Available in up to 1600x1200. I had had doubts about the lines of the new A4 until I saw these:

http://www.netcarshow.com/audi/2009-a4/ (a couple dozen pics)









I now firmly believe that Audi has made the best-looking entry-level sport sedan out there. Absolutely gorgeous in an understated, GQ sort of way, like a slim, perfectly-tailored suit. Anyone wanna send me $35k so that I can replace my Jetta with a B8 A4 2.0T Quattro 6MT?

I read somewhere that the new A4 was supposed to be "radically different". I would have a hard time differentiating this from the old A4...which is no bad thing...I was just looking forward to something a little bit shocking.

I still think the C Class Sport is a better looking German car, but I would put this ahead of the E90 3 series.

I agree wth Bjorn, the C class is a better looking entry into the segment. The Audi is no ugly duckling though. The interiors on Audis cant be beat though. Every time i see them it makes me long for one.

I know when Mandi graduates in a few years, i will probably taking over the Volvo, and she deserves something new and nice. Ive been watching the segment to help make a decision but the competition is getting downright tough out there. It seems that the deciding factor for use might come right down to value for the money.

The C-Class is great looking, and its interior is truly impressive (to be in, if not to look at). And the stereo system is unbelievable. All that said, I was deeply disappointed by how it drove (I drove both a C300 Luxury AT and a C300 Sport 6MT). The steering was light and artificial, the engine was bland, and the suspension lacked composure. In short, it lacked that Teutonic sport sedan feel. It was a rolling bank vault, but from a dynamic perspective, it honestly felt a little Toyota-ish.

The 2006 325i I drove, for all the iffy aesthetic design, cramped interior, and lack of standard amenities, felt "special" within the first 200 yards. The engine, the suspension, and the steering all made it feel like a living thing, eager to zig and zag down a curvy road.

Regrettably, I haven't had an opportunity to sample an A4 yet, and the nearest Audi dealer is several hours away, so it might be a while before I can take the A4 for a spin.

Given that you're obviously not a GM hater, have you considered the new CTS? From what I've read, it now competes very well with the German benchmarks.

I saw the new A4 in the car park yesterday next to a top-spec Accord. Guess which one looked boring? It was the A4. It looks horribly boring, and lacks any sexy appeal whatsoever. I think I've said it before, but while it offers hints of the A5's sexyness, overall it's a giant blob of blandness.

Believe it or not, I only like my car. lol. Im really not too interested in what GM has to offer, but my interests are peaked by the new CTS.

My car is horrible. Its interior is junk, plasticy, bland looking. THe door panels are cracked, as the dash is starting to fade from the sun. The leather on the seat bolster is worn out. The car rattles to no end (although the true dual exhaust doesnt help that, nor does the subframe connectors that really took out alot of slop in the body). Window motors are near dead, and die every year or so. The headlights couldnt give you enough light to read by if you sat in front of them. The doors are huge. etc etc etc. I love it and drive it though for one reason. Its like you described Mit. Its like its alive. As soon as i start to lean into the go pedal, all the flaws are gone. If youve seen Clarkson's review of the M5, its like that. No its not a spectacular german car. But you get lost in all the power and noise and starts flowing out. The transmission is fantastic to row the gears in, as anyone with a brain and an arm who has had the pleasure to shift a T-56.

Enough about my hunk of trash though. I would probably put the CTS through a more rigorous going over, because, well lets be honest, its still a GM. If im going to put that kind of money out, I want to know that even if it has any kind of mechanical problems, i still get good vibes from the whole thing when I finally get to drive it.

You talking about the Trans-Am in your avatar?

Yes, the ugly one in my avatar.

Haha...that sounds EXACTLY like my mom's '94 Camaro. All the same issues.

Its the same generation f-body so it would make sense. Gm isnt known for updating throughout the current production run, so the 7 year difference doesnt matter. The only notable difference is i got the LS1.

I'm not sure these are the greatest shots of the new A4...

It's attractive. I'm a little disappointed that the S4 is so subtle. The sides and rear of the B8 are a little dowdy...not to say they aren't pretty, but it doesn't have as much aggression as the last couple models had which feels a little inappropriate for the A4's sport sedan mission. The front's definitely sexy though! Lemme tell ya, it has autobahn presence in your rearview mirror like you can't believe.

See, sexy front:



Dowdy profile:

The new Accord is many things, but it's not boring. It's painfully overstyled and not cohesive at all, in my opinion, but it's far too busy to be boring. I think the comparison of the A4 to a well-tailored, single-breasted, two-button suit is apt. In that case, "boring" and "really good looking" are not necessarily mutually exclusive, IMO.

This is an A4, good-looking but boring:



This is an Accord, with decent design ideas put together poorly:



This is an R8, good-looking and daring:

...Mitlov the suit analogies are just weird. For starters the second pic for your R8 suit actually looks really really awful, unlike the car.

I think the current Accord actually looks very good. The new A4 is about as bland as a Camry IMO (is that bland enough?). The Christmas lights, are just about the only visually interesting part of the exterior. The whole "well-tailored suit" thing works for A5, but something was definitely lost in the transition from coupe to sedan...same way the 3-series gained something from sedan to coupe.

EDIT: Well-tailored suits aren't boring. They're subtle, slick, with interesting details, and all the lines are perfect on the wearer.

Weird but effective. He's right on.

I absolutely love it. And I'm not the only one:
http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/2008/0...-metpart-2.html

Likewise, with the R8, it's daring, and many absolutely love it (i.e., you), but some really don't:
http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/2008/08...rhang-i-h8.html

Both are daring designs that many love but some hate.

I didn't realize you were so into fashion Mitlov.

I guess lawyers need to look suave. I would suggest leaving the pink shoes at home though.

HOLY SHIT... does anyone see a shocking amount of Bangle-ness in the profile shots? This is the most BMW-looking Audi ever.

Which is really sad when you realize that teased hair hasn't yet gone out of fashion where I live

^ Come here, you'll love it.

I was thinking that with Clarkma5's post...I see a lot of E90 in there.
A4

E90


EDIT side by side, the details are way off...but I still think the proportions are similar.

The 3-series looks shorter, wider, and generally more sporting. The A4 is longer, more elegant.

That last pic of the A4 makes it already look old and dated!

But the new A4 is seriously good looking. Makes the G look so bulbous and strange. For me, the G is almost there, but there is something wrong... proportions or something.. but the A4 is spot on, as is the C class. The CTS is too flashy for me.

I'm in complete agreement with that. There was another B8 in the car park today, this time with different rims. It completely changes the look of the car. I think like most current cars, the A4's style is very dependent on wheels and color choice. The car I saw before was white with a black interior, and base wheels. The car I saw today, was white with the red interior (or was it brown), and a much nicer set of rims. I think phantom gray with the S-line package really makes the A4.

I was at the official unveiling of this at my local dealership and i'm pretty impressed. Overall the car is great but like mentioned, it lacks in some areas. One particular aspect that bugs me is that the exhaust pipes on the 2.0T are NOT located on opposite sides of the vehicle, unlike the B6 and B7 variants (something that makes the car look much more sportier). Secondly I find that the back and side profiles are unattractive compared to the B7 version which I feel is the sexiest and most appealing version that Audi has made so far for the A4.

Looking at some of the rear 3/4ths views of the A4 at the dealership, it looks much too proportional and looks like a flattened A5 rear end, however the A5 rear end is gorgeous.

However, the reason I stand behind Audi is because of some pretty good Pros:
- LED daytime running lights are to die for. They absolutely define the front end of the vehicle.
- Interior is finally updated after years of transfer-overs
- Emergency Brake issue was SORT OF solved through the use of an electrical button E-Brake. Those of you who have or driven the B7 variant will know that the parking brake was put in the worst possible position, underneath the armrest and would require you to lift up the armrest in order to properly engage. In an emergency situation this really wouldn't work.
- Bang & Olufsen sound system now an option. I've had the pleasure of hearing the sound system in action and it is by far better than any sound system i've heard before.

...

I hate dual exhaust for dual exhaust sake. It makes a car heavier and can look kinda lame. I Think a single muffler with dual outlets can look very very clean and sporty. I don't like the fact that the new WRX sedan and STI have dual and indeed quattro exhaust openings...so not needed, especially when you consider that the WRC STI only has a single opening.

I agree. My Legacy 2.5i had dual exhaust. Didn't make it sporty. Dual exhaust has been overdone nearly as much as the word "extreme." If it serves a purpose, great, do it. But I'm tired of people using dual exhaust just for the sake of using it.

I agree too but it's much worse when cars that don't deserve quad exhausts get them, although that isn't raped nearly as often.

The Lambda's have quad exhausts...it pisses the shit out of me. I don't mind dual though, in fact I prefer it.