Photo: Tobias Buttner
If you’ve been following the car industry for the past half decade or so, news about Audi focusing on gasoline and diesel power with their next-generation A4 sports sedan might come off as somewhat surprising. After all, everybody is going full-electric, with Audi themselves stating that they too will utilize battery-powered drivetrains for their entire range by the end of this decade.
That being said, here's what we need to consider when discussing the next-generation A4. It is basically Audi’s direct response to the G20 BMW 3 Series and W206 Mercedes C-Class, both of which feature internal combustion engines with electrification available in the form of both mild-hybrid 48-volt tech and plug-in hybrid systems.
The 2023 Audi A4 will naturally look to join that group, as opposed to breaking free from the pack and starting its own journey as a Tesla Model 3 rival, reports Auto Express.
“The development of the next generation of A4 is under way,” said Audi's head of technical development, Oliver Hoffman, who also described this upcoming A4 as “the best we have ever launched.”
“We’ll offer that car, and the A6, for a lot of years,” he added. “Production of the last new combustion-engined model will begin in 2025 and end with a normal lifecycle in 2033. But we will launch some models a lot earlier.”
While the A4 will still be available with a diesel engine, most of the line-up will use an updated version of the VW Group's EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, electrified by various means – the upcoming A4 should also be able to take aim at the likes of the Mercedes C 300e and the BMW 320e/330e variants.
Does this mean we won’t see a fully electric version somewhere towards the end of its production cycle? Not necessarily. When asked directly about a possible A4 e-tron version, Hoffman stated: “We’ve looked at a platform where we can have both powertrains, but it’s a compromise. So I’m really happy that we are able and we have the power to do both.”
In other words, Audi is perfectly capable of fully electrifying the next-gen A4, using a completely different platform. Don’t expect it any time soon though.
The 2023 Audi A4 will naturally look to join that group, as opposed to breaking free from the pack and starting its own journey as a Tesla Model 3 rival, reports Auto Express.
“The development of the next generation of A4 is under way,” said Audi's head of technical development, Oliver Hoffman, who also described this upcoming A4 as “the best we have ever launched.”
“We’ll offer that car, and the A6, for a lot of years,” he added. “Production of the last new combustion-engined model will begin in 2025 and end with a normal lifecycle in 2033. But we will launch some models a lot earlier.”
While the A4 will still be available with a diesel engine, most of the line-up will use an updated version of the VW Group's EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, electrified by various means – the upcoming A4 should also be able to take aim at the likes of the Mercedes C 300e and the BMW 320e/330e variants.
Does this mean we won’t see a fully electric version somewhere towards the end of its production cycle? Not necessarily. When asked directly about a possible A4 e-tron version, Hoffman stated: “We’ve looked at a platform where we can have both powertrains, but it’s a compromise. So I’m really happy that we are able and we have the power to do both.”
In other words, Audi is perfectly capable of fully electrifying the next-gen A4, using a completely different platform. Don’t expect it any time soon though.
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