New A4 range planned for 2023.
Top-line RS 4 will be a hybrid.
The Audi A4 remains a staple in the German luxury automaker’s lineup. Competition is fierce and it’s becoming increasingly electrified. Audi’s plans for the A4 will meet competition head-on with petrol and diesel hybrids as well as a new A4 e-tron.
From 2023 on, every new Audi A4 will be equipped with either mild-hybrid or full-on hybrid technology. This will apply to all trims including the hyper-powerful RS 4 versions.
Markus Hoffmann, head of R&D at Audi, said, as reported by Autocar: “We already have electrification modules today, from mild hybrids to plug-in hybrids – and we will be focusing even more intensively on electrification in the cars that follow.”
All non-performance petrol A4s will be fitted with a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder while the RS will retain the twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6. The addition of electrical assistance should see output increase along with efficiency. In the RS 4’s case, the numbers could be as high as 469 horsepower and 590 lb.-ft. of torque.
The most noteworthy will be the addition of an all-electric A4 e-tron that will be based on the Porsche/Audi shared platform known as the PPE. This structure will underpin the Q6 e-tron, A6 e-tron, and upcoming Macan SUV. The A4 e-tron will be offered with either a single rear-mounted electric motor or a dual-motor setup. It’s expected to arrive in 2024.
