First Drive: 2009 Audi A4

The 2009 Audi A4 has to turn back time, take us back to a moment when this German sedan was timely rather than just timeless.

Things move quickly in this particular segment of the market, and the A4 is now feeling the pinch of time some six years after its introduction. Its styling has an enduring appeal, but it is no longer at the forefront of automotive design, while the interior lacks many of the gadgets that buyers now expect. Quality remains a key strength for the A4, but its dynamics are now also embarrassed by newer versions of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

But with the unveiling of the 2009 Audi A4 at the Frankfurt auto show, the executives in Ingolstadt, Germany, believe the A4 sedan is once again back in the reckoning. Although the new car isn’t likely to go on sale in North America until next May, we traveled to the Italian island of Sardinia to drive the 2009 Audi A4.

A New Look
From the outset, it is clear that pictures are a poor indicator of the new A4’s styling, making it appear similar to the model it replaces from certain angles and remarkably close to the new A5. But to call it derivative is to do it an injustice.

The austere Bauhaus-inspired lines of the former A4 remain, but tauter surfacing and edgy detailing give the new car a fresh, new appeal. The 2009 Audi A4 also looks expensive, with taut shut lines and neat details like LED running lights. The seriously sexy S-Line styling package adds optional 19-inch wheels, different new bumpers, a more aggressive-looking grille and a unique range of colors.

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