2001 Audi A4 Reviews

Think German car makers and you’ll most likely think of ’Benz and BMW, and possibly also VW, but you may not think of Audi. Despite a glorious history of engineering excellence and sporting achievement, the four ringed badge of Audi barely gets any attention here.Audi has been sold here on and off for many years, but those early models are now largely recognisable for the large rust holes appearing in the bodywork, and the copious clouds of smoke belching from their exhausts. You notice them for all the wrong reasons.That changed a little when the brand made a new start under the stewardship of Inchcape.The 80 was a decent enough car, nothing remarkable, but good enough to win a small following of those who wanted German engineering, but didn’t want to follow the pack into the ’Benz or BeeM fold.It was the 80’s replacement, the A4 that really began to build Audi’s reputation here. It was the first of the new generation of Audis, a competitor for the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class that could be taken seriously.Simply changing the name was enough to signal the company was making a new start.MODEL WATCHThe A4 was essentially the same size as the 80 it followed, but it was based on an all-new platform with a longer wheelbase and wider track. The overall length was the same, it was actually one millimetre shorter, but it was significantly wider than its predecessor.The A4’s weight was cut by 45 kg, not by the use of aluminium body panels, which was being pioneered on the large A8, but by the extensive use of plastics in non load bearing locations.Aluminium was employed in the A4’s compact four-link front suspension, brought over from the A8.Under the stubby tail of the front-wheel drive models was a conventional torsion beam, from the 80, while four-wheel drive models had a double wishbone arrangement.Unlike most other front-wheel drive cars the engine was located longitudinally in the chassis, but that was because it suited the use of four-wheel drive.The engine choices were almost bewildering. The main four-cylinder choice was a new long stroke fuel-injected 1.8-litre, with five valves per cylinder, which Audi claimed delivered better torque and much improved fuel consumption through more efficient combustion.For more dash Audi also offered a turbocharged version of the 1.8-litre four. With 110 kW at 5500 revs and 210 Nm from 1750 rpm to 4600 rpm, the blown four put out 18 kW and 37 Nm more than its naturally aspirated cousin.When pressed the A4T would race to 100 km/h in 8.3 secs, and reach a top speed of 222 km/h.Audi also offered a choice of two V6 engines, both lifted from the larger A6 without change. The 2.6-litre boasted 110 kW, while the 2.8 had 142 kW. In 1998 the 2.6-litre was replaced by a 121 kW 2.4-litre V6.Braking the A4 was easy with discs at each corner, assisted by standard ABS, and electronic brake force distribution.Inside, the A4 had quality plastics and trim, along with a long list of standard features, including dual airbags, auto air-con, remote central locking, power windows, and super sound.IN THE SHOPChris Lake services many A4s in his Auto Deutsche workshop, and says the A4 has no major problems with its body/engine combinations.He says the timing belt replacement is due at 90,000 km intervals, and is a major repair best done by removing the front of the car completely.Rebuilding the auto transmission is also a very expensive exercise, starting at $4000 and climbing from there.Other items regularly repaired are engine mounts, C/V drive shaft boots, lower control arm bushes, front end knocks, oil leaks on V6 engines, climate control displays not reading properly.The A4 generally stands up to high mileage quite well, but it’s important to find one with a verifiable service record from an acknowledged specialist. It’s particularly important that the engine oil has been changed regularly, as the sludge build up as a result of missed servicing can be terminal.In overall quality terms, Lake rates the A4 behind the C-Class Benz and the E36 BMW, its main rivals.OWNER’S VIEWPeter Colaci’s 1995 A4 2.6 has done 140,000 km, and he says it drives beautifully. He bought it because of its build quality, safety, and styling. In the 18 months he’s owned it he has had to replace the thermostat, otherwise it’s been trouble free.LOOK FOR• zippy turbocharged engine• solid build construction• expensive servicing• regular servicing• poor resaleRIVALS• BMW 3-Series – 1994-2001 – $21,000-$60,000• Mercedes-Benz C-Class – 1996-2000 – $32,000-$62,000THE BOTTOM LINEGood performance and handling, with build quality expected of German car, but held back by relatively poor resale.RATING60/100

There is a saying in Formula One: "If it looks fast, it is fast''. Something similar applies in road cars, and it's evident in all sorts of cars, from the Mazda MX-5 to the Holden Barina.The Audi TT easily clears the taste test, and now we can add the latest Audi Allroad to the list. It looks good and it is good. But it's not just a looker, nor a high-priced toy. It is a car that can do plenty of work, haul a family, and still provide luxury, comfort and surprising performance.If it sounds too good to be true, it is. The Allroad is a wagon, which means it cannot be the one thing for everyone, and it costs a pile. A big pile that climbs perilously close to $100,000 - before you add on-road costs.A six-figure pricetag means you get a lot for your money, as well as precious little opposition. Hundred-grand soft-roaders are pretty rare, apart from the Allroad and BMW's grunty V8 X5. Mercedes' big-bucks MLs arrive from a different direction, Volvo's Cross Country is cheaper and the Lexus LX470 is really a tricked-up LandCruiser truck.Where does that leave the Allroad? Well, as a super-luxury family-escape machine that puts the emphasis on plush. It's built around an A6 Avant quattro - that's an all-wheel-drive wagon - with almost every extra in the book at no extra cost. It has a leather cabin, sunroof, auto air-con, a punchy CD sound system, satellite navigation, electric seats, and every airbag in the book.The mechanical package is built around a twin-turbo V6 engine and the all-wheel drive, but the Allroad is more than just a road rocket. It has four-position ride-height adjustment, 17-inch alloys with dual-purpose tyres, and electronic differential lock. The engine is similar to the force-fed powerhouse in the S4 and RS4, only slightly detuned yet still producing 184kW of power and 350Nm of torque. It is basically an auto - the six-speed manual is to special order only - though there is a tiptronic touch change with buttons on the wheel.The usual high-priced electronic assistance comes in the form of traction control and anti-skid brakes, but the Allroad also has a Torsen differential that can distribute up to two-thirds of the car's torque to one end of the Audi.Audi has come late to the soft-road party, but by taking the tricked-up wagon track it's avoided a head-on confrontation with the class powerhouses - led by the X5 - and provided a Subaru-style alternative that will be appreciated by those who don't want truck-style motoring. Subaru has proven that many people want all-wheel-drive security and an escape machine, but still want the advantages of a car.DRIVINGThe first time I saw the Allroad, as an Audi concept car at the Detroit Auto Show, I knew I would eventually be driving a production car. It looked too right, and too good an idea, not to get the go-ahead. It took a bit longer than expected for Audi to get it going, but the result is as impressive as anything in the German carmaker's range today. Well, short of the stonking, limited-edition RS4 wagon, anyway.What makes the Allroad so good is that it is a development of an existing car, and a car that Audi knows and does well. It hasn't gone off in a new direction, which would have taken more time and effort, and it already knew how to make quattro drive and a turbo engine do the job in a wagon. Volkswagen has decided to go into the truck-style side of the business, as Porsche will do with its X5-trumping Cayenne, but Audi is there first and already doing the job.When you drive the Allroad you quickly realise Audi put all its eggs in one basket. It's a family wagon, a swift turbo car, and a soft-road four-wheel drive. Best of all, it is one of the more enjoyable cars I've driven recently.It doesn't have the history or V8 of a Mustang, or the nasty streak of a Lancer Evo, but it's a nice way to get around and do most jobs. The A6 body means it has plenty of space and a useful wagon tail, the pricetag translates into every luxury toy you could want, and the Allroad pack makes it a versatile drive.The four-position suspension (from 142-208mm of ground clearance) makes it well-suited to gravel roads and bumpy bush tracks, and the Torsen set-up and diff lock mean it will cope with slush and reasonable-sized rocks and climbs. It will never go where an LX or ML can take you, but it would probably match an X5 in a shootout and better the Cross Country.The turbo V6 is a real mover, capable of real go from the lights and great for overtaking, which gives the Allroad plenty of authority. It can also be light on fuel, but if you tip into the throttle - or the tiptronic change - it gets thirsty.The Allroad is far above average in so many areas it deserves to lure lots of people away from luxury wagons. If only it wasn't quite so costly.RATING: 4/5THE BOTTOM LINE: A pleasant way to spend luxurious weekends away.AUDI ALLROADPrice: $99,250 as testedEngine: 2.7-litre V6 with twin turbochargers, overhead camshafts and fuel injectionPower: 184kW at 5800 revsTorque: 350Nm at 1800 revsTransmission: Five-speed automatic, four-wheel driveBody: Five-door wagonDimensions: Length 4810mm, width 1852mm, height 1551mm, wheelbase 2757mm, tracks 1574mm/1585mm front/rearWeight: 1825kgFuel tank: 70 litresFuel consumption: On test 13.4litres/100kmSteering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinionSuspension: Fully-independent with multi-link front and double wishbone rearBrakes: Anti-skid four-wheel discsWheels: 7.5x17Tyres: 225/55 R17Warranty: Three years/unlimited kilometresRIVALSBMW X5 V8 from $107,850Mercedes ML430 from $94,480Volvo Cross Country from $67,950Lexus LX470 from $131,690