Audi heralds the return of the A4 Allroad

Noah Joseph — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Wagon, Audi, Luxury

Audi has been known for all-wheel drive and wagon rooflines for a lot longer than it has been making crossovers. Before cranking out the Q7, Q5 and Q3, the German automaker was making Avant Quattro wagons that carved up alpine mountain passes like nobody's business. And then came the Allroad.

Bridging the gap between a wagon and an SUV, the Allroad versions of the A4 and A6 take a similar approach to the Subaru Outback and Volvo XC70, giving the wagon a rougher, go-anywhere image compared to the standard Avant estate. We used to get the Allroad in the North American market, but after a brief hiatus, the A4 Allroad is back.

We got a chance to drive the soft-roader just last month, but couldn't resist the temptation to snap it again for the Ingolstadt aficionados among us as it made its official North American debut alongside the new A4 and S4 here at the Detroit Auto Show. Click the thumbnails above to check it out in high resolution.

Audi heralds the return of the A4 Allroad originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva Preview: 2010 Audi A4 allroad quattro ready for its closeup

Noah Joseph — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:45:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, Crossover, Audi

Click above for a hi-res gallery of the new Audi A4 allroad quattro

While every other automaker was pumping out SUVs by the truckload (so to speak), Audi insisted that its wagons could offer the same benefits as a sport-ute - all wheel drive, rugged looks, cargo capacity - without the drawbacks. Ingolstadt has jumped on the sport-ute bandwagon since then, but hasn't given up the ghost on the wagon/SUV debate. While the A6-basded allroad quattro had to hold down the fort all by itself until now, at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, Audi will give it a kid brother based on the A4.

The Audi A4 allroad quattro is essentially an A4 Avant wagon, only beefed up for that go-anywhere look. Ground clearance is jacked up to a more commodious 180mm, while the underbody is reinforced front and rear with steel plates. Contrasting lower body cladding and flared wheel arches contribute to the off-road look, along with a unique grille, restyled rear bumper and roof rails on top of the Avant's sleek roofline. Of course traction is provided by Audi's trademark quattro all-wheel-drive system, putting the power down from the 211 hp 2.0-liter TFSI, 170hp 2.0-liter TDI or 240hp 3.0-liter TDI (gas, diesel and diesel for those unfamiliar with VW Group lexicon) through the six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. All the details can be found in the press release after the jump, with a gallery of high-resolution photos accessible via the thumbnails below.

Gallery: 2010 Audi A4 allroad quattro

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Geneva Preview: 2010 Audi A4 allroad quattro ready for its closeup

Geneva Preview: 2010 Audi A4 allroad quattro ready for its closeup originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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