as 2.0 liter, 2.7 liter and 3.0 liter diesel engines. If you buy second hand Audi A4, check out different classified websites online.

All New Audi A4 1.8 TFSI (Five-Millionth Audi A4)

Did you know that it basically took Audi 126.5 million years to finally agree with everyone alive that having a tall 4,6 or 8 cylinder engine set up high and way in front of the front axle does not do wonders to the handling of their front wheel drive sedans? Having driven the current A6, the previous generation A4 (B7 series) as well as the earlier ones too, I have to say that massive understeer is the preferred way for these front wheel drive Audis to corner.

On the B7 A4 I remember driving it hard and it felt so nose heavy that even with a pointy nose it felt as if the steering was the one end of the stick and the other end was the large elephant hanging off of it. That A4 was a pretty good car and in 2.0TFSI form was a fast ride but the high speed handling on a twisty road was really bad. I would assume this trait would be lessened in the Quattro or All wheel drive version of the cars, but in the front wheel drive A4, it basically was awful.

Now this brings us to the current B8 Audi A4 1.8 TFSI launched around two years ago. The car I tried is owned by a friend of mine and it is a car that is very familiar to me. His ride pictured above is the 1.8TFSI 160bhp spec that comes with the larger 18inch tires and rims. It looks so much better than the stock 17inch rims that the standard car is specced with.

I suppose it was because of nearly universal criticism of mega understeer that Audi had finally decided to re-engineer the engine and gearbox placement of the A4. The wheels are now at least 8cm forward compared to the earlier setup and this equates to better handling as well steering feel. The car does not drive like you were sitting just slightly behind an arrow's head in flight. You actually have a car in which does not fight the laws of physics all the time unlike the earlier versions.

This time it feels like you're driving a front wheel drive car with a normal transverse engine instead of a longitudinally placed one (even though it is still longitudinally placed). Imagine driving a slightly larger Honda Civic (in terms of nippiness). This is the first 4 door front wheel drive Audi ever that behaves decently well.

There is very little sign of it being nose heavy like its predecessors. It is a car which you can fling into corners, of course there's none of the tail out antics being a front wheel drive and it will only show mild understeer at speeds in excess of 150km/h on high speed sweeping corners. On tighter corners, it is poised and predictable, with the A4 managing to turn accurately and without much of the artificial steering sensation of the previous variable assist steering wheel. It still lacks feel, but it is better than the previous A4.

Audi's convention of internal numbering go behind a logical series from the 80 to the A4 with the first release selected as the B5-series, followed by the B6, B7, and the present B8. In an auto show in Frankfurt, B8 series of the Audi A4 was launched in 2007 and the Geneva auto show in 2008. At present, B8 engines include both petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engines offer 1.8 liter, 2.0 liter and 3.2 liter as well as 2.0 liter, 2.7 liter and 3.0 liter diesel engines. If you buy second hand Audi A4, check out different classified websites online.

2010 the AUDI A4 was warmly received by critics and customers alike

First entering production in 1994, the A4 was warmly received by critics and customers alike. Since then it has had two major re-developments over the last 16 years, first in 2005 with that generation running through to 2008 and then, secondly, the latest generation of the car which is the Audi A4's best incarnation so far.

Critics have always been impressed with Top Gear explaining that "Audi has produced a 3 Series rival that...offers truly fantastic ride quality" and is part of the "new generation of Audis...that have learned how to ride".

Seen as a competitor to the BMW 3 Series, the question then becomes, what is the entry price for the vehicle. Depending on your requirements, its on the road list price ranges from £22,190 to £37,290. However, if you utilise car finance you can pick up a brand new version of the Audi A4 for just £309 a month on contract hire leasing deal if you are a business (and use it solely for business) or £376 per month for a retail shopper if they take it on a car leasing contract known as personal contract hire.

At Leipzig or Ingolstadt, Audi A4, was chosen as the most popular car. For the ninth time, more than 100 weekly newspapers in the former East Germany had invited readers to vote for "Our car". For a choice, at voting, have been registered 56 car models, launched during the last couples of years. There were received over 100,000 opinions, pointing at the Audi A4 as being the first choice at the poll.

Audi A4 enjoys numerous awards - including the "Golden Steering Wheel" awarded by the newspaper "Bild am Sonntag", the trophy "Auto 1" from "AutoBild" being named the best new car in Europe. Audi A4 follows a story of success by receiving the name of "Our Car". It is the fourth time when the brand with four rings wins at the readers' poll. In 2001, the old generation Audi A4 took first place position, in the 2005 Audi A6, and last year, the Audi TT. The award was given during the AMI in Leipzig. At the event of "Our Car" awarding in 2008, two other Audi models were ranked in the top ten as most popular car in German.

2010 the AUDI A4 was warmly received by critics and customers alike

First entering production in 1994, the A4 was warmly received by critics and customers alike. Since then it has had two major re-developments over the last 16 years, first in 2005 with that generation running through to 2008 and then, secondly, the latest generation of the car which is the Audi A4's best incarnation so far.

Critics have always been impressed with Top Gear explaining that "Audi has produced a 3 Series rival that...offers truly fantastic ride quality" and is part of the "new generation of Audis...that have learned how to ride".

Seen as a competitor to the BMW 3 Series, the question then becomes, what is the entry price for the vehicle. Depending on your requirements, its on the road list price ranges from £22,190 to £37,290. However, if you utilise car finance you can pick up a brand new version of the Audi A4 for just £309 a month on contract hire leasing deal if you are a business (and use it solely for business) or £376 per month for a retail shopper if they take it on a car leasing contract known as personal contract hire.

At Leipzig or Ingolstadt, Audi A4, was chosen as the most popular car. For the ninth time, more than 100 weekly newspapers in the former East Germany had invited readers to vote for "Our car". For a choice, at voting, have been registered 56 car models, launched during the last couples of years. There were received over 100,000 opinions, pointing at the Audi A4 as being the first choice at the poll.

Audi A4 enjoys numerous awards - including the "Golden Steering Wheel" awarded by the newspaper "Bild am Sonntag", the trophy "Auto 1" from "AutoBild" being named the best new car in Europe. Audi A4 follows a story of success by receiving the name of "Our Car". It is the fourth time when the brand with four rings wins at the readers' poll. In 2001, the old generation Audi A4 took first place position, in the 2005 Audi A6, and last year, the Audi TT. The award was given during the AMI in Leipzig. At the event of "Our Car" awarding in 2008, two other Audi models were ranked in the top ten as most popular car in German.

Audi Begins Producing A4 and A6 Models in Indonesia

Like many other automakers, Audi is constantly expanding its production network to include new countries. This time, the German premium carmaker has launched a new assembly plant in Indonesia in cooperation with INDOMOBIL /Garuda Mataram Motor, to produce the Audi A4 1.8 TFSI and A6 2.0 TFSI cars in the capital city Jakarta.

The first A4 and A6 models were delivered to Indonesian customers earlier this month, with the German company planning to assemble around 2,700 cars per year by 2015, including 2,000 A4 models, exclusively for the Indonesian market.

Audi said the Indonesian car market is forecast to grow by 15 percent this year, with sales in the premium segment expected to double over the next five years.

“After having done so in key markets like China and India, we’ve now found an outstanding partner for local assembly of our Audi models in Indonesia: INDOMOBIL/Garuda Mataram Motor,” said Frank Dreves, Member of the Board of Management for Production at AUDI AG.

"As one of the most important countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indonesia is one of Asia’s most dynamic growth regions. We’d like to contribute to this growth, since growth is an important component of Audi’s brand strategy,” Dreves said.

Audi Begins Producing A4 and A6 Models in Indonesia

Like many other automakers, Audi is constantly expanding its production network to include new countries. This time, the German premium carmaker has launched a new assembly plant in Indonesia in cooperation with INDOMOBIL /Garuda Mataram Motor, to produce the Audi A4 1.8 TFSI and A6 2.0 TFSI cars in the capital city Jakarta.

The first A4 and A6 models were delivered to Indonesian customers earlier this month, with the German company planning to assemble around 2,700 cars per year by 2015, including 2,000 A4 models, exclusively for the Indonesian market.

Audi said the Indonesian car market is forecast to grow by 15 percent this year, with sales in the premium segment expected to double over the next five years.

“After having done so in key markets like China and India, we’ve now found an outstanding partner for local assembly of our Audi models in Indonesia: INDOMOBIL/Garuda Mataram Motor,” said Frank Dreves, Member of the Board of Management for Production at AUDI AG.

"As one of the most important countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indonesia is one of Asia’s most dynamic growth regions. We’d like to contribute to this growth, since growth is an important component of Audi’s brand strategy,” Dreves said.

Audi Begins Producing A4 and A6 Models in Indonesia

Like many other automakers, Audi is constantly expanding its production network to include new countries. This time, the German premium carmaker has launched a new assembly plant in Indonesia in cooperation with INDOMOBIL /Garuda Mataram Motor, to produce the Audi A4 1.8 TFSI and A6 2.0 TFSI cars in the capital city Jakarta.

The first A4 and A6 models were delivered to Indonesian customers earlier this month, with the German company planning to assemble around 2,700 cars per year by 2015, including 2,000 A4 models, exclusively for the Indonesian market.

Audi said the Indonesian car market is forecast to grow by 15 percent this year, with sales in the premium segment expected to double over the next five years.

“After having done so in key markets like China and India, we’ve now found an outstanding partner for local assembly of our Audi models in Indonesia: INDOMOBIL/Garuda Mataram Motor,” said Frank Dreves, Member of the Board of Management for Production at AUDI AG.

"As one of the most important countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indonesia is one of Asia’s most dynamic growth regions. We’d like to contribute to this growth, since growth is an important component of Audi’s brand strategy,” Dreves said.

VIDEO: Suzuki Pits Kizashi Against Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and Volvo S40 in New Ads

Even though Suzuki had high hopes for the new Kizashi, sales of the sedan model haven't exactly blown the socks out of anyone this year. In fact, in the U.S., Suzuki has only managed to deliver a mere 5,269 units of the four-door saloon through November. Do the math and that comes to under 500 cars a month.

But the Japanese automaker isn't about to throw in the towel, not just yet. Marking one of its largest advertising campaigns in years, Suzuki has launched an ambition set of edgy ads pitting the Kizashi against similar sized models in the luxury segment such as the Mercedes-Benz C350, Audi A4 and the Volvo S40.

In each case, the Kizashi is shown in a side-by-side test with one of the aforementioned models plus an outsider, and by that we mean a motorized sofa, a man covered in a bubble-wrap suit and a stretch limousine. Well, you can't blame Suzuki for not having a sense of humor. Scroll down to watch all three ads in the videos below.

Source: Suzuki & Autonews

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

VIDEO: Suzuki Pits Kizashi Against Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and Volvo S40 in New Ads

Even though Suzuki had high hopes for the new Kizashi, sales of the sedan model haven't exactly blown the socks out of anyone this year. In fact, in the U.S., Suzuki has only managed to deliver a mere 5,269 units of the four-door saloon through November. Do the math and that comes to under 500 cars a month.

But the Japanese automaker isn't about to throw in the towel, not just yet. Marking one of its largest advertising campaigns in years, Suzuki has launched an ambition set of edgy ads pitting the Kizashi against similar sized models in the luxury segment such as the Mercedes-Benz C350, Audi A4 and the Volvo S40.

In each case, the Kizashi is shown in a side-by-side test with one of the aforementioned models plus an outsider, and by that we mean a motorized sofa, a man covered in a bubble-wrap suit and a stretch limousine. Well, you can't blame Suzuki for not having a sense of humor. Scroll down to watch all three ads in the videos below.

Source: Suzuki & Autonews

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

VIDEO: Suzuki Pits Kizashi Against Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and Volvo S40 in New Ads

Even though Suzuki had high hopes for the new Kizashi, sales of the sedan model haven't exactly blown the socks out of anyone this year. In fact, in the U.S., Suzuki has only managed to deliver a mere 5,269 units of the four-door saloon through November. Do the math and that comes to under 500 cars a month.

But the Japanese automaker isn't about to throw in the towel, not just yet. Marking one of its largest advertising campaigns in years, Suzuki has launched an ambition set of edgy ads pitting the Kizashi against similar sized models in the luxury segment such as the Mercedes-Benz C350, Audi A4 and the Volvo S40.

In each case, the Kizashi is shown in a side-by-side test with one of the aforementioned models plus an outsider, and by that we mean a motorized sofa, a man covered in a bubble-wrap suit and a stretch limousine. Well, you can't blame Suzuki for not having a sense of humor. Scroll down to watch all three ads in the videos below.

Source: Suzuki & Autonews

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

The Audi A4

The Audi A4 series is a luxury vehicle in the entry level class. Whether you prefer the coupe, touring car or sedan body style you can depend on the sleek European look to appeal to your sense of elegance, its sporty style and look appeals to the race car driver waiting to get out. With its tight lines and all-wheel drive this vehicle handles the road with style. The Quattro all-wheel drive makes this car an excellent choice for rainy or snowy climates adding security to the braking system while it glides along mountainous roads. The acceleration and excellent handling makes the performance of the car is perfect for those long road trips.

As with any European made vehicle the craftsmanship is of superior quality giving the feel of power and elegance in the cockpit with its beautifully made cabin, handsomely defined leather seats which provide comfort and security in the firm quality giving the entire inside an ambience suitable for even the crown of England to ride in. The climate controls, electric windows, heated seats and mirrors are easy to manipulate. The attractively designed dashboard and center panel are functional and elegant a natural an extension to your daily lifestyle. This is one classy car which you will want to drive around in all day long.

The maker has chosen to utilize the highest and best in technology to add even more of life's luxury advantages to the vehicle. Some of the new additions are the ability to access your phonebook via the Bluetooth features built into the stereo system through voice activation and the expanded auxiliary features. There is also a GPS system, emergency roadside assistance and travel information included in the high-tech features packages. Some car manufacturers add features like this and make them extremely complicated to operate, not so with Audi. Everything is simplified and very user friendly, just what you would expect really from a manufacturer of Audi's status.

The new model sedan and wagons are available for sale at a local retailer or through special order while the convertible remains the same as last year. The new model wagons and sedans are more spacious in the interior cabins with better driving abilities and high-tech features. Staying on top of today's needs and wants are evident in the styling, grace and ability of the Audi.

Choices of two engines are available in the sedan model: a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 good for 211 horsepower or a 3.2-liter V6 producing 265 hp. While the wagon offers only the 2.0-liter engine. Most of the A4 models come with standard Audi's Quattro system AWD and a six-speed automatic transmission; you can get a four-cylinder front-wheel-drive model.

As with the sedan, the Cabriolet is available in a 2.0-liter turbo charged inline-4 or a 3.2-liter V6; however the convertible has less power to offer in this engine, available in 200 hp and 255 hp. There are many available options as far as engine and drive trains in the Audi A4 models which will allow the driver to chose the option that is most suitable to their needs. Whether you are looking for a car with athletic grace or simply oozing elegance there is a package available to make the buyer thrilled with the choice.

Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige (top of the line as the name suggests) are the packages available for the wagon or sedans powered by the 2.0T. With exclusive packages, trim and color schemes it is easy to design a unique model suitable to any need.

Driving the Audi A4 series is an intensely satisfying ride that is smooth, fast and able to handle even the sharpest curve with grace. With the all wheel drive it's a sensible car with a luxury style. Grace, elegance and sophistication are the trademarks of Audi A4 series making any one of the models an excellent choice for an entry level luxury car.

Written on behalf of Total Fleet Services Ltd by John Eva
Car Leasing - Audi Contract Hire

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Eva