Car Test
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R0327 | |
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April 2003 |
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| Brief Test | Audi A4 | |
| Printer Friendly Page | Featured model: 2.0 FSi 4door | |
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VW Group (Audi being the poshest member of the family) pioneered the now-universal adoption of direct injection for diesel passenger cars nearly a decade ago. Since then, further development of high-pressure delivery of the fuel, via unit-injection or common-rail technology, has resulted in a big swing towards diesel cars, that are now so much nicer to drive and listen to, and yet no longer emit filth and smoke in embarrassing quantities.
Direct-injection gasoline (petrol) engines have been slower to surface. Mitsubishi has been offering them for some time, but the biggest snag has been that they don’t work so well when there’s sulphur in the petrol. Now, however, the advent of sulphur-free fuel is imminent in the UK and VW/Audi is again currently up with the best, with a pair of these high-tech engines. Designed to run best on no sulphur, they incorporate a purging cycle to get rid of any clag that builds up in the exhaust/catalyser as a result of running on the present 95 octane ULS (ultra-low-sulphur) petrol. This means that our test car’s 38mpg overall included bouts of running hotter and richer as the system got rid of any nitrogen oxide or sulphur dioxide that had built up since the previous ‘regeneration’ phase. Even so, the idea of 38mpg, rising to 44 plus in steady touring, in a 150bhp petrol two-litre (that can also be a tearaway when provoked), merits full marks against any rivals at present. What the figures in our comparison table can’t convey is that this engine is also wonderfully smooth and flexible, devoid of complaint, even if asked to pull from the low twenties in top. It also purrs along on main road or motorway; its revised gearing, compared with the 130bhp ‘conventional’ two-litre, gives it a relaxed gait at 70mph; yet strong acceleration all the way to 82mph in third gear, when required for overtaking. Glitches? Just an occasional minor jerk on resumed acceleration and a brief knocking sound from the engine after a cold start. It was also good to be able to test an A4 on standard tyres and suspension settings. We’ve complained about the unyielding ride that accompanies the Sports suspension’s grippy handling; this latest car felt more absorbent and unruffled by poor roads. In truth, there’s a rather under-damped, floaty feel at times, but this isn’t too apparent at normal speeds and the car still steers and corners with deft agility. Arguably, this represents the best ride and handling compromise yet, on any Audi saloon we’ve driven, but there’s still room for further improvement in the car’s ‘secondary ride’ – the bit where the springs are damped. Our car also had the optional back seat folding arrangement, as well as standard, rather than sports seats. The latter felt fine, with valuable, fixed lumbar support that’s just right for tired spines. The back seat folding is similar to the Avant’s – only the backrests tilt – but it remains a useful facility. One snag is that it incorporates no way of securing boot contents from the interior. The other is that you have to pay £280 for it. |
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