Test driving an Audi is always a truly fine experience, but taking the wheel of an S-Line A4 with the formidable 2.7 TDI V6 Diesel engine coupled to the Multitronic transmission, is nothing short of a true delight.

We were indeed very impressed with the behavior of this smooth V6 unit married with the continuously variable transmission. The constant stream of power, delivered in town traffic at a mere 1200 to 1500 revs, proved very relaxing in urban driving conditions. A truly wonderful combination, we must admit…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Build Quality

The black A4 Avant we drove pleases not only with its well balanced proportions, but also with its impeccable build quality. Sliding behind the wheel gets you quite literally in touch with noble leather, and last but not least with some very well laid out controls. I visited a few years ago the engineers from the Audi Haptic Team in Ingolstadt, and indeed, these specialists know how a quality car should feel. The seats are also state of the art, although the sportier seats of the S-line are a bit narrow for your rather strongly built servant.

The instruments are also quite pleasing, with the contours of the instrument cluster being now being less accentuated, which I personally find an improvement. Starting the Audi with the typical “push-key” brings the large Diesel to life. On a cold morning some typical Diesel clatter is audible, but this disappears quickly as soon as you let the engine pull. And pull it does: the engine and gearbox control management lets the engine rev a bit higher when very cold, but after a few 100 meters, it will not rev higher than 1600 rpm unless you demand (very) much power. The deep throb of the V6 then sounds as an adagio passage of a Wagner opera in your ears, and you are whisked towards the horizon as if you were moved by some supernatural “Ur-Kraft.”

Transmission Genius…  

The CVT transmission is nothing short of pure genius. The original idea of the inventive Huub Van Doorne is perfected beyond recognition. No flexible transmission belts here, running in open air(!) as was with the DAF original version. Instead, a steel link-plate chain is running in tension in an oil bath between two pairs of bevel wheels of variable diameter.  These chains – and the whole transmission - last the lifetime of the car, and not a mere 25.000 kms, as was the case of the belts with the DAF.

The CVT can transmit a torque of up to 310 Nm, which is again light years away from the torque delivered by the original 2 cylinder air cooled boxer 600 cc unit of the DAF.

As the bevel wheels vary in diameter, the transmission offers an infinite array of gear ratios, and keeps the engine in the optimum rev range for the given speed and throttle opening. The drawback is that the constant revs of the engine when accelerating and the very low revs when driving at steady speeds,  don’t  give you an indication how fast you drive on city throughways or boulevards, and it is all too easy to surpass the urban speed limits. So in non-dense city traffic, USE that speed control!

Accelerating goes ultra smooth, and the V6 catapults you forward in the best thoroughbred fashion. 0 to 100 sprints are absolved in less than 9 seconds, and of course on the motorways, the V6 Audi is a true “Meister.”

The fact that the transmission chooses always the lowest possible rev ranges, makes the car quite frugal, and it was no trouble for your servant to achieve an average consumption well below 7 litres per 100 km, with a lot of city driving thrown in.

Last but not least for those “traditional” Audi drivers, one can also flick the gearlever in the manual grid and choose between 5 gear ratios, where the transmission will indeed keep the diameters of the bevel wheels fixed, and create thus a “fixed” gear ratio. So you can also make good use then of the engine braking when storming down your  favorite mountain pass or stretch of winding country road… 

A brilliant V6 Diesel…

The 2.7 TDI is an efficiency machine. A major technological element in achieving this is its common-rail system with piezo injectors. The engine has dual overhead cams, and indeed revs beautifully, considering it is a Diesel of course.

The V6 has a power output of 120 kW (163 hp) for the Belgian market, for obvious tax reasons. Compared to the 3.0 TDI, the smaller V6 has a slightly reduced stroke and unchanged bore, and has a displacement of 2,698 cc. As we said, it is astonishingly frugal for its power and size.

New front suspension…

The new A4 has gained further in agility and dynamic road manners. The differential has now been moved forward right behind the engine, and swapped places with the clutch. The result is that the front drive train could be moved not less than 15,4 centimeters forward. With this lengthened wheelbase, the car is now much more agile and is much better balanced between the front and rear axles, as we found out.       

… and Audi Drive Select

The test car came also equipped with the Audi Drive Select system, combined with an adaptive shock absorber feature. The car can indeed be set up to your driver tastes, and is indeed for the more sportier driving souls among us worth every cent of its 1.681,90 Euro extra price. Depending on the selection you made, the system sets the response time of the engine, the gear change pattern of the transmission, the level of power assistance of the steering wheel, the steering ratio, and the electronic setting of the shock absorbers. The buttons on the centre console let you choose between a comfortable, automatic or dynamic mode.  A dream!

Our test car was even equipped with the GPS Plus, which comes then with a further “Individual” setting of the Audi Drive Select System, so you can set up to your personal taste…  

A further extra on our test car was the 2 – part panoramic sunroof , the “Lifestyle Plus” pack which included the GPS Plus system we mentioned and a DVD, 8 speakers and 6 CD loader.  

Indeed , life was beautiful on board, and needless to say, we regretted to part with this Audi Avant, which proved a versatile and thoroughbred compact quality car, and a true joy to drive…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Built Built for speed: this Audi goes well beyond the 200 km mark...

The S Line badge on the side shows that this is an Audi with a dynamic character...

The central display usually shows astonishingly low fuel consumption figures...

The transmission offers an infinite array of gears, but offers for the classic enthusiast also five fixed gears wich he can change up (+) or down(-)...

The elegant headlights feature also a row of small LED lamps...