Bada Bing

The A4 did surprisingly well in acceleration (0-60 in 5.9), but the BMW was even quicker at 5.3 seconds. The Bimmer beat the A4 in every performance category. The A4 was judged to have the better automatic transmission and interior design, bigger interior room and trunk space, but the massive torque advantage of the BMW diesel was to much to overcome (425 vs. 243 lb-ft). The article concludes with yet another cry for more power for the V6 A4.

It appears that the 2009 A4 3.2 quattro would have been quite competitive against the 2006 255-hp 330i, but the world has changed a lot in 3 years.

I think Audi should drop the 3.0T engine from the A6 into the A4 ASAP, but obviously that creates a problem with the 2010 S4 essentially having the same engine. In retrospect, Audi should have tried harder to get more horses out of the 3.0T engine for the S4 (350 hp or more) so that a detuned 3.0T in the A4 would not infringe on S4 territory.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....d=7974&cid=145

Jay 4R

R&T can compare any two models they want, it doesn't mean the comparison will make sense.

Bada Bing

The cars are both sport sedans with MSRP pricing within $1000 of each other. FWIW, I've seen a recent comparison of the 335i against the 335d too (the i version won that one). Are you one of those who thinks that the A4 3.2 should only be compared to the 328i, C300 and IS250? Guess what, Audi of America has decided that the A4 2.0T competes with those models in their own advertising, so it's only natural that the V6 A4 goes up against the big boys.

Mobilehavoc

I still don't get the fascination with 0-60 times and performance numbers. It's great for comparing cars and for inflating egos but that's about it IMHO. I personally don't plan on driving on a track too often if at all...in daily driving, if I even gently push the 2.0T engine my wife complains I'm driving too fast!! I can't really utilize it on county/state roads because of traffic or on the highway because of cops. Also, am I really going to notice that my 2.0T takes 7 seconds to hit 60mph as opposed to 5 or 6? Is it going to somehow really impact my life?

I picked the A4 because it's a perfect balance or performance, fuel economy, interior, styling, etc. You can buy cars for half the cost of the A4 and 335d that will leave both in the dust. I guess I just don't get it.

A6contem

The world had changed a lot earlier - for instance in 2007 with the advent of the 335i

The 3.0T, detuned or otherwise, will never go into an A4 as long as it is in an S4. As it should be. An A4 should not be a tune and/or exhaust away from having the same powerplant as the S4 - it would lead to cannibalization.

As has been discussed a lot across all Audi forums, the S4 used to be an M3 competitor. Now the B8 S4 will be competing with the non-M 3 series, i.e. the 335i.

Audi has a lot of thinking to do, not just with the S4 but also w.r.t. the premium (most expensive) version of the A4. The 3.2 V6 is not cutting it (according to the reviews), not just against the 335i but also against the C350. As if the power/weight deficiency weren't bad enough already, the C350 is supposed to soon get a power bump to close to 300hp

Bob58

I found it a far more compelling overall package than either 335s or the 350.

To me, it wasn't even close.

snagitseven

So here we go again... BMW "trounces" A4.
There's a whole lot more to a car than how fast it can go by tenths of a second.
If all I cared about was getting there 6/10th of a second sooner I would have bought one of those little Asian super coupes and saved a ton of dough over the BMW or the Audi.
There are many other criteria by which one can select an automobile for needs and wants. Like your mentioned interior design, bigger rear seat, trunk space, transmission, etc. Add to that MMI vs iDrive and whatever the cost difference is, option for option, feature for feature.
Both the BMW and the A4 are fine cars. But I picked the A4 over the 335i for a whole lot of other reasons than getting to the next traffic light a mere fraction or .6 of a second later. Then there's always the upcoming S4 which might just "trounce" the 335i if one's trouncing is defined by 0-60. (Yeah, I know, the S4 will be likely more expensive than the 335i).
I don't need to go faster than 0-60 at 5.9 seconds - my 3.2 is fast enough for me. And, apparently, with Audi outselling BMW, at least in Europe recently, many other folks agree.

tubi

The B8 was handicapped by stock suspension and AS tires. Not exactly a fair comparison if you ask me.

Bada Bing

The car magazines test whatever the manufacturer provides them, so they are not at liberty to spec the two cars identically. AoA should have provided a car with sport package in addition to, or in lieu of, Drive Select if they wanted the best possible outcome. Aside from tires and non-sport seats, the A4 test car should have been able to compete fairly with the sport package 335d. ADS provides a lowered suspension and it should have given the A4 an edge, assuming they performed their track testing using Dynamic mode.

markcincinnati

Audi has positioned itself so that comparisons where it stands a pretty good chance of losing are likely.

But, the magazines can do anything they want.

I read the comparo and even though the BMW "won," I did not feel it meant the Audi was identified as something "not to choose."

Makes me wonder, tho, why not add or compare the Infiniti GX sedan or RWD sedan -- or why not equip the cars in the class they are being put in as close as possible to each other. Equip, not necessarily Price similarly.

If you equip the two current A4's to a high content and do the same with a BMW, you will see there is, currently, no BMW 335i competitor from Audi USA offered. The S4, apparently, will be that model.

Of course, initially, Audi compared the 3.2 to the 328xi and the Audi could trounce the 328 and for less money or similar money when content of both models was "high."

Then, what was the 2.0T to be compared to/with.

I test drove a 335i (not ix) and it was lightly contented (no prestige package, etc.)

It was less than my $49,000 2.0T A4 -- and it was very powerful.

The Audi, often, comes up as underpowered, based on how the reports are structured.

Yet, as a stand alone test, the new A4 receives very high marks in most every area.

I see the 335d as a desirable car -- but not the one that beat up the A4.

Quattro rules the day for me.