2005 Audi A4 Specs, Price, Fuel Economy, Engine, & Performance

Inside the familiar-looking cockpit, you'll now find a full-color navigation screen (a first for A4) and a redesigned steering wheel, which features an airbag cover that mimics the trapezoidal shape of the front grille. Flip the NAV screen down to find two hidden slots for inserting SD media cards, allowing MP3s to be played through the vehicle's audio system. A4s also can be equipped with Bluetooth interfaces to give the driver hands-free access to a cell-phone.

A month after the A4 goes on-sale, a new S4 will arrive in showrooms, but for the most part it'll be a carryover model (including the throaty 340-horse V-8), albeit with all-new sheetmetal. Approximately six months after that, an S-Line sports package will be available for A4s, providing a lower, stiffer suspension, 18-inch wheels, and a host of aesthetic touches that visually flex the muscle of the sedan and wagon. The S line package adds an edgy look to the A4s new design and should add a mph or two to the slalom times.

With two great new engines, a choice of sedan or wagon, a round of worthy improvements, fresh technology, and a base price that will increase just $500-$1000 over the current model, the only thing that may keep present owners from trading in their A4s for a new 2005 is the gaping hole in the front end. Some will want to hold onto the less-polarizing current-generation, but the rest will want to swim with the big fishes and enjoy an even better A4.