Audi A4 Allroad with Quattro Ultra arrives in the UK

The Audi A4 Allroad is the first Audi car to get Audi’s newly developed ‘Quattro Ultra’ four-wheel drive technology. On sale April 2016.

Audi has been trailblazer for four-wheel drive in everyday road cars, and since the 1980s has been delivering cars with quattro technology for more sure-footed grip.

But the world’s obsession with CO2 emissions and fuel economy play against Audi’s quattro system, so after more than 30 years they’ve decided they need a new, more efficient four-wheel drive system and they’ve come up with the catchily named ‘Quattro with Ultra Technology’. Which sounds a bit like a new diesel fuel.

In fact, Quattro Ultra is actually a new four-wheel drive system for Audi’s less powerful (under 370lb/ft of torque) cars and will be available first on the new Audi A4 Allroad with the 2.0 litre 248bhp TFSI engine (with diesel options to follow), but it’s no longer a permanent 4WD system.

Gone are the Torsen and Haldex systems, to be replaced by a system that allows the back axle and differential to be decoupled unless required, so for the majority of time you’ll be running in FWD, and more economically.

Audi reckon the system is so good it can tell you’ll need the back axle to come in to play before any slip takes place, and uses two electronically controlled clutches – one at the back of the gearbox and one to de-couple the rear diff – which react in milliseconds to deliver a seamless change to 4WD.

Although the new setup is more efficient than the old quattro system, there’s still a small economy penalty, but many will feel it worthwhile.

If that’s you, the new Audi A4 Allroad with Quattro Ultra goes on sale in the UK in April. By which time Audi say they will have decided on prices.