The new Audi A4 stays smartly ahead of the competition with new tech and highly efficient engines

The newly updated Audi A4 is continuing to show why it remains the German marque’s best-seller, and why it is often seen as a leading benchmark in executive luxury sedans.

It’s been dramatically restyled to feature a wider stance and muscular flanks for a more purposeful look, and perhaps more importantly, it’s the first Audi model to use the new Audi MIB3 operating system. You can now manage and operate an incredible array of decisions from the newly updated MMI touch panel display. With a built-in 4G connection, the car is connected to a cloud server, enabling you to gain access to your vehicle remotely through the myAudi app.

An Elegantly Muscular Stance
The new Audi A4 gets a broad range of visual updates that emphasise its sporty and muscular nature. Almost no panel has been left unmodified as the designers reworked the classic lines of the A4 sedan into a further evolution of Audi’s timeless design language. This statement of intent starts at the front, with a newly reshaped Singleframe intake grille that is designed to make the car look visually wider.

This theme continues to the side profile, which is defined by muscular shapes above the fenders and enhanced by a strong shoulder line set low in between. A newly sculpted line cuts across the doors near the bottom of the car, moving the visual centre of gravity downwards, towards the blade-shaped side sills.

At the rear, a continuous chrome strip connects the two tail light clusters. Together with the wider rear side windows, the new A4 looks more sophisticated and eye-catching than before. External illumination is provided by LED headlights that are standard fit, with upgraded daytime running light, along with smart functions such as freeway and intelligent cornering lights, plus dynamic indicators at the rear.

Spirited Performance and Astonishing Efficiency
At launch, the car is available in Singapore with two engine options, both turbocharged 2.0-litre TFSI powerplants. Drivers can pick between a highly efficient 150 horsepower version and an even more powerful 190 horsepower version of the car. Both feature Audi’s 12-volt mild hybrid system, dubbed the MHEV, to deliver excellent real-world efficiency and comfort.

The A4’s MHEV system is built around a belt alternator starter with a maximum recuperation power of 5kW fitted alongside the engine. Front radars and a camera allows the car to analyse the road directly ahead, and it can automatically shut off the engine to coast on highways while the lithium-ion battery continues to power all the electrical functions in the car. The use of the belt alternator starter allows the internal combustion engine to power up and down completely seamlessly on the move, smoothly and without driver intervention.

According to independent test figures, the MHEV system improves fuel economy by up to 0.3 litres per 100km travelled. The S tronic seven-speed twin-clutch transmission used in the A4 is tuned to work with the MHEV system for smooth coasting, freewheeling and extended start-stop functionality. With shorter lower gears for sporty driving and long gear ratios for the sixth and seventh gear for fuel-efficient highway driving, the car easily keeps pace with your mood.

Groundbreaking Connectivity
The new Multimedia Interface (MMI) system offers drivers a user experience that is very similar to contemporary smartphones, but redesigned for even more intuitive use in a car. All Audi A4 variants in Singapore come equipped with the all-digital Audi virtual cockpit plus, with a resolution of 1,920 X 720 pixels on a 12.3-inch screen. The system is a further evolution of the digitalization concept found in the previous generation car.

On the dashboard sits another 10.1-inch touchscreen known as the MMI touch display. The graphics are clean and simple to avoid distractions, and sub menu groups are more tightly configured to avoid unnecessary hunting on the user’s part. Acoustic feedback gives the driver a positive feel of every input, without requiring you to take your eyes off the road. The interface also understands fingertip writing, and it’s capable of working with the navigation system to predict what you are trying to do. Scribbling out ‘cafe’ on the touchscreen for example, will prompt the system to show you the locations of the nearby cafes, helps you plot a route on the GPS, and then direct you to the nearest car park.

MMI navigation plus is standard equipment for the Audi A4 in Singapore, which allows for voice control of the system. Drivers can freely give instructions to the system, which can ask further reply questions to fine tune the available options.

For drivers who prefer to use native smartphone navigation applications like Google Maps or Waze, the smartphone interface allows them to do so via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Access is not limited to only navigation apps. Popular music streaming and messaging services such as Spotify or Whatsapp can also be controlled intuitively and safely through the touchscreen or over voice commands.

With the latest update to the MMI system, the A4 also comes with a new Audi connect suite of digital services. You will be able to acquire point-of-interest information such as user ratings, reviews, opening hours, parking availability information, weather forecast, and more.

There are even services you can use while you are away from your car, thanks to its built-in data connection. For example, you can key in your destination on your phone and send it to the car. When you do get to your A4, it will be ready on the GPS and you can begin driving without having to spend time planning the route.

You can also check if the doors and boot are locked, get an update on the fuel level in the car, and even unlock the car remotely for friends and family to pick up items left inside without requiring you to hand them an actual key fob. It’s a car that fully integrates into your lifestyle while still retaining the efficient, sporty character that the Audi A4 has built up a reputation for, now made even smarter for the digital age.

Find out more at www.audi.com.sg.