Audi Is Saving The Manuals, One 2017 A4 Quattro at a Time
Fearful that manual transmissions are dying? Audi's got you covered: The 2017 A4 is officially the only all-wheel drive entry-level luxury sedan you can buy with three pedals. Rejoice!
Audi had a look at the A4's manual transmission, and decided it was time for an upgrade. The resulting new six-speed is 35.3 lbs. lighter, thanks to extensive use of magnesium, combined with open gearwheels, hollow shafts and a smaller clutch. The 2017 version also uses a spur-gear stage which replaces the shaft to the front-axle differential used on the previous models, allowing the 2017 A4 Quattro manual to accelerate to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds instead of 6.4.
It also comes with a new Quattro all-wheel drive system that utilizes an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch at the rear end of the transmission along with an integrated decoupler in the rear axle differential, shedding 8.8 lbs. in the process.
Audi even came up with an exclusive Sport Plus package for the A4 Quattro manual, which lowers the car by 23mm and adds adaptive steering, flow-formed cast aluminum 18" double-spoke wheels, S Line leather/Alcantara interior with sport seats, stainless steel pedals, a flat-bottom steering wheel and brushed aluminum decorative inlays. They even threw in Daytona Gray as a paint option, so basically, the package turns your A4 into an S4 without the additional power. What you still get from the 2.0 TFSI is 252 hp and 273 lb.-ft. of torque.
Audi would also like to point out that all-wheel drive, 4-cylinder competition, like the BMW 320i, Acura TLX, BMW 330i, Mercedes-Benz C300, Jaguar XE 25t, Volvo S60 T5 and Lexus IS200t won't be available with a manual transmission in 2017. The A4 Quattro with the stick will start at $39,400.
In other news, there's still no A4 Avant for America.
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