Spy Shots: 2010 Audi A4 Allroad
by Jonathon Ramsey on Dec 19th 2008 at 6:59PM 
A lot of American consumers were disappointed when the Audi Allroad was sent to the guillotine in 2005. Based on the A6 Avant, the Allroad's positioning as a more-than-a-wagon, less-than-an-SUV made it a versatile performer, but middling sales meant that U.S. consumers never got a crack at the second-generation model available overseas since 2006.Judging by this newest prototype and a similar one spied back in February, it appears that the current Allroad will get an A4 Avant-based kid brother. Spy shots show a such a car testing in the kind of latitude that is home to the A4 Avant's primary competition, Volvo's XC70, not to mention the Saab 9-3X that's right around the corner. With everyone going back to the 'small ball' playbook for a while, maybe Audi has the timing right this time. The only question now is: will it come to the States?
Gallery: 2009 Audi A4 Allroad - spy shots
[Source: EVO]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
zamafir 7:19PM (12/19/2008)
Dear God Enough! Seriously. We have the A3 quattro, A4 Avant quattro, Q5 quattro and Q7 quattro. We don't need this anymore audi (and arguably never did). make it stop. Give customers an option of air suspension on the A6 if this thing has actually sold and call it a day.
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JD 3:24PM (12/21/2008)
I agree. They're going to saturate the market that is already pretty thin. And I wasn't aware that anyone missed the allroad when it died, I haven't seen many on the road at all. I'm in WA, where it would seem to be prime territory, too. I dunno, I don't think we need another audi wagon.
JF 7:38PM (12/19/2008)
Looks like a wagon to me, which is good. Now get rid of the ill-proportioned Q5.
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Jonathan 9:04PM (12/19/2008)
Like every Allroad, this model will be a wagon. And here is nothing wrong with the Q5's proportions. It's without a doubt the best looking of the lux compact SUVs:
http://www.netcarshow.com/audi/2009-q5/800x600/wallpaper_15.htm
JF 9:33PM (12/19/2008)
Jonathan, not sure why you posted that pic, I already know what the Q5 looks like. I also know that every Allroad is a wagon, but I was responding to the autoblog article, calling it something between an suv and wagon, implying that it's a "crossover".
And yes, compared to the wagon with Allroad treatment, the Q5 looks bloated.
fastwgn286 8:42PM (12/19/2008)
I guess they didn't see the Outback sedan's sales numbers before building the silver sedan.
Looks beautiful, and it'll blend in well with the Outbacks and Cross Countrys at Whole Foods
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Richard 8:41AM (12/20/2008)
Exactly!
Blacksabre 6:17AM (12/20/2008)
My God...it's a Subaru...but pretty.
I expect it'll be well beyond my "8 year old used car" budget, but
here in South Dakota it'd be worth looking at and driving, if the
price allowed it. Subarus sell really well, here...along with any
other vehicle with AWD...huge amounts of trucks and SUV/CUV stuff.
And motorcycles, given Sturgis is right up the road.
One problem, though. This is the biggest city in 300 miles, and we
got no Audi dealer. Did i mention this is South Dakota?
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Richard 8:43AM (12/20/2008)
And you'll be needing that dealer.
My - and friend's - experience with Audi and BMW is that they love to be pampered. It's a type of love distinct from "Subaru love."
jeff 2:28AM (12/21/2008)
I love it!
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CarbonBlack 7:41PM (12/20/2008)
A4+lift kit+fender flares=A4 Allroad?
Am I missing what an Allroad is?
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Fox 11:50PM (12/20/2008)
Audi of America lost a lot of customers when they did not offer the replacement A6 Allroad in the US market, the previous gen car sold pretty well in the larger cities and was well received by the Audi enthusiast.
Audi were hoping that most Allroad owners would have purchased the Q7 instead, but very few did - the Q7 is not what these people want.
The same is happening again with the Q5 in the North America market, but very few of the loyal Audi owners would touch it.
Audi just needs to start selling their Avants with manual transmissions and more engine options for the North American market...TDi, well Audi really missed the boat with that opportunity.
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010111 8:08AM (12/21/2008)
i have no idea what car you people are talking about.
it is "allroad"... not "Allroad"...
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korona 11:49AM (12/21/2008)
Audi is just a VW in a more expensive suit, better buy a VW instead and save some $$.
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MBS 10:57AM (12/22/2008)
I would much prefer an A4 based allroad over the Q5. Give me one with a manual transmission and the 2.0T or even the new 3.0T.
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Dale from DG 11:36AM (12/25/2008)
As a current 103k Allroad owner, I greatly enjoy its' wonderful
uniqueness, excellent handling and ownership versatility. I rarely
need to wish I'd brought our Odyssey instead when visiting Home Depot
w/4 passengers.
There's no sacrifice to performance w/the 2.7 bi-turbo, though I'd
prefer their v6 diesel w/six gears. Also, the seat memories for both
driver & passenger, heated steering wheel two-color leather seats and
photovoltaic sunroof to power the ventilation system are luxuries
rarely found elsewhere.
So far 2008-09 has been an Audi Winter in the American midwest and
the theme song for Audi advertising should be "Let it Snow". This
vehicle brings me a lot of smiles when driving, er, playing behind
the wheel. Oh, did I fail to mention those vehicles with similar
luxuries usually eat my ice crystals?
If AoA doesn't bring in the new A4 Allroad in an Avant model, they
can forget about me as a potential customer.
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willyjp 4:46PM (12/27/2008)
Thanks to inclusion of a road sign, which you rarely see in these spy photos, I think we can pinpoint the area where Audi does their winter testing. The sign in the middle picture says "Sandbäckskolan" which is near Arvidsjaur in the far north of Sweden--Swedish Lappland. Lat: N 65º 35' 4.48" Long: E 19º 11' 17.90" Near a major airport and just barely S. (less than 1deg. of latitude) of the "polcirkeln".
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