Kuwait City - Fouad Alghanim & Sons Automotive Co. W.L.L. on Tuesday unveiled the Audi A4 with fanfare and musical extravaganza at the Marina Waves Crescent. Speaking at the launch of the A4, James MacKenzie du Lieu, Managing Director said the A4 Turbo was the 6th generation of Audi A4s, with its FSI and Turbo technology representing the most advanced state of the art for petrol engines around."The models' technology lives up to the promise made by its new exterior styling with new units developing an output of up to 255 bhp.
Innovative and highly-sophisticated technologies are an integral part of practically all vehicle areas and components - the continuously variable multitronic transmission."Wayne Griffiths, Audi Executive Director Regional Overseas, emphasized on the tremendous success of Quattro technology of the past 25 years, not only in racing sports championships but in providing major advantages in terms of safety and sportiness. "The quality of materials and workmanship in the interior are of a standard that need not fear comparison with the luxury class," said Helga Feghali, Marketing Manager at Fouad Alghanim & Sons Automotive.
"The architecture of the driver's area, especially the cockpit - a perfect synthesis of design, ergonomics and function - is pioneering."She added that the new A4 addresses customers' needs with a significant improvement in space for driver and passengers and a redesigned suspension, which leaves little to be desired. The front-end styling of the saloon model is new, with the addition of the characteristic Audi single-frame grille. The rear end, with its emphatically horizontal lines, and the sides, where the shoulder line moulds the panels distinctly into shape, are also new.
The quality of materials and workmanship in the interior are of a standard that need not fear comparison with the luxury class. The architecture of the driver's area, especially the cockpit - a perfect synthesis of ergonomics, function and design - is pioneering.Active head restraints are making their debut in the A4. In the event of an accident, they tip forward to reduce the distance from the head, improving protection of the cervical spine. Audi A4 can be ordered for the first time with adaptive light technology including xenon plus headlights. This also includes the daytime running lights function which only increases energy consumption slightly: a clear safety bonus.
An optional light/rain sensor activates the dipped headlights and windscreen wipers automatically if necessary.As for infotainment, the DVD radio and navigation system plus sets new standards in terms of user guidance and ergonomics - key geometry and menu architecture are based on the MMI standard familiar from the Audi A8 and A6. The system's range of functions and quality are without equal. Audi A4 has striking single-frame grille and the newly styled clear-glass headlights with their sweeping bottom edge and inward taper, which gives the car a completely new face.
The trapezoidal shape of the single-frame grille is continued in the more prominent contours of the engine hood. Audi is now also offering two newly designed petrol engines with FSI petrol direct injection for the new A4 for the first time - the 188 kW (255 bhp) 3.2 FSI V6 and the turbocharged two-litre four-cylinder 2.0 T FSI, which delivers 147 kW (200 bhp). These combine high performance with a spontaneous response to every movement of the accelerator pedal and a peak-torque range at a high level.The range also includes three engines which have been tried and tested several thousand times over: the two-litre inline four-cylinder unit, which develops 96 kW (130 bhp), and the 120 kW (163 bhp) 1.8 T four-cylinder version. The 75 kW (102 bhp) 1.6 completes the choice of petrol engines.
By Francis A. Clifford Cardozo
© Arab Times 2005
