Should you still buy an Audi with a diesel or petrol engine? The manufacturer is rushing through its combustion engine business. More and more e-models are being created for this. FOCUS Online shows what the next A4 could look like.
Few German manufacturers have changed their views on diesel engines as radically as the brand that once made the TDI engine big in the premium segment and then brought it into disrepute through the emissions scandal: Audi. What was marketed yesterday as a powerful efficiency miracle is now just an annoying leftover from the fossil era for the brand with the four rings. Audi’s future runs exclusively on batteries. There is no plan B.
After the SUV (e-tron, e-tron Sportback, Q4) and the Porsche Taycan brother e-tron GT rolled up the field from above, the next electric wave from Ingolstadt should also spill down. Audi will say goodbye to the small car segment, there is no longer an A1. But something is happening about it. The A6 Avant e-tron gave a glimpse of Audi’s station wagon future. And one of the most important models, the representative’s favorite A4, must definitely roll over into the electric age if Audi wants to keep its numbers halfway.
According to information from “AutoBild”, the A4 e-tron should be on the market in 2024. The new e-tron world from Audi no longer offers the legendary range of the old TDI models, but it does offer a decent amount of power:
Like the Q4 e-tron, the top speed of the A4 e-tron should be significantly limited, probably to 160 to 180 km/h depending on the version. A future RS version would still have plenty of room for improvement in terms of power and speed.
As other technical treats, the PPE platform allows for air suspension and all-wheel steering; whether such features are also available for the A4 remains to be seen. Also, one can only speculate about the price of the car. The electric Q4 is available from 41,900 euros, so that the A4 will probably start below the 40,000 euro mark (the current A4 with a petrol engine is available from 36,350 euros). If there are still the electric purchase premiums until 2024, at least the basic version of the A4 e-tron could then be cheaper than the conventional models.
Insider reports, tests, guides, videos, background information: FOCUS Online provides you with the most important news from the auto department every week. Here you can subscribe to the newsletter easily and free of charge.
One thing is certain: Volkswagen’s premium brand is phasing out the combustion engine at breakneck speed and forever. In the future, it will no longer make sense for Audi customers to buy another A4 with a petrol, diesel or hybrid engine. This should also have a long-term impact on the service and spare parts business.
In the future, buyers of classic drives will be better off at BMW, where petrol and diesel engines will be maintained for a longer period of time alongside the new electric models and some of which will be further developed. Theoretically, this is possible in the EU until 2035, after which all new combustion engines will be banned. Even Mazda does not make the complete U-turn to the battery car – the Japanese have even developed a brand new six-cylinder diesel engine for their large sedans and SUVs.
All electric car and plug-in hybrid models at a glance