Audi takes on Mercedes, BMW with A4
By John Aglionby
A new competitor enters the luxury car market today when German firm Audi launches its A4 2.6 V6 at an open-house gathering at the Hilton Hotel.
The front-wheel drive multipoint fuel-injection car has a 2.6- liter V6 engine, with a maximum output of 110kW at 5500 rpm and maximum torque of 225Nm at 3500 rpm.
Drive is through a 5-speed automatic transmission gearbox, although a manual version might be introduced in a few months.
The company claims a top speed of 220 km/h and maximum acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 8.7 seconds.
Front suspension is an independent four-link setup with a virtual steering axis and tubular anti-roll bar. The rear suspension incorporates a torsion-beam axle and anti-roll bar.
Coil springs all round complete the picture.
Steering is power assisted and the brakes are a fifth generation Anti-lock Brake System with electronic brake force distribution. A third brake light is located on a raised rear shelf.
Other standard safety features include driver and passenger airbags and an electronic immobilizer activated by the key.
The one-touch electric windows open automatically if they touch an object blocking the way, and close automatically after the car is locked.
In what Audi claims is another unique feature, the rear seats can be locked in place, thereby blocking off all access to the trunk, which is the largest in its class.
While the A4 looks short, mainly because of its stubby hood, it is longer than the BMW 323i and only eight millimeters shorter than the Mercedes C Class.
The tires and battery are the only locally made parts. Everything else has been imported from Germany; with the engines coming in already assembled.
Local distributor PT Garuda Mataram Motor Company, an Indomobil subsidiary, is looking to poach BMW 323i and Mercedes C Class customers, although initial sales targets have been set conservatively at 100 a month. The on-the-road-price is Rp 145 million (US$60,000).
"We appreciate that our biggest problem is going to be attracting people to a new brand," a company spokesman said.
"People buy a Mercedes because of its logo and BMW is seen as an aggressive machine but we believe that once you try the A4 you will notice its qualities.
"We are not looking at any specific target market, although this is more of a young person's car. It will provide drivers with a thrill, status and a great deal of enjoyment."
A second model, the larger A6, may be introduced some time next year. "We are giving ourselves a year to break into the market," the spokesman said. "If everything goes really well we might launch the A6 before then; no final decision has been made yet."