A4 45 TFSI quattro (US) 261 hp

STORY

Debuting in October 1994, the Audi A4 (Typ 8D, B5) succeeded the Audi 80 and launched the modern "A" naming scheme for Audi's core saloons. It quickly became one of Audi's best-selling models and a benchmark in the compact executive class against the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class.

Offered with available quattro all-wheel drive and, later, TFSI and TDI direct-injection engines, the A4 packaged Audi's key technologies into a mainstream, high-volume car. Its Avant estate and S4/RS 4 performance variants broadened its appeal, and across successive generations the A4 has remained the commercial heart of the Audi range.