Steer Flick’n Good: Audi A4 (2000)

July 09,2000

In Europe, the battle between BMW and Audi has been very fierce. In fact, several European car critics consider these two manufacturers as direct rivals especially for their target audience of the young entrepreneur type. However, these two manufacturers went their separate ways when dealing with how they should entertain this crowd. BMW has went to the more traditional way by having rear wheel drive coupled with super-precise steering and sweet sounding normally aspirated engines. On the other hand, Audi has taken the four-wheel drive approach and employing the use of turbo and five-valve per cylinder technology on their cars. Having tested a BMW 328Ci a year back, it would be interesting to note who would win when the BMW takes on the Audi A4 1.8 Turbo Quattro.

Before you start drooling and / or scratching your head when it comes to the availability of this car in the local market, I have to be honest to tell you that this car is an import. Though the A4 variants available in the Philippine market are the 1.8-liter normally aspirated front wheel drive and 1.8-liter turbo front wheel drive only. Both of these cars are good enough, but the 1.8-liter turbo Quattro is what really defines an A4. The test unit comes straight from California, USA and thus has a standard a 5-speed automatic transmission plus graphite-finished interior and sunroof.

Upon gazing at the Audi, the car is a wonderful blend of German conservatism and advanced engineering. The clean lines of the A4 though not as distinct as the BMW 3-series still have a great sense of style in them. In fact, though the car design is actually a bit more than 4 years old, the design is a classic to behold and the lines don’t give you the idea that this car is already due for a change. The A4’s austere design is further complimented by the headlamp and tail lamp treatment. The test unit in the A4’s best color, silver, is a wonder to behold, easily thrashing the BMW 3-series in exterior design, fit and finish. The 15-inch mags are also a wonder, the design actually derived from the Audi Avus show car a few years back, actually complement the car quite nicely. Nice details abound the car especially with regards to its hood latch, which is cleverly hidden between the Audi rings logo.

Stepping into the A4 is like stepping into a bank vault. The stalks, switches and plastic pieces are all solidly put together and even if the test unit is more than three years old, it still doesn’t have any signs of aging and deterioration whatsoever. The switches, which like most German cars, are quite illogical in their placement when compared to their Japanese counterparts. To this end, the A4’s center console feels overly cluttered with too many similarly marked switches, which could confuse the driver easily.

The gauges too are a bit of a weak point for the A4. Though the speedo and the tachometer are large very easy to read, the instrumentation is a bit too cluttered with unneeded information such as oil temperature, voltage and a small clock. These secondary gauges are placed too close to each other and aren’t distinct enough to be read at a glance. The steering wheel has excellent detailing and tries to emulate a MOMO steering wheel with great results. In fact, the Audi designers have been able to stuff the airbag into a small area of the hub, with the result that the steering wheel looks sporty and is more comfortable to drivers.

The ventilation controls are another story however. Being mounted low, they are easily hit by the automatic gearshift selector, and the controls are too illogical for those accustomed to traditional Japanese cars. In fact, it took me a while to understand the concept of using the controls. Despite the pictographs on the aircon switches, the system’s behavior was indecipherable and the labels might as well have been in German.

Bathed in red backlighting, the ventilation controls along with all the other gauges are cool to look at during the morning but could become a bit of an eyesore driving at night. However, when I learned how to use them properly, the A4 has an excellent aircon system. Despite being shipped all the way from the USA, this A4 still has adequate cooling power to fight off the mid-day Manila heat. The configuration of having three center vents plus one at each side makes sure that each passenger has an assigned air conditioner vent, thus eliminating the battle between who gets the cold air during the blistering heat waves.

However, despite being put together with enough solidity that would make a Honda, much less a BMW weep, there are some areas that the Audi A4 felt like a Volkswagen. In fact, some of these are scary reminders of the dismal Polo we tested a few months back like hard to reach and adjust lumbar support and back rake controls (those rotary twist knobs again!). And the receptionists’ desk-like center console. However, unlike the Polo Classic, the Audi doesn’t come standard with a Blaupunkt stereo system, but an 8-speaker custom made Bose sound system, which sound sweet and good (if you get used to the again, illogical controls). Then again, ask yourself, would you need this good of a sound system when you already have something that is far more entertaining and better sounding? What else could I be referring to than the A4’s 1.8-liter 20-valve inline-4 turbo-charged engine.

What’s so special about the A4’s engine is that the turbo is actually a light-pressured turbo that spins at a high RPM. The turbo boost isn’t as felt as say, as a Subaru Impreza, Evo VI or similarly high performance cars. In fact, the turbo whine is only evident when really pushing the engine to its maximum limits. Other than that, the engine behaves much like any other engine from Germany: gutsy low-end, flat torque curve, adequate pulling power. It’s not like the high-pitched Japanese engines mind you. The A4’s engine is more throaty and the sound is more on the bass level. In anyway however, the A4 provides excellent power whether the car is driven on Makati streets or the highways. The nature of the turbocharging is such that the 1.8 behaves more like a larger normally-aspirated German engine, say a 2.3-liter. 150 bhp may not sound like much, but the 214 Nm of torque is there all the way from a near-idling 1750 rpm.

The 1.8-liter turbo engine is further helped by an intelligent 5-speed automatic transmission, which actually shifts like a normal manual. In fact, in normal city driving, it’s hard to mistake the Audi A4 for a manual transmission model because of its blistering acceleration and adequate response time. In fact, with this combination of 5-speed automatic and 1.8-liter turbo engine, the A4 gives the same response as the previous generation Mitsubishi Galant VR with a 5-speed manual and a 2.0 DOHC V6. One could easily conclude that the A4 is no sports car. Indeed, the A4 is closer to a touring sedan at heart. With this in mind, the A4 is second to none.

However, do not mistake that the Audi A4’s engine lacks in horsepower or anything like that. During regular stop-and-go traffic, the A4 exhibits good torque delivery enabling the car to out accelerate bigger-engined cars such as the Nissan Cefiro or the previous generation 2.2-liter Honda Accord. In fact, the A4’s engine could even make a BMW 323i feel slow when speeding off a stoplight. Although this fact could be attributed to the car’s fabulous engine, it could also be because of the A4’s generally lightness due to the extensive use of aluminum in the car’s suspension. During high-speed driving, the A4 exhibits its well-groomed Autobahn characteristics. In fact, even at speeds in excess of 190 km/h, the A4 shows off its straight-line stability and low-wind noise. In fact, the car remains as quiet as a cathedral sans the terrific turbo whine and some tire noise. It’s so amazing.

Alongside the A4’s engine, our test unit uses the trademark quattro technology. What makes the Quattro technology different from the usual four-wheel drive system is that the Quattro is generally a front-wheel drive, but can channel and / or re-distribute power to any wheel (even if it means just one wheel) in case the car’s sensors detect any slippage. In effect, the A4 feels very solid and precise during lane change maneuvers and handling. In fact, even if the car does have a hint of understeer because of the four-wheel drive configuration, the car doesn’t drift in the corners resulting in great in-and-out corner handling. Because of these reasons, I easily consider the Audi A4 as a better handling car than the BMW 3-series (well, at least the previous generation).

What makes the BMW and the Audi different is the level of solidity in which they assemble their cars. We have tested a BMW a few months back with almost the same mileage as this A4 (both assembled in the USA of course). The difference could easily be felt as the BMW easily had some squeaks and rattles, not just from the convertible top mind you. The Audi A4 feels solidly built. Even if the car travels through rough portions of Buendia—and they are very rough portions nowadays—the car doesn’t have annoying noises. The cabin becomes a quiet place to think in. The car is so well built together that it’s easy to mistake it as a single piece of granite!

Wrapping up, the Audi A4 is better in every aspect than the BMW 3-series in ownership experience. It’s solid, safe and great to drive. In fact, if Audi just promoted themselves more here, I wouldn’t be surprised more A4s rather than 3-series on the road. The only problem with the A4 is that it doesn’t have the same badge appeal as that of the BMW. In fact, most people when they see an A4 on the streets don’t really recognize it that much, unlike the unmistakable kidney grille design of BMW. Therefore, it’s just a question of being seen in the car you drive. If you consider yourself as someone who doesn’t mind being in the anonymous crowd but wants a great car to drive, then get an A4. However, if you just want to shout for attention, then you’re better off with a BMW 3-series. Let me warn those who choose a 3-series however, don’t cry when you’re left behind by an Audi A4. Because…it’s the better driver’s car…the beyond-ultimate driving machine.

By Ulysses Ang | Photos By Ulysses Ang and Jason Ang
Originally Published in the July 2000 Issue

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