Words and Photos By Robert S. Schultz
A car length or so is all that separates the Audi and BMW displays at the Chicago Auto Show. It’s quite ironic, actually. The close proximity on the show floor mimics the neck-and-neck competition in the marketplace: Audi is now the #1 “other” brand considered by BMW buyers, according to Mark Dahncke, Product & Motorsports Communications Manager for Audi. We caught up with Mark during media preview days at the Chicago show, which runs through February 19 at McCormick Place.
With no premieres slated for Chicago, our conversation turned to the Audi lineup as a whole on display. Mark offered a perspective on Audi that, in its own way, was as revealing as any eye-popping, pull-off-the-sheets unveiling. Across the range, Mark observed, Audis tell the story of “progressive performance.”
The gist of progressive performance is an optimized balance of power, efficiency, and comfort. Take the base 2.0T in the A4. “Here you have a four-cylinder, turbocharged, 2.0-liter engine that competes against six-cylinders and beats them,” Mark said, referring to rival powerplants in that class. While a competitor, who shall remain nameless (but obvious) might tout its newly-minted 2.0-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder and re-discovery of fuel efficiency, “We had it in 2008!” Mark emphasized. The same holds true for the 3.0T supercharged V-6 in the A6 and A7. “It competes against 5.0, 5.8 V-8s, even, and offers better fuel efficiency, better performance, and, arguably, better driver dynamics,” he said.
Audi’s new class of 4.0 engines, destined for S6, S7 and S8 models, further boosts the idea of progressive performance. “These highly-engineered, twin-turbo V8s are optimized for weight and at the same time performance,” Mark said. Featuring twin-scroll turbos wedged between cylinder banks, aluminum-silicon heads and compact construction, the engines produce 420 to 520 hp. Impressive?
“The engineers didn’t stop there,” Mark added. “They equipped the engines with ‘cylinder on demand’ technology.” It deactivates four of the cylinders at part load, and yields 12% better fuel economy on the EPA cycle, according to Mark
“But the engineers didn’t stop there,” he continued, on a roll. Eight-cylinder engines are legendary for their smoothness and sound. Four cylinders—not so much. To maintain premium V8 characteristics when the engine is in V4 mode, Audi engineers incorporated two additional technologies: active engine mounts and active noise cancellation (ANC).
The active engine mounts use an electromagnet oscillating coil inside a hydraulic chamber to nullify unwelcome vibrations. Active noise cancellation does a similar job with sound. Four small microphones continuously monitor the cabin and signal the ANC controller to produce opposite-phase sound waves, which negate frequencies unbefitting a luxury car. ANC is active regardless of the audio system fitted to the auto, and whether it is on or off. Both the ANC and active engine mounts systems work in concert, Mark said, to produce an “optimized ride, sound and comfort level.”
Whether it’s the surprising punch of the 2.0T or the substantial grunt of the 4.0 with high-end fuel efficiency technologies, progressive performance means “delivering on the performance angle, yet bringing efficiency to the realm,” Mark said. It’s a continual process, too, as accelerated progress begets improved performance. Lighter weight bodies (think Audi Space Frame) require less braking force, which makes possible lighter brake components, which further reduce weight, which leads to faster acceleration times from smaller engines, which sip less gas, which gives rise to new and upgraded models.
Which leads to the refreshed A4 and S4, A5 and S5, arriving at U.S. dealerships this spring. It was puzzling that Audi did not show a new A4 in Chicago, especially since BMW exhibited its brand-new 3-series next door. Nevertheless, Mark noted the freshening of the A4 “décor”: new headlamps; revised trapezoidal grille with beveled upper corners; and chrome elements in the interior to “jazz it up and create a more higher end feel,” he said.
Infotainment architecture in the new A4 will make a huge leap of progress with the MMI. “It will have the full realm of Audi connect,” Mark said. “That includes Google Earth and Google Street View, Internet, Wi-Fi, and connections for up to eight devices.”
If any lapses of attention occur due to excessive Googling, fear not. The refreshed A4 comes to your aid with a full set of assistance systems: adaptive cruise control, active lane assist, and blind spot monitoring. Audi pre sense will also be onboard, a feature that utilizes radar from the adaptive cruise control to detect an impending collision, alert you, and prepare the car by adjusting seats, head restraints and more.
Surveying the entire Audi array at Chicago, Mark pointed out that there wasn’t one model that hadn’t been recently refreshed or redesigned. That kind of attention to product is certainly a factor in Audi’s record-breaking U.S. sales of 117,561 vehicles last year. But noting that BMW and Mercedes-Benz both sold more than 200,000 vehicles here in 2011, he said, “We have a long way to go.”
Competitive fervor drives Audi, and it starts with Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen, according to Mark. No wonder Audi folks are so delighted Audi is now the #1 shopped “other” brand of BMW buyers. Five years ago Audi was a distant #7. “That’s a huge testament to the success of the brand,” he declared. And a compelling argument for the notion of progressive performance as well.
