Season Recap: Car We Want in Our Driveway

Now that we’ve tackled the best economy cars, hybrids, SUVs and concept cars, it’s time to decide which car we want in our own driveways. This post is kind of like asking us what we’d do if we won the lottery, but considering we’re a fickle bunch when it comes to cars, there’s a bit more to consider than pure fantasy.

Kelsey Mays: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V
Energy independence notwithstanding, I’d gladly shell out $4 a gallon for a CTS-V. The regular CTS is one of Lutz & Co.’s finest achievements yet, and the thought of 550 hp underfoot is stupefying enough to make me crave one. Reality bites, but this Caddy bites back: It still has a full backseat, commute-friendly amenities and a trunk that can fit a weekend’s baggage. Naturally, if I had one, most of my weekends would be spent at the track.

2009 Audi A4, A4 Avant Get New Engines

It seems kind of silly to report that these all-new Audi models are getting new engines. New models should get new engines, after all, but that isn’t always the case in the automotive world. With its new A4, though, Audi is making it all-new in terms of exterior styling, interior and, now we learn, the base power plant.

Replacing the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that is a staff favorite at Cars.com is a new, more powerful turbo four. Horsepower bumps up 11 hp to 211, and torque gets a healthy addition of 51 pounds-feet to 258.

The turbo will be the only power plant available for the A4 Avant, while the sedan offers an optional 265-hp, 3.2-liter V-6. Both come with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The new A4 and A4 Avant go on sale this fall. 

Related
More 2009 Audi A4 Avant Photos
Up Close: 2009 Audi A4
More Audi A4 News

More 2009 Audi A4 Avant Photos

What can we say — we really liked the new 2009 Audi A4 Avant when we first saw it yesterday. Today, we’ve found a crop of new photos from Audi that show off the all-important profile of this wagon, along with different exterior and interior colors. We’ve added them to the same gallery as yesterday’s post, so all the photos are in one place. Check out all 24 of them below.

Note: Not all the trim levels shown will come to the U.S.

2008 Geneva Motor Show: 2009 Audi A4 Avant

• Competes with: BMW 3 Series, Saab 9-3 SportCombi
• Looks like: Audi has upped the ante in the entry-luxury wagon field
• Drivetrain: New turbocharged four-cylinder engine with six-speed automatic
• Hits dealerships: Fall 2008

It’s a good day to be a station wagon fan. Audi has just taken the wraps off its new 2009 A4 Avant. This wagon is based on the redesigned A4, and both will go on sale this fall in the U.S. We’re really impressed with the design, as it’s a much more noticeable departure from the previous wagon than the new sedan is from the old version.

The rear slopes severely, which gives the car a throwback look to older generations of German wagons. We’ve seen a lot of sharp, angled designs from all the German automakers as of late, so it’s nice to see some curves again.

Inside, the Avant will have a layout nearly identical to the 2009 sedan, which we’ve covered quite a bit. Most noticeably, the Avant adds Audi’s multimedia interface system and a new dashboard layout.

Under the hood, however, will be just one engine: a new turbocharged four-cylinder that Audi is keeping to itself until the Geneva Motor Show in a few weeks. The sedan will get that engine as its base, along with a 265-hp, 3.2-liter six-cylinder. The Avant will come standard with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive and an automatic transmission.

Stay tuned for more on that new engine and pricing, but for now check out more images below and let us know if you like the look. 

Up Close: 2009 Audi A4

We first saw Audi's next-generation A4 at last summer's Frankfurt auto show (read the original post here) but it wasn't until Detroit that Audi brought out a U.S.-spec model. At first glance, it seems to be one solid little car — the sport seats in the S-line version on the auto show floor were supportive but not stiff, and there's a bit more room in back than I remember in the previous A4. Credit some of that to the ceiling, which has slight indentations above passengers' heads before it meets the rear window.

Audi Bringing Diesel Q7, New A4 to U.S.

Audi announced today it will indeed bring its new clean-diesel power plants to the U.S. in 2008. This is one of those rare times when U.S. consumers will not only get a shot at diesel engines, but they’ll get them at roughly the same time as European buyers. The first vehicle slated for the 3.0-liter V-6 TDI ultra-low emission system will be the Q7 SUV, which will arrive sometime in 2008. The redesigned A4 will have the same power plant when it arrives in the U.S. at an unspecified date, most likely late in 2008. We’re also hoping the next A4 Avant gets the TDI treatment.

The diesel engine puts out 240 hp and 406 pounds-feet of torque. That torque figure is the important one; a Mustang GT, for example, has 320 pounds-feet of torque. Like recent entries from Mercedes, the Audi TDI will pass the toughest emission requirements in the world, meaning California’s.

Related
2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: 2009 Audi A4 (KickingTires)
Audi Diesels: No V-12, but V-6 Could Show Up Elsewhere (KickingTires)

2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: 2009 Audi A4

• Competes with: BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Infiniti G35
• Looks like: A slightly squarer version of the last A4
• Drivetrain: 265-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 with six-speed manual or automatic; 160-hp, 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with six-speed manual or CVT; front- or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Fall 2008

The new Audi A4 may not look much different from the one you see parked outside Crate & Barrel, but it has gone through a significant redesign. Most noticeable are the slight exterior design tweaks, especially the squared-off headlights. They may look more boring than the old ones, but they house a cool LED and conventional headlamp combo.

The structure of the body has been radically changed, though, so the new A4 is both lighter and more rigid to make it safer than before. Usually when a car company beefs up safety, performance-draining weight is also beefed up. Interior room has been increased, so passengers will have more space to take in the redesigned instrument panel and dashboard.

Audi Diesels: No V-12, but V-6 Could Show Up Elsewhere

Diesel fans, time to start saving up. Audi could unleash its latest diesel V-6 on future versions of the A4 and A6 sedans, among others. Asked Saturday at a racing event in Elkhart Lake, Wis., about the production likelihood of a V-12 TDI, spokesman Chris Bokich instead pointed toward Audi’s smaller TDI V-6, which held “possibilities” for usage in the A4, A5 and A6. We would have liked to have seen the V-12 — it made a Herculean 738 pounds-feet of torque in a Q7 concept last winter — but the V-6 will have to do.

The engine makes its official U.S. debut in the 2008 Q7 TDI. It cranks out an unexceptional 233 hp and, more importantly, 369 pounds-feet of torque, the long overlooked performance statistic. That’s a healthy figure for a 5,300-pound SUV. How it will transform a 3,500-pound sedan like the A4 is anyone’s guess. Compare for yourself: The A4’s turbo four-cylinder makes 207 pounds-feet of torque; the optional V-6 makes 243.

The official word from Audi is mum. Spokesman Andrew Lipman says Audi will test the market for a diesel in the Q7 and “make a determination about putting it in other models.” But considering diesel engines’ pulling power and efficiency – mileage can be 30 percent better than regular gas, and thanks to modern exhaust treatment, sooty particulates are a thing of the past — we like the chances.

Ch-Ch-Changes: 2008 Audi A4 and A6

Audi has three significant new models coming out for 2008: the A5/S5 Coupe, the TT and the R8 sports car. Those three will certainly overshadow the rest of the 2008 lineup, which gets just minor tweaks. The two biggest changes in the current lineup impact the bread-and-butter A4 and A6 sedans and Avant wagons.

Both models will add the optional S-Line trim as standard equipment. These body modifications add beefier front and rear bumpers, more-menacing grilles, integrated rear spoilers and 18-inch wheels on the A6. For 2007, the S-Line option packages were quite expensive — $3,400 on the A4 — but also included features like a sunroof. Still, we see the changes as pretty significant ones that will provide a nice bonus to A4 buyers, since the line will get a redesign for 2009. There is still no word on a redesign of the A6 line.

The A6 also adds standard headlight washers, Sirius Satellite Radio and seat-back storage for 2008. A 2007 Audi A6 with S-Line trim is shown above. 

The 2008 A4 and A6 will go on sale in August. Prices have not been announced. The 2007 Audi A4 and A6 currently have financing offers available for shoppers not interested in the 2008 changes.

Related
More Audi News (KickingTires)