BRMATRIN ANTAL AB ede AY Audi revs up A4 turbo IN 1995, Audi replaced the compact 90 sedan with the V6-powered A4, a German-built, German-engineered sports sedan in the same class as the BMW 328i and Mercedes- Benz C280. The stylish Aé was an instant hit, but unlike its German rivals, it wasn’t avail- able as a less-expensive “entry-level” model with a four-cylinder engine. Until now. Starting at $31,600 ($32,690 ith the automatic transmission), the new four- - cylinder A4 1.8T is now Audi’s least expensive auto- mobile, and is priced slightly less than the BMW 318i. Other than the engine, the main differences berween the six-cylinder A4 2.8 and 1.8T are its 15-inch tires and wheels (instead of 16-inch), special aluminum trim on the dash and doors (instead of walnut trim), and manually- adjustable front seats (replac- ing power ones). And metallic paint is optional, not standard on the L.8T. Other than that, the 1.8T has the sante list of standard features as the $37,500 A4 2.3, including four-whee} disc brakes with ABS, AM/EM/ cassette with eight speakers, 60/40 folding rear seatbacks, and cruise contro!. An optional Sport Package adds 16-inch tires and wheels, spe- cial Jacquard cioth upholstery and 4 sport steering wheel. Leather upholstery is not available on the LST, bur “leatherette” is. Like the Ad 2.8, the E.8T is available in some new “Cool” shades including Tropic Green, Aqua Green, Pelican Blue and Brilliant Yellow, The 1.8T's new four-evlin- der engine is both more pow- erful and more sophisticated than those of its compe titOrs. The aluminum alloy 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine has five valves per cylinder, nvin camshafis, an intercooled tur- bocharger with electronic turbo-boost regulation, and direct ignition. The engine is mounted longi- tudinally, rather than transversely, in front for improved weight distribu- tion and vibration damp- ing characteri:tics. Horsepower is rated at 150, the best in its class, and maximum torque is developed ata very low 1,750 r.p.m. Unlike most turbocharged engines, throttle response is avail- able at lower speeds, a boon for city driving. Like the A4 2.8, the A4 1.87 is offered with front- wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive with a standard five-specd manual transmission or optional five-speed automatic transmission. Delayed intro- duction of the manual trans- mission means that you can only get the 1.8T with the automatic tranny for now — the manual is expected carly this year. With the possible excep- tion of the Subaru Legacy GT sedan, the A4 1.8T is the. only car in its class to offer all- wheel-drive, which Audi calls “quattro.” This full-time sys- tem is automatic — you don’t have to cngage and disengage it. Power is automatically pro- portioned to the fron: and omplete Mechanical Repairs & Service cudi technical data Base price: $32,690 Transmission: five-speed auteniatic (std. five-speed manudl) Trunk capacity: 388 litres (13.7 cu. ft.) Fuel consumption: City — 1? & 1/100 kms (24 m.p.g.); Fievy — 7.3 1/100 km (39 m.p.g-) Warranty: three years/80,000 km rear axles depending on which has the most traction. For really slippery roads, the dri- ver can activate the EDL (electronic differendial lock} to lock up the differential. I tested both the FWD and AWD models with both transmissions, and liked the AWD model with five-speed automatic transmission the best. The extra grip of AWD Our 38th Year Friday, February 7, 1997 — North Shore News - 33 THE 1997 Audi A4 1.8T offers a new 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 150 horsepower. Test drvie it at Guildford Audi, 13820 - 104th Ave., is reassuring, and the auto- matic transmission is well- suited to this sporty engine. Shifts are well-timed and very smooth. However, there is a signifi- cant difference in acceleration times between the manual transmission-equipped 1.8T and the automatic model. The A4 1.8T Quattro with the five-speed manual trans- mission goes from Zero to 100 km-h (61 m-p.h.) in 8.1 seconds while the Quattra with the five-speed automatic takes 9.8 seconds. The extra weight of the AWD hardware doesn’t seem to affect performance or fuel economy significantly. The SPECIALISTS } B.C.A.A, - A.R.A. APPROVED CENTRE FREE COURTESY CARS FOP. COLUSION REPAIRS “LIFETIME GUARANTEE” mm AS LONG AS YOU CWN YOUR CAR " DON TAYLOR YELLOW PAGES TALKING » Estimates x § Consultation § FWD model with the auto- matic transmission goes from Zero to 100 km-h in 9.1 sec- onds while the AWD model takes 9.8 seconds. The FWD L.8T averages 9.4 litres per 100 kilometres (30 m.p.g.) winie the AWD model aver- ages 9.8 liters Per 100 kiks- mtres 129 m, Phan: rdling and nde are nwo of the A-+t’s strong suits, and few compact cars can mar: its stability, cracking s+ sahe sense of security is gives you at high-speed. The rack and pinion power steering has been improved over cartier Surrey ( versions, but it’s sill not as communicative as 2 BMW’s. I've always like Audi’s handsome, well-finished inte- riors, and the A4’s is no exception. It offers a high level of fit and finish, sturdy- {ooking materials, and a pro- fessional set of gauges. The A4 comes with a three year/80,000 kilometer warranty —- not as long as the four year warranty offered on most luxury cars. If you're on the Internet, you can find out more about the A4 on Audi’s web-site, http://www.audi.com TOYOTA LEASE RETURN CLEARANCE Same owner, same high | ch cmoed shop shop. 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