Combining the practicality of a station wagon with the capabilities of an SUV is a task that engineers solved by adding all-wheel drive and a stylish body kit to the spacious body, allowing you to safely turn off the highway onto country roads. The recipe for creating the A4 allroad quattro model differs little from what was already tested on the older A6 allroad quattro version: widened wheel arches, a sculpted hood, a radiator grille with chrome inserts, fog lights in silver frames, a twin shiny exhaust pipe, 17-inch alloy wheels, and, for the sake of which it all was started, plastic protection around the arches and bumpers. Roof rails are installed on the roof, hinting at an active lifestyle, and at the rear under the bottom there is a steel plate that acts as protection.
It is under this plate that the main trump card is located — the suspension, which the designers tried to make as light as possible, using aluminum wherever possible. The front part received a multi-link scheme, the rear — trapezoidal arms and springs increased compared to the standard station wagon. This entire structure is controlled by the electronic Offroad detection system, which automatically determines the type of surface and adjusts the algorithms of the stabilization system. The drive, of course, is permanent all-wheel drive.
For the A4 allroad quattro, three power units are provided: two turbo diesels and one gasoline engine. All of them meet Euro 5 environmental standards, although in our realities this is unlikely to be a decisive argument. The two-liter gasoline engine, equipped with direct injection and turbocharging, produces 211 hp and allows acceleration to a maximum of 230 km/h.
The turbo diesel versions with a volume of 2.0 (170 hp) and 3.0 (240 hp) are praised by the manufacturer for their efficiency — only 7.1 liters per 100 km. The younger diesel is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox, while other options are offered with a seven-speed S-Tronic robot with a sequential mode.
Basic equipment includes climate control, an electronic parking brake, alloy wheels, an audio system, and fog lights.
DIRT OR ASPHALT, IT'S ALL THE SAME
The interior does not reveal the off-road version, only the quattro inscription on the instrument panel reminds of this. The gasoline TFSI 2.0 is the same as in the standard A4 station wagon. All the uniqueness lies in the all-wheel drive, suspension, and the Offroad detection system, which recognizes the road surface and adapts the settings of the stabilization system.
The dimensions of the allroad quattro slightly exceed the size of the regular A4 station wagon: length is 2 cm more (4.72 m), width is also 2 cm more (1.84 m), and height has increased by as much as 7 cm (1.50 m). The trunk capacity is 490 liters, and with the second row of seats folded, it grows to 1430 liters. Fans of skiing, fishing, or pole vaulting will appreciate the length of the loading area — with the rear seats folded, it reaches 1.78 m. A pleasant bonus will be the starting price of 37,100 euros, with which the model will appear on the European market from June.
Manufacturer's data
ENGINES: diesels 2.0 (170 hp) and 3.0 (240 hp), gasoline 2.0 (211 hp)
TRANSMISSION: manual, 6 speeds or S-Tronic with sequential mode
ON SALE: from June (in Europe)