The Audi A4 has been the German automaker’s best-selling model for 39 years running with over 10 million individual examples sold, so any sort of major update to the machine is a big deal in Ingolstadt. For the 2013 model year, Audi has bestowed its A4 with revised sheetmetal and powertrains in order to keep it at the forefront of the entry-level luxury car arena… which is especially important with a new BMW 3 Series on its way.
A quick glance may not be enough to take in all the visual changes to the latest A4, but a closer look reveals that there are revisions to nearly every surface, including the front fascia, bumpers and hood. The headlights and taillights have been reworked to more closely match the rest of the lineup with a “slight wave” at the bottom and highly stylized LED elements. Inside the cabin, new steering wheels, refined finishes and a somewhat simplified MMI infotainment system.
European buyers will be able to select from six turbodiesel and four gasoline engines, all with forced induction and direct injection for maximized power and efficiency. In the States, we’re expecting at least the 2.0-liter turbocharged four (211 horsepower) and 3.0-liter supercharged six with up to 333 horsepower in high-performance S4 trim. That’s enough ponies to hit 60 miles per hour in about 5.0 seconds.
There’s a slim chance the U.S. could get a crack at the new 1.8-liter turbo four as well, but we’re not holding our breath. As you would expect, Quattro all-wheel drive will be available across the line, and power will reach the wheels through either a six-speed manual, CVT automatic (front-wheel drive only), eight-speed auto or seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Audi is also introducing a new electromechanical power steering system for the 2013 A4.
We’re expecting Audi to bring the A4 and S4 to the U.S. in the summer of 2012 as 2013 models, and we should also get the new A4 Allroad wagon as well.
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