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AUDI INTRODUCES A GERMAN SPORT
WAGON
With the 1998 A4 Avant arriving in US showrooms this fall, Audi has set out to create a new niche in the luxury car market. The Avant is a true German sport wagon delivering a winning combination of arresting design, fun and functionality. Continuing the expansion of Audi's successful A4 range, the Avant combines all the essential attributes of the 1998 A4 2.8 sedan with the added convenience and flexibility of a wagon. Powered by Audi's 2.8 liter V6 engine featuring five-valve technology, twin dual overhead cams, variable intake valve timing and a variable geometry composite intake manifold, the Avant's advanced powerplant delivers 190 horsepower at 6000 revolutions per minute and 207 lbs. ft. of torque at a low 3200 rpm. This integration of engine technologies propels the front wheel drive A4 Avant to 60 miles per hour in 8.4 seconds. Thanks to the greater efficiency of the five-valve power plant, introduced to North America this past June in the 1998 A4 2.8 sedan, this new configuration provides more torque and Living up to the sport character of the A4 range, quattro-equipped Avants come standard with a five-speed manual transmission to give the driver maximum control. An optional five-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic® is available as well, giving the driver a choice of using it as a normal automatic transmission or upshifting and downshifting manually using a special shift gate. The automatic is the only transmission available on A4 Avants equipped with FrontTrak™ front-wheel-drive. Some drivers demand even greater handling prowess. For those who want to push the performance envelope further, the A4 Avant can be ordered with an enhanced performance package that is more than skin deep. This sport package includes a 20 millimeter lower sport suspension with firmer shock and spring settings, a thicker rear stabilizer bar, new seven-spoke 16 inch (7J x 16) cast light alloy wheels, 205/55 16" high performance tires and a three-spoke leather covered sport steering wheel. To meet the demands of all driving conditions, the Avant comes standard with Audi's FrontTrak™ front wheel drive with its ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) system giving the driver full-time, all-speed traction control, and a four-link front suspension for precise steering behavior. For the ultimate in handling and control, Audi's legendary quattro all-wheel-drive is also available as a stand-alone option. OFFERING SOPHISTICATION - Buy The A4 Here The A4 has always been a true European luxury car offering its owners a level of refinement and sophistication unsurpassed by any car in its class. Start with the wide array of standard features customers have come to appreciate from the A4 2.8 including, to name a few, a fully automatic climate control system with sun intensity control and pollen filter; an eight-way power driver's seat with height and lumbar adjustment; power central locking system; 60/40 split folding rear seatbacks with individual locks; leather wrapped shift knob and steering wheel; power windows and heated outside mirrors; front and rear foglights; and genuine walnut wood trim. Now add standard front side airbags, in addition to next generation driver and passenger front airbags, and you get class leading safety features. The A4 Avant utilizes the latest ABS 5.3 for optimized braking performance as well. Since we don't live in a perfect world, a standard emergency warning triangle is located in the rear luggage area. But the A4 Avant is more than a luxury, sport automobile. It is a luxury, sport wagon with 31 cu. ft. of cargo room with the rear seat up and 63.7 cu. ft. of cargo room with the seats folded down. Audi has incorporated all the features that owners expect from a wagon, as well as some they might not, including a retractable rear luggage cover, a heavy duty luggage net for the rear cargo area, a remote rear deck lid release button (located in the driver's door), a standard ski sack and a center rear headrest, as well as a 3-point rear center seat belt. Roof rails with bright finish, a rear wiper, and a roof mounted tri-band antenna complete the package. NATURAL EVOLUTION - Buy The A4 Here Darwin taught us long ago that species must evolve or disappear. That's why Audi introduced the sporty A4 1.8 T last Fall and the new A4 2.8 this past June offering more power, more control and more choices. Delivering on the promise of continuous improvement, all 1998 A4s now offer a five-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic®. Next generation front airbag supplemental restraints join standard seat mounted front side airbags to make A4 occupants safer than ever (just as they do in the new A6 and the A8). Automatic pretensioners have also been added to the rear outboard seat belts. A new, standard Concert radio, variable intermittent wiper control, revised instrument cluster, red taillight lenses with amber shine-through light bulbs, active door reflectors in all four doors, and new designs for both the standard and optional sport steering wheels set the 1998's apart from previous models. A4 1.8 T models include new standard eight-spoke alloy wheels with larger tires, an ambient temperature gauge, and a front center armrest. A sport package is available on all A4s with a lowered suspension, firmer shock and spring settings, a thicker rear stabilizer bar, new seven-spoke 16 inch (7J x 16) cast light alloy wheels, 205/5516" high performance tires and three-spoke leather covered sport steering wheel. Other option packages include a Convenience Package consisting of a glass sunroof with sunshade and remote locking integrated into a new, folding ignition key. For audiophiles, all A4s can be equipped with an Audio Package which includes a Bose® 8-speaker,150 watt premium sound system and a 6-disc CD changer. This system incorporates a new 5-channel amplifier and larger rear speakers. COLORS - Buy The A4 Here In terms of exterior colors, three new choices have been added for 1998- Melange metallic, Santorin Blue Mica, and Hibiscus Red Mica. But automotive evolution does not begin and end simply on the features of a car. It should also address how you feel when you open the door and consider the space where you will spend each and every driving day. That's why Audi has given customers the opportunity to select an entire interior enviroment for their car to match their own personal style, not simply an interior color, at no extra cost. Called "Atmospheres ", Audi's three distinct environments are named Ambition, Ambiente, and Advance. Each atmosphere surrounds its occupants with a distinctly different character-distinguished by the texture and appearance of the seat upholstery and the color and type of genuine wood (for the A4 2.8 and A4 Avant) or aluminum trim (for the A41.8 T). CHOICES - Buy The A4 Here Ambition evokes memories of classic touring sedans with its rich, muted colors and materials. Ambiente is more Mediterranean in feel with its fine supple materials and lighter, bolder colors. Advance brings out the natural side with open pore wood or highly textured aluminum trim and soft upholstery in warm, earth tones. Each atmosphere is available in cloth or leatherette (with leather as an extra cost option in the A4 2.8 and A4 Avant). Additional choice should not mean additional complexity. With Audi's innovative interior concept, when you select an interior color you are also selecting a complete interior atmosphere that has been created to coordinate with that color. All of this gives the buyer an ability to personalize their car to a degree not possible from any luxury manufacturer, and at no extra cost. WARRANTY - Buy The A4 Here Something else you don't have to pay extra for on any Audi A4 is the remarkable Audi Advantage. It is standard equipment, as it is with all Audi's sold in the U.S. This top-rated-and sometimes imitated combination of warranties and protection includes:
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