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Audi Reviews Audi A4 Audi A6
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Audi Reviews2002 Audi A4 Review
Moving toward the front of the field. 2002 Audi A4 Base Price (MSRP) $24,900 As Tested (MSRP) $36,640 For years the Audi A4 has been one of the best cars in its class. Completely redesigned for 2002, it gets even better. Some 90 percent of the A4's parts are revised, and there are significant improvements across the board. The new A4 is the first luxury-brand automobile with a continuously variable automatic transmission offered as an option. The cabin, the stereo, the electronic controls and the V6 engine-everything is bigger or more powerful. Perhaps best of all, Audi promises to minimize price increases when the 2002 A4 reaches showrooms in October. Expect hikes of 3 percent or less. Audi's resurgence as a luxury brand has run concurrent with the A4. This compact sedan has been Audi's bestseller since its introduction in 1995. A combination of thoughtful design, build quality, invigorating performance and sane pricing have made the A4 one of the most respected cars in a class that includes some of the best cars in the world. The redesigned 2002 model has exactly the stuff required in the fiercely competitive market for small luxury sedans. 2002 Audi A6 Review
Not afraid to step out of the box. 2002 Audi A6 Base Price (MSRP) $35,400 As Tested (MSRP) $41,955 The Audi A6 has a funky Bauhaus style that makes it stand out from its German rivals, while competing on merit with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series models. While the Mercedes and BMW models are "safe" choices, the Audi buyer is more of a psychological risk taker, more on the cutting edge and more willing to be different. In addition to distinctive styling, Audi A6 models offer all-wheel drive, selected by the majority of owners, or front-wheel drive. (BMW and Mercedes models use rear-wheel drive except for a few all-wheel drive models.) For 2002, Audi lives up to its avant garde image with a unique-at least for this class of automobile-transmission: Audi's multitronic continuously variable automatic transmission is the first to be able to handle the torque of a 3.0-liter V6 engine. That 3.0-liter V6 is new for 2002, up from last year's 2.8-liters. The multitronic transmission, available only with front-wheel drive, replaces the gear ratio steps of a conventional automatic with a computer-controlled steel belt and pulley system for smooth, shift-free operation. Audi Reviews
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