Upcoming A4 Facelift

[Mikebabs1]

Does anyone know anything about the upcoming facelift to the A4? I bought my 51 plate A4 a couple of weeks ago, and during the test drive I asked the salesman about when they intended to replace the current model.

Apparently Audi tend to replace models every 6 years, with a facelift in the middle. Being that the current A4 is now 3 years old, its due for a facelift by the end of the year.

In my opinion it still looks fresh, (and stunning). Just hope they don't change it too much!

Mike

 

[A4S]

Apparently the new facelift will preview at the next Paris show, scheduled for model year 2006.

 

[porker968]

AutoBild Mag reckons it will look like this:

 

[Anito]

Looks nice except for the rear lights which look like they have been taken from a Saab

 

[AndrewRichmond]

Andy

Is this the facelift A4 due at the end of 04 or the new one due 06/07? Looking at the door lines and pillars it would appear to be the facelift car but the nose/rear lift is so much its bound to affect residuals of the current look.

 

[porker968]

Andrew, it's just AutoBild's (German car mag) interpretation of the facelift by adding the new corporate nose and A8 style rear.

 

[wigginer]

I just cannot get excited about that vertical grill ...

 

[porker968]

S4 facelift....It would look much better if the black part of bumper, where the number plate is was colour-coded.

 

[JasonM]

New RS4 is out this year (current shape) with new shape in spring 05

 

[Scotty]

If you wish to make statements like the above, please can you quote your source so it can be judged/researched.

This is the opposite of what Audi UK have told me and I fear will just confuse the situation further.

 

[AndrewRichmond]

Scotty

I've given up asking Audi UK anything as they are very unhelpful. Trouble is it just makes you buy other brands. When I got my S4 Avant last summer I also wanted an S4 Cab but because they would'nt tell me anything I bought a Merc CLK500 cab instead. Will I now sell it and take the first year's depreciation hit - no! Another lost sale for Audi.

As for the facelift, darker colours will probably look better - my current Moro Blue would probably look ok with that nose.

Andrew

 

[Scotty]

Andrew,

I'm not sure why your post is pointed at me? I have contacts at Audi UK but I am not Audi UK.

I was simply querying Jason's post as it doesn't match info I have hence I'm interested in what he's heard and from whom.

 

[porker968]

Just another mockup (photoshop), you wont start seeing actual production cars until 2-3 months its it launch.

 

[AndrewRichmond]

Scotty

Not trying to point the finger at you but you gave the opening on Audi UK. I'm surprised you got them to say anything. I gave up asking them questions on new models as they seemed to deny anything. I understand why manufacturers' wish to protect current sales but was always surprised Audi UK wouldn't give info. on new models which did'nt replace anything they sold at the time; eg lack of info. on S4 cab last year and S4 Avant/saloon the year before when the old model was already out of production. Maybe you could tell me some techniques in how to get them to say something!

Cheers, Andrew

 

[AndrewRichmond]

A fine approach (seriously) - tell them to offer rear side airbags and a hardtop as options on the S4 cab please. Ta

 

[rcinco]

This is not consistent with what I was told by a AoA regional rep at the North American International Auto Show this year. During the industry days of the shows, people from different OEM's tend to socialize with one another and tend to share some of the more benign secrets.

Anyway, the conversations that I had with the AoA people made it clear that February 2005 would bring the refreshed/facelifted A4 to North America. This is a mid-life refresh and not a chassis change. As a matter of fact, the changes will be largely cosmetic with all but two body panels changing. Yes, like it or not, the new Auto Union grille will be the central to the facelift. This is consistent with German OEM product-life cycles.

I was unable to find out when the facelifted S4 would be released.

 

[gizze]

I think that it will be a facelift, it has been 3 years and all audis receive a facelift half way through their 6 year lifespan, but usually facelifts are very subtle, I think the facelift will make it look completely new because it is such a radical design but it won't be a new model yet.

Audi are in the game to make money, the A4 will now be making proper money as production costs etc.are reduced, they would be silly to change model at this point, unless they know somthing about the new 3 series or somthing and feel that they have to.

 

[meerbusch]

The facelift is not just a facelift. There are a lot of changes, they are just not that visible ( except for the rear lights and the sides ). The new A4 will be out in Germany for sure by the end of 2004 ( oct/nov timeframe ). The main reason to do the facelift is the increased pressure of the BMW 3-series and Mercedes C-Class. Nothing more. Biggest change in the short term will be the disappearance of the 1.8T and 3.0L engines. I have no idea when the new A4 will come to the UK and/or the US.
(There won't be an air-suspension nor the MMI system from the A6/A8, it will have something similar though integrated in the current system)