2007 B8 A4

[tailpipe]

The next generation B8 A4 will be shown in 2007 and go on sale in 2008, according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

The same chassis, as recorded elsewhere on this forum, will be used for the new A5, which is basically an A4 coupe with 2+2 seating. This will be shown in 2006 and go on sale in 2007.

This picture doesn't really show it, but the wheels are mounted much further forward than before, giving it a stance that is similar to the BMW 3-Series.

The interior will be stunning and set new standards for the class. Expect more rear passenger legroom and excellent driver ergonomics.

New engines will debut including both common-rail deisels and direct engine gasoline engines.

Rumoured but not confirmed, the longitudinal DSG gearbox will debut in the A5.

[Benman]

I know it's only a computer pic, but do you have it in a larger size?

Ben

[tailpipe]

Took this picture off Auto Motor und Sport website. Next edition will feature larger pictures and should be available by this time next week.

(and yes, although this is a CGI picture Auto Motor und Sport usually gets it 95% right

[Kappe]

I don't know if this is the same picture as the small picture, but it looks like it

[roadrunner]

Originally posted by Kappe
I don't know if this is the same picture as the small picture, but it looks like it

Not quite - the Audi shown is a renderig of the future A5

greets
Seb.

[eazy]

The new A4 (2008) from the back

[eazy]

And the one, tailpipe posted a little bigger

[Benman]

Thanks for the bigger pic. Those two pictures lead me to believe Audi will keep things very similar looking compared to the old model as opposed to the BMW 180 degree method.

The front headlights look a little bit of a rip off from the new 3 Series though... but these are only photoshops, so we'll have to wait for the real ones to come out to know for sure.

Ben

[tailpipe]

I agree, i think headlight design should be treated with the same respect as other design signatures.

BMWs were traditionally distinguished by double headlamp clusters. Every successive model had a different interpretation of the same theme. In my mind, this was what made their cars distinctive. You used to look forward to seeing how they would be creative within the two-lamp configuration. Than along comes Chris Bangle and makes the headlight treatment on every new model look like a cheap rip-off of an out-of-date Japanese competitor. What a shame. I sincerely hope Audi isn't going in the same direction. The advent of LED for front head lamps should enable Audi to return to a more subtle overall design, but I'm not holding my breath.

On reflection, i think the new B8 A4 design is too evolutionary. In particular, i think the new grille needs to be much, much smaller. Freeman Thomas started to take the brand in a very exciting new direction. I love the Neo-classical Bauhaus look he introduced with the TT which was then extended to the A2. Very bold, very adventurous and totally distinctive. You could tell both cars were Audis without seeing a single badge. I don't think the new TT will be anything like as special.

Clearly, Audi isn't taking anything like the risks that BMW did. Instead, it is blighted by medocrity rather than outright disasterously horrible design. Whether it is Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi, no German car company can afford to take any risks with design that would cause a model to bomb in the marketplace - the stakes are too high.

As a result, all of these brands are ending up looking very similar. Audi and Mercedes-Benz certainly seem to be converging. Meanwhile, BMW reigned-in the design department with the new 3-Series. The Porsche 911 has just reverted to a look it had 20 years ago and the Cayenne is simply a rebodied Touareg. I think Audi will seriously need to think about pensioning-off Walter da Silva.

What makes me say this is that LExus is starting to get its design so right. The new Lexus IS is gorgeous - the big secret is that it was penned by an Italian not a Japanese. L-Finesse = LF = Leonardo Fioravanti.

[AndyBG]

Yes Tailpipe, i agree with you the new Lexsus cars are scary good, at least in my opinion. I am great lover of Audi cars all my life but this "Da Silva" era is litle bit confusing for me. 7-8 or more years ago Audis were "silent killers" of the "autobahn", (RS2, RS4...) nowdays to many "emotions" involved, that isn't a reason i "fall in love" with four rings.
This is not going in good direction, if you asking me.

[exE46M3]

Originally posted by tailpipe
Clearly, Audi isn't taking anything like the risks that BMW did. Instead, it is blighted by medocrity rather than outright disasterously horrible design. Whether it is Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi, no German car company can afford to take any risks with design that would cause a model to bomb in the marketplace - the stakes are too high.

Tailpipe,

I agree. Well, to a certain extent at least...

As far as BMW is concerned, look at the sales numbers... Record bank year after year...

Originally posted by tailpipe
What makes me say this is that LExus is starting to get its design so right. The new Lexus IS is gorgeous - the big secret is that it was penned by an Italian not a Japanese. L-Finesse = LF = Leonardo Fioravanti.

See, that's globalization... Cars are getting designed in Italy, engineered in Germany, and built in Japan... It's hard to talk about what German cars should look like...

PS: The new IS may be drop dead gorgeous, but it's still kind of boring... For instance, you can't get an IS 350 with a MT in the US...

[tailpipe]

ExE46M3,

(By the way I am also an ex-BMW E46 M3 owner!)

Luckily for BMW, their ability to provide well-engineered cars cars has not been compromised by dog ugly bodyshells. In particular, their extensive range of stunning engines, perhaps more than anything else, explains their sales success. As they go for volume, which they must to achieve the economies of scale they need to survive as an independent manufacturer, build quality seems to have suffered. A lot of people may not agree with this, but it is the reason why I shall not be buying one again.

What is interesting about Lexus is that while they say they are aiming at BMW, the brand they are really targeting is Audi. In fact, Martin Winterkorn, Audi's CEO, ackowledged that Audi's biggest threat is Lexus.

For this reason, Audi's decision not to switch to a rear-wheel drive platform was disappointing. That said, it seems like B8 may offer something totally new and innovative. So long as this translates into great handling dynamics, Audi will be fine.

The idea of a front wheel drive car with the engine behind the front axle instead of over/ infront of it is certainly interesting. Of course, it won't have the balance of a rear-wheel drive chassis. Instead it should be extremely forgiving: you'll be able to chuck it into corners at speeds you wouldn't dare with a conventional RWD chassis. We'll see.

In the meantime, Lexus' VDIM system shows a level of sophistication in electronic driver aids that goes beyond anything I've seen in any German competitor's car. Yes, VDIM has been criticised for killing all the fun, but this is only its first iteration. It should be clear that as Lexus fine-tunes it, they will overcome nearly all concerns about RWD handling in tricky conditions.
In fact, it's going to be very interesting to see how they incorprate VDIM into the new LF-A supercar.

I don't know whether you've tried the automatic gearbox in the new IS250/ 350? I have and it's darn good. Personally, I think it is unlikely that the lack of a manual box in the IS350 will impact sales. In fact, this issue is irrelevant, because Lexus is developing a high-performance IS with a V8. This will compete directly with the S4/ RS4. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing how they compare.

Audi has two aces up its sleeve still: one is quattro, which really makes its performance usable year-round in a way that no BMW can match. The other is longitudinal DSG.

The third ace was styling...

[exE46M3]

Originally posted by tailpipe
Luckily for BMW, their ability to provide well-engineered cars cars has not been compromised by dog ugly bodyshells. In particular, their extensive range of stunning engines, perhaps more than anything else, explains their sales success. As they go for volume, which they must to achieve the economies of scale they need to survive as an independent manufacturer, build quality seems to have suffered. A lot of people may not agree with this, but it is the reason why I shall not be buying one again.

Well, I guess I'm lucky. I really do like the current designs.

You're right. Driving dynamics always improves no matter what.

Originally posted by tailpipe
What is interesting about Lexus is that while they say they are aiming at BMW, the brand they are really targeting is Audi. In fact, Martin Winterkorn, Audi's CEO, ackowledged that Audi's biggest threat is Lexus.

That's definitely news to me. Thanks for sharing. I always thought Lexus was aiming at all German premium brands: BMW, Audi, and MB.

Originally posted by tailpipe
I don't know whether you've tried the automatic gearbox in the new IS250/ 350? I have and it's darn good. Personally, I think it is unlikely that the lack of a manual box in the IS350 will impact sales.

Yes, I was invited to test-drive the new IS and drove the 250 RWD with the 6sp auto tranny. I agree that the slush box works well, but since I'm not ready to give up the third pedal, that's always a big let down... It would've been nice to have the option to buy the 350 with MT...

I agree. That won't hurt sales... At least not in the US... There's a very good reason why you can't get the 350 with MT in the US: demographics...

Originally posted by tailpipe
In fact, this issue is irrelevant, because Lexus is developing a high-performance IS with a V8. This will compete directly with the S4/ RS4. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing how they compare.

See, I don't think that's totally irrelevant because people do buy 330s and A4s equipped with manual trannies (same price range), but I understand that may be no biggie for Lexus customers.

Yes, it'll be very interesting to see how a performance oriented Lexus does against some of Germany's finest.

[ültje1]

the ne A5 first spy pic?

[MJN]

Ofcourse not, if it will arrive in 2007/8, they'll probably just finished the design stage, so they definitly haven't finished the car in the exact 1:1 model

[tailpipe]

The computer renderings/ spy shots of the new A5 coupe are pretty accurate in terms of what the final production version will look like. In fact, the car is remarkably faithful to the Nuvolari concept.

Even better news is that the car gets many of the new bits seen on the dog ugly Roadjet concept at Detroit: North-south DSG, 3.2 FSI 300bhp engine (plus RS4's 420 bhp engine), and so on...

The RS5 will be a true rival to the M3, I'm sure.

[RXBG]

Ofcourse not, if it will arrive in 2007/8, they'll probably just finished the design stage, so they definitly haven't finished the car in the exact 1:1 model

this applies to the B8 A4, NOT the A5. the A5 is supposed to be introduced this year, likely in paris, to go on sale at about the same time as the new 3 series coupe....


the new A4 follows a year later

[tailpipe]

There's been a big slow down in new car sales just about everywhere over the last few months as consumers across all developed western economies adjust their spending to cope with universally higher interest rates. I fully expect quite a few new model launches to be pushed back unless things start to change very soon...

New TT may arrive Paris 2006 instead of Geneva.

New S6 will probably still make it to Geneva but the launch may be put back to September 2006.

New RS4 Avant will be at Geneva and then launched in June.

New A5 may not appear until Geneva 2007.

New R8 should still appear at Paris 2006, but launch may be pushed back.

Sorry to be bearer of sad tidings, but outlook is bleak right now. Ford just announced it is closing 7 plants reducing output by 1.2 million cars. That's scary.