The last time we saw the long-roof Audi A4 in camouflage, the taillights were still placeholders and the grille covered the underside. Now, we’re still dealing with full body camouflage dressing, but we believe that’s an Audi gimmick at the moment. There are no obvious fake panels, no bulky covers, and those taillights look production ready.
That’s the point of this new set of images, taken recently showing a prototype gliding casually in public. It’s easy to see the design of the taillights here, especially when the driver hits the brakes and hits the turn signal. The slim lens incorporates a red and orange horizontal LED strip at the bottom, with a parallelogram element at the top. One thing we can’t see is whether the light is connected at the liftgate with the red reflector. A close-up shows the outline of the body under the camouflage wrap that matches the lens, and we see a section of red through the wrap in the center.
Moving forward, we have our best look at the A4’s wider grille. It seems production ready, and except Audi is is it right cunning with its camouflage, the grille no longer descends to the bottom of the fascia. The body line under the bandage at the edge of the fascia shows triangular-shaped elements for corner ventilation, which should be smaller than current models.
This series of images doesn’t get us inside the carriage, but previous shots have revealed a very different layout with offset rectangular digital displays for the instruments and infotainment system. The offset is large enough to negate the possibility of them being bridged under a single screen, so even if the cart is definitely digital, it won’t have the full glass cockpit effect.
Powertrain options remain largely a mystery, though hybrid power is guaranteed. This generation should also be the last A4 Avant to be offered with a combustion engine. Audi has committed to going electric sooner rather than later, and in that case, the next A4 Avant could launch without a companion A4 sedan. The A5 Sportback could fill the A4 role until an all-electric model arrives.
Speaking of arrivals, with production lights on, it’s likely we’ll see the A4 Avant revealed in the first half of this year, making it a 2024 model. It should remain a product of the European market, so don’t expect to see it in America.