AUDI A4

The Audi A4 is a compact executive car produced by the German car manufacturer Audi AG since late 1994. The initial generation A4 succeeded the four previous generations of the Audi 80. And just like its Audi 80 predecessor, the Audi A4 automobile layout consists of a longitudinally orientated engine at the front, with transaxle-type transmissions mounted immediately to the rear of the engine, again, orientated longitudinally. Drive output is transmitted to either the front wheels, or, utilising Audi's 'trademark' quattro permanent four-wheel drive system via a Torsen centre differential.

Since its inception, the Audi A4 has been available in four generations, based on the Volkswagen Group 'B' series of automobile platforms- usually known by the following codes - the initial B5, the subsequent B6 and B7, and the current B8.

Of the main body styles, it is (and always has been) available as a saloon/sedan variant, and an "Avant", which is Audi's name for anestate/wagon. The second (B6) and third generations (B7) of the A4 also had a Cabriolet version, but the Cabriolet was not retained for the current fourth generation (B8), due to the introduction of the Cabriolet version of the related Audi A5 and S5 coupés.

Additionally, higher performance versions directly related to the A4 include the Audi S4, and the limited availability very high performanceAudi RS4.

The first-generation Audi A4 (known internally as the Typ 8D) was debuted by Audi in 1994, with production starting November 1994. It was built on the Volkswagen Group B5 platform, which it shared with the fourth generation Volkswagen Passat (B5, Typ 3B). It had afront-mounted longitudinal engine and standard front-wheel drive, and many variations of the A4 were also available with Audi's 'trademark'quattro four-wheel drive system. The A4 was initially introduced as a four-door saloon/sedan; the Avant (estate/wagon) arrived a year later.

A wide range of engines were available to European customers, between 1.6 and 2.8 litres for petrol engines, and a 1.9 L diesel engineavailable with Volkswagen Group's VE technology, capable of achieving a 90 PS (66 kW; 89 bhp) or 110 PS (81 kW; 108 bhp), although Audi's 2.8 L V6, carried over from the old 80/90 was the only engine option in North America until 1997.

The Audi A4 was the first model in the Volkswagen Group to feature the new 1.8 L 20v motor with five valves per cylinder, based on the unit Audi Sport had developed for their Supertouring race car. A turbocharged version produced 150 PS (110 kW; 148 bhp) and 210 newton metres (155 ft·lbf) torque. This technology was added to the V6 family of engines in 1996, starting with the 2.8 L V6 30V, which now produced 193 PS (142 kW; 190 bhp).

Audi also debuted their new tiptronic automatic transmission on the B5 platform, based on the unit Porsche developed for their 964-generation 911. The transmission is a conventional automatic gearbox with a torque converter, but it offers the driver fully automatic operation or manual selection of the gear ratios