New Audi A4 revealed

Coming soon to a fast lane near you...

To spend hundreds of millions of Euros engineering a car that looks so similar to the outgoing model is a sign of either crushing arrogance of extreme confidence.

But that's what's happened with the new, fifth-generation Audi A4 - with design changes showing all the evolutionary development you could expect to find taking place in a pond over lunchtime. Even existing A4 owners are going to have to work hard to spot the difference from what, we're assured, is an all-new car rather than a facelift.

That background really isn't helping

But as the current 'B8' generation is still selling strongly, seven years after its introduction, Audi is probably onto something. And with the new car gaining more kit, the predictable cut in CO2 emissions and a far nicer cabin, it looks set to continue with business as usual.

Panel gaps are fetishistically tight - at the front the bonnet is a single clamshell, one of the biggest and most complicated metal stampings ever fitted to a production car. It's super slippery too, with a coefficient of drag of just 0.23 for the saloon (better even than the supremely aerodynamic C-Class). It's fractionally bigger than the old car in every key dimension apart from height - which is unchanged - but Audi says it is up to 120kg lighter through the use of high-strength steel and various aluminium panels, including the roof.

We've only got details of the bottom end of the engine range at the moment, and although the A4 has been bit by some predictable downsizing it hasn't followed the BMW 3-Series in to three-cylinder engines. The entry-level petrol motor will be a 1.4-litre four-cylinder TFSI turbo with 148hp and an 8.9-second 0-62mph time. It scores 57.7mpg and 114g/km on the official EUDC economy test.

More palatable than the crossovers at least

Above that are two 2.0-litre TFSI fours in 187hp and 247hp states of tune, leaving plenty of room clear for more powerful versions to follow - there will be no six-cylinder petrol engines at launch. Diesels are all familiar, with a 2.0-litre TDI four-cylinder in 148hp and 187hp versions, the former also available in 'Ultra' tune which delivers CO2 emissions of just 95g/km; the lowest in the segment.

At the top of the pile sits a 3.0-litre V6 TDI diesel which, as in the A6, comes in two states of tune - 218hp and 272hp, with the brawnier of these being the only version to have four-wheel drive as standard. Quattro is also available as an option with the more powerful four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. A six-speed manual 'box is standard on all of the four-pots, with the auto option now being an S-Tronic branded twin-clutcher; goodbye, CVT - you won't be missed! The 272hp V6 TDI has an eight-speed torque converter auto as standard.

The interior gets TFT instruments like the new TT and R8, and what looks to be a very classy cabin (certainly in the range-topping form the images represent.) Underneath the chassis has been redesigned with aluminium links and a new back axle, but one worrying mention in the press kit is the standard fitment of speed-sensitive electric power steering. It's not like Audi has a great record when it comes to making A4s deliver meaningful feedback and that sounds like a recipe for a proper PlayStation rack.

The new A4 makes its official debut at the Frankfurt show in September, and we'll bring you more details and pricing closer to it going on sale here after that.