New 2015 Audi A4 to get TT styling and new platform

    Spy shots and exclusive Auto Express images reveal the new Audi A4's sharp new look borrowed from the TT coupe

    The all-new Audi A4 has been spied for the very first time, testing ahead of its long-awaited reveal in autumn 2015 and our exclusive pics show how the finished car could look. 

    It’s clear from the outlines of the lights, shutlines and styling creases on the spy shots that Audi is sticking with the policy that’s served parent brand VW so well with the latest Golf: merely sharpen the design, and save the real revolutions for the platform and mechanicals.

    The new A4 will have much slimmer lights than at present, thanks to power-saving LED tech. At the front, this means more emphasis on the Single frame grille, which, as with the bonnet shutlines and doorskin details, gains sharper contours to mirror the new Audi TT’s razor-sharp creased look. 

    Our exclusive images give a clear indication of how the A4 will mix a clean-cut, square-jawed swagger with a typical saloon profile. A more rakish A5 Sportback will arrive in 2016 and prices for all variants are expected to mirror current levels. 

    Regarding the platform, the new A4 is something of a rebel in recent VW Group offerings: it doesn’t use the MQB chassis that supports the smaller A3 and rivalling VW Passat. Instead, a new, scalable architecture is used – codenamed MLB – which will see service in future VW and Porsche 4x4s and large models. 

    MLB achieves weight savings, using the familiar tactic of super-strong hot-formed steel to maintain stiffness while reducing structural thickness. This means the new A4 will be both roomier and up to 100kg lighter than today’s car, which has been left behind by the strict diets of the BMW 3 Series and latest Mercedes C-Class.

    A new A4 2.0 TDI could therefore weigh around 1,400kg – 40kg less than an equivalent Jaguar XE. That bodes well for the Ultra eco-special, which already claims up to 67.3mpg and 112g/km. Jag has stated that its most frugal XE will hit 75mpg and 99g/km, and BMW has mooted a sub-100g/km 318d for its 3 Series facelift. Audi must respond fast. 

    The A4 seen here seems to be an SE, but once it’s revealed at next October’s Frankfurt Motor Show, attention will turn to the S4 and RS4. It’s not yet clear whether the outgoing S4’s downsizing policy of swapping a 4.2-litre V8 for a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 will be mirrored by the RS4. This currently offers a 444bhp 4.2 V8 – less power than in the new Mercedes-AMG C 63– and is thirstier than its Mercedes rival as well as the twin-turbo BMW M3. 

    One racy feature likely to benefit more than just quattro 4WD A4s is the Virtual Cockpit 12.3-inch digital display from the TT. This configurable nav-cum-speedo-cum-infotainment readout is set for a high-spec version of the new Passat and the R8 supercar in 2015, and will be the focal point of a fresh cabin as the A4 plays catch-up to rival the stunning C-Class.