Audi A4 Allroad is clever and versatile

BUILDING on the success of its A6 Allroad, Audi has put its four-wheel drive halfway house on the photocopier, dialled in an 80 per cent reduction and created the A4 Allroad.

There are in fact, three A4 Allroad versions to choose from, and while they all share the same comprehensive specification based on the A4 SE, the differences lie in the engine and transmission departments.

Those who prefer three pedals are a bit stuck for choice – the six-speed manual box comes with the 170hp, 2-litre Tdi only. But if you like a two-pedal driving experience, then you can choose from a 211hp, 2-litre petrol TFSI engine or 240hp V6, 3-litre Tdi, which generates enough torque to pull tree stumps – both are mated to Audi’s S-Tronic seven-speed auto box.

And who wouldn’t want it? Unlike a traditional torque converter system, this one behaves like a full powershift and gives seamless, uninterrupted power delivery through all seven gears, reminding you that the engine is properly connected to the wheels.

It drives just like an auto, only much, much better. There is an auto-type gearstick to simplify control, but S-Tronic doesn’t have a torque converter, so it cleverly avoids all that vagueness you get with wandering rpm each time you press the throttle.

Clever transmission

This clever, seven-speed transmission uses two electro-hydraulically controlled, oil immersed clutches – one pack for the odd numbered gears, the other for the even numbered.

Changes are lightning quick, smooth and barely perceptible – each ‘shift’ takes 0.2 seconds.

And because it uses clutch packs, there’s no feathering of power when each shift is made.

Those who want to interfere with the gear changes can use flappy-paddles on the back of the steering wheel, and every paddle-instigated downshift brings an automatic blip of the throttle, adding to the sporty feel. And with the 3-litre Tdi engine in our test vehicle, this is enough to propel this A4 Allroad version from rest to 62mph in just 6.4 seconds.

But the Allroad isn’t about being quick, it’s about versatility for those who prefer an estate car’s proportions to the bulk of an all-out 4x4, but who require a degree of extra ground clearance for a useful level of off-road capability.

It means the A4 Allroad gets an extra 37mm of suspension lift which gives a useful vantage point compared to the standard estate, plus chunky plastic wheel arch protectors and Offroad Detection Technology (ORD).

ORD is an Allroad-specific version of the A4’s electronic stability programme which can cleverly permit much more wheel spin than normal so that torque can be apportioned to the wheel with the most grip.

While normal driving conditions see 60 per cent of torque sent to the rear wheels, ORD can send up to 85 per cent rearwards, or up to 65 per cent to the front to allow the Allroad to find traction when you’re off the black stuff.

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