MENTION Quattro and everyone thinks of Audi, the German marque that was first to unveil an all-aluminium body for a production vehicle in 1999. Audi has a reputation - its cars brim with technology and features.

Let's take the all-new Audi A4. Besides its rakish good looks and handling prowess, the new sedan offers a host of features which not long ago were the exclusive domain of high-end luxury models.

There is the Adaptive Cruise Control, Audi Lane Assist and Audi Side Assist feature which warns the driver if the car deviates from the chosen path or if an object is in the rear blind spot. Add electronic parking brake with hold-assist, a rear-view camera built into the boot lid, a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system and a user-friendly navigation system. The list goes on.

The new A4 was launched to the world's media last week on the Italian island of Sardinia.

With LED running lights - unfortunately a cost option - dominating the nose of the car, the new A4 looks a lot more 21st century than the outgoing car. The new sheetmetal is taut yet curvy and when viewed from the side it has a coupe-style silhouette.

Inside the cabin, the sporty theme continues with the cockpit angled towards the driver by eight degrees. The materials used are top notch and just what we have come to expect from Audi. The engineers moved the front wheels forward to get better weight distribution and an offshoot of that is a much longer (170mm) wheelbase that translates into much more interior room. But squeezing three in the back could be a little optimistic as occupants run out of shoulder room.

So the A4 is basically a four-door version of the A5 coupe unveiled earlier this year - two more doors, more space and Audi Drive Select. The last feature integrates the technical components that govern the driving experience into a single system: engine, automatic transmission, steering and the new adaptive shock absorber control.

By means of buttons on the centre console, the driver can influence the operation of the various components by choosing from three main modes - Comfort, Auto and Sport. The CDC - continuous damping control - shock absorbers are continuously varied within the mode the driver has chosen but match his driving style and the road conditions.

The other party trick is Audi's dynamic steering. When parking the car, the dynamic steering system is extremely direct, with only two turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock, and very little effort needed thanks to a high degree of power assistance. At high speeds on highways, a more indirect steering ratio and less power assistance ensure more confident handling with a high degree of straight-line stability.

So how does all this translate to the actual driving experience? Thanks to a more balanced 57:43 front/rear weight distribution and all new suspension, the new A4 has oodles of grip and can really be hustled through corners. More impressive is its ride quality. It is not soft, but road imperfections are well ironed out and body control is excellent.

With Audi Drive Select, much reduced body roll with no loss in ride comfort make for a 'must-have' option. What impressed most though is the way the reprogrammed ESP was not intrusive when the car is pushed at the edge of the grip envelope. Only when the limit was truly breeched did ESP kick in.

There are currently two engine options - an all-new 160-hp 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder and a 3.2-litre V6 with 265 hp. Both engines boast direct injection for improved fuel economy. The 1.8-litre engine is mated to an eight-speed continuously variable transmission while the six-cylinder gets a six-speed automatic gearbox.

With 250Nm from 1,500rpm, the turbocharged four-cylinder feels punchy. Only towards the higher end of the rev range does it feel out of its element. The V6 on the other hand makes all the right noises and revs sweetly to redline.

The A4 may not be showcasing new technological breakthroughs but it's introducing them to its class segment for the first time. Some features may have been introduced earlier by other marques but Audi refined them. Yes, Adaptive Cruise Control has been around for some time, but Audi has taken it a step further by using the same sensors to warn the driver if he's rapidly closing the gap with the vehicle ahead - even if he's not on cruise control.

The downside of all this, of course, is cost. Good things may come in small packages but they don't necessarily come cheap.

Audi A4 1.8 TFSI
Engine: 1,798cc turbocharged direct injection
Gearbox: 8-speed Multitronic transmission
Max power: 160 hp @ 4,500-6,200rpm
Max torque: 250 Nm @ 1,500-4,500rpm
0-100 kmh: 8.6 secs
Top speed: 225 km/h
Dealer: Premium Automobiles, tel: 6566-1111