Spy Shots: 2009 Audi A4
by Chris Shunk on May 12th 2007 at 10:25AM 
The next-generation Audi A4 doesn't come out for another model year, but the folks at KGP Photography are doing their best to get shots of Audi's best-selling vehicle in the wild. The KGP crew got something, but it wasn't a whole lot, as it looked more like an Enterprise commercial than a spy shot. We can see, however, that the basic shape of the vehicle is a lot like the current-generation model (surprise), but we expect the front and rear to get a more sculpted shape.
Audi is in a big hurry to become the biggest luxury manufacturer on the planet, and an outstanding execution of the A4 is key to its success. We do have to give kudos go out to the folks at Audi, for coming up with an interesting new way to cover up a pre-production model. Very stealthy.
[Source: Straightline]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
MikeW 10:32AM (5/12/2007)
Seven years is a pretty long run, even for a german car.
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papercliprebel 10:40AM (5/12/2007)
you can't see anything stylewise but the proportions are clear and audi hasn't done anything about that huge overhang. when will they learn you can't hang that much weight over the front axle.
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BKadalur 10:45AM (5/12/2007)
#2, they're cars are doing damn well on the market, so apparently they figured out how to work with that much weight over the front axle.
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Val 11:15AM (5/12/2007)
My unexpert opinion is that there is some plastic box under all that wrapping, because this overhang is even greater than in the A6. Audi has clearly stated that the next A4 will take its platform from the A5, and they made it very clear in all their press statements that the engine in the A5 is sitting behind the front wheels, to give it better handling and weight distribution. The front profile of the A5 is what people should be looking at when guessing what the A4 will look like.
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Nr9 1:06PM (5/12/2007)
the audi milan?
especially with those wheels and headlights
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jhammin 2:10PM (5/12/2007)
"they're cars are doing damn well on the market" - #2
Since the introduction of the A4, the Audi marque has received so much more attention than it deserves. My neighbor has an S4. Does he like it? Yeah. Does he think it's worth what he paid? Not exactly; he's jealous about my shiny new 335i Bimmer. Living in NJ, the only selling point that Audi has over the competition is Quattro (that's a great selling point!). But Quattro isn't enough to make Audi the top marque in the industry. In April, Audi reported 25,000 YTD sales. In comparison, BMW sold 104,000 YTD and Mercedes sold 97,000.
At sales around 1/4 of their main competition, Audi's cars are some of the most over-hyped cars on the market in comparison to their market performance.
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iQuack 2:16PM (5/12/2007)
Audi sedans have looked much the same for years and I think that style is getting boring. All Audi sedans look old now.
The Audi designer responsible for it's current sedan is now at Ford which explains the yawner, Ford 500--now renamed Taurus (Ford's new CEO deserves credit for preserving the Taurus name that dopes under him were ready to throw away).
If any car company could use fresh styling--at least for its sedans--it's Audi IMO.
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Jason 3:59PM (5/12/2007)
Current Audis exude classiness. They lack the flamboyant flaminess of the newer BMW's. If one does not want to stand out and advertise his or her wealth or status, this is the ticket. Plus, Audi interiors are at the top. Compliment after compliment from publications, and copied by others. A lower price undercutting the competition seals it.
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jsn 8:00PM (5/12/2007)
jhammin: posting sales numbers of BMW and Mercedes doesn't take anything away from the success that Audi has. The poster was correct, Audi is doing well in the market. They don't have the numbers of those two brands and likely never will, but that doesn't lessen their success.
They make great looking, great performing vehicles and after years of having to rely on quattro and extra HP to make up for the deficiencies of their platforms, they are finally making lighter, more well balanced cars. The new TT will be a great seller for them and people have been waiting for the A5 from Audi for over a decade now. For the first time in probably a decade, they've built a performance sedan (RS4) that's better than anything BMW has.
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meh2themax 1:48AM (5/13/2007)
The fact that Audi has had its sales in the United states multiply six fold from 1996 to 2006 speaks for itself. Sure, Audi may not be up to where BMW and Mercedes are in sales, but if you expect Audi to instantly catch up to them in sales, you're mistaken.
Toyota didn't overtake Ford and soon, GM, overnight.
Also, to the poster that said seven years is a long time for a German sedan, were you not aware that the A4 received a major styling and powertrain refresh in 2005-1/2?
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Gen 6:38AM (5/13/2007)
Very interesting to see your point of views concerning Audi. In Germany it is considered as the upcoming luxury brand, competing directly with Mercedes and BMW.
and for #7:
I thought it was Walter de'Silva, who was in charge of todays Audi A4, and as far as I know, he is still a member of the Volkswagen Group, to be exact: He is the chief designer of the Volkswagen Group.
Read on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Maria_de%27Silva
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NeoteriX 8:59AM (5/13/2007)
I pity the fool who is jealous of another person's car with a 40 HP deficit, a lack of AWD, and a less aggressive suspension tuning.
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papercliprebel 12:53PM (5/13/2007)
#4 that's not correct. only the clutch and transmission have been moved behind the front axle. the center of gravity of the engine still remains in front resulting in around a 55/45 front to rear ratio. keeping in mind the G is at 53/47 and the 3 at 50/50. ideally you'd want a little rearward bias.
#12 also i find awd to be a crutch imo, remember that even audi's r10 is proper rwd. awd is a joke and is for beginner drivers. drive both on a track and decide for yourself.
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Val 1:19PM (5/13/2007)
this is from automobile mag
"The A5 uses the same trick that the A8 uses - mounting the front differential in front of the clutch, the engine can be positioned considerably farther towards the back of the car. (The previous B7 platform had the entire engine ahead of the front axle, which results in poor weight distribution and, ultimately, lazy turn-in and lackluster handling.) In addition, the A5's all-new aluminum suspension and relocated steering gear should improve handling and steering feel"
You are right, the engine is not entirely behind the front axle, it is just moved backwards. I thought it was something like the maserati quatroporte, my bad. Anyway weight distribution still benefits from this, and 55/45 isnt bad, though the others may have a slight advantage (M3 and inifniti G35/37)
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NeoteriX 2:32PM (5/13/2007)
13:
I'm not saying AWD is the end-all-be-all of drivetrains, and reasonable minds may differ as for which works best in what circumstances. However, a 335i, while a really nice car is nothing to be "jealous" of if you own an Audi S4.
Furthermore, as my own personal experience goes AWD clearly helps when conditions are less than perfect be it snow or rain (the latter being more common an occurrence in most places)--while in an auto-x that happened to be rained on, AWD cars were rocking all of their respective classes.
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ruggels 3:13PM (5/13/2007)
"he's jealous about my shiny new 335i Bimmer"
He shouldn't be. My Shiny new GTI has a better interior then my Shiny new 335 coupe. personal opinions hardly invalidate generalizations pertaining to entire brands. Audi continues to sell more and more cars in the US, though, it doesn't matter too much, as we're their smallest market. Over in germany, mercedes and bmw would love to sell as may cars as audi... but that's the german market, who cares about them?
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Shrapnel 8:08PM (5/13/2007)
NeoteriX - maybe he is jealous of superior handling an balance, as well as better performance despite a HP deficit? Just a thought.
Ruggles - your GTI interior is not nicer than a 335. Sorry man. Also, learn the difference between the words "then" and "than". I can't (and no one else should) take you seriously until then.
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ottomobeel 11:03PM (5/14/2007)
"...also i find awd to be a crutch imo, remember that even audi's r10 is proper rwd. awd is a joke and is for beginner drivers. drive both on a track and decide for yourself."
LOL, dude the R10 is AWD because of regulations in the Le Mans circuit. Anything more than that is pure speculation on your part.
"Ruggles - your GTI interior is not nicer than a 335. Sorry man."
Don't be sorry. I don't know how the GTI got in here, but how about this, an A3 has a nicer interior than a 335i, which by the way looks like a Honda Civit from the outside.
And this nonsense about outhandling the S4? Well Motor Trend just did a survey of handling and the 335 finished dead last and second to last in every test except ride comfort. It was beaten by a Civic Si no less.
Can you hear me laughing right now?
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