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As one door closes with an expensive-sounding premium thud, another one opens.
Our long-term Mercedes C-class is about to head off towards its next owner just as its replacement, Audi's new fleet favourite A4, arrives in our car park.
Recently launched in the UK to an on-the-whole positive reception from the country's media, we've grabbed the opportunity to spend half a year getting to know one of the year's most important new models.
There's an obvious split in the new A4's launch range, with the two 1.8 petrol engines and the 140PS 2.0 diesel all under the £24,000 mark, whereas the 2.7 and 3.0 diesels, and the 3.2 petrol, are knocking on the door of £30,000. Other models will of course come in to fill that gap, including a 170PS version of the 2.0-litre diesel.
We've headed straight to the business car heartland and grabbed a staple corporate 2.0 TDI saloon [1] in SE spec.
Standard kit is okay with auto headlights and wipers, alloys, climate control and leather steering wheel all part of the package. We've also fitted £4235 worth of options. The Audi DVD navigation system [2] will prove very useful, though the £1975 option price is breathtaking, as is the £1290 for the admittedly comfortable Milano leather seats [3]. Also fitted are the business-essential Bluetooth phone set-up (£375), metallic Meteor Grey paint for £550 and Audi's hill-hold assist system for £45.
Unfortunately, our haste to get hold of an early car means we've had to go without two options normally at the top of my check-list given the high mileage I intend to cover in the next six months - cruise control and an auxiliary socket. The latter seems particularly mean to not fit as standard, given that even BMW, not known for its spec generosity, includes it. Cruise would have been a £190 option and is super-handy for keeping the speed down on motorways, especially given the early plans for runs to Yorkshire, France and maybe even Portugal in the coming weeks.
Missing options aside, it's been a healthy start for the new A4, and it won't take long to ease it through the 1000-mile running-in period to see how it copes with life on the BusinessCar fleet.
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Business Car Magazine © 2020 | Business Car is part of NS Media Group.
