I read another post commenting that the new Audi a4's since 2002 have been heavier and seemingly underpowered with the 1.8t is there any truth to this? I"m looking into getting a 2001 5-speed so it would be nice to know if the 1.8 is thought to be inadequate.
It's true that a similarly equipped B6 A4 is about 150 lbs heavier than a B5 A4, while both 2001 and 2002 have the same 170hp/166lb-ft 1.8T engine.
Whether it's underpowered or not is a very subjective statement. For someone coming off a Geo Metro, the power may be plenty. For someone who's looking for a sports car (which the A4 is not), the power will be lacking for sure. So, we can't answer this question for you really - you need to test drive it and see for yourself whether it's enough or not.
One way to make the A4 feel less underpowered is to not get quattro. You're shaving off about 150 lbs plus the fronttrak feels more lively due to smaller power losses on the drivetrain. But then you'll be missing out big time on the whole quattro experience. Again, you must decide.
Personally, having owned a 2001 A4 1.8TQ manual for over 2 years now, I can say that the power is sufficient, although you can always feel the large weight of this car as it is kind of slow to get going from a stand-still. After I chipped it, I can say that I'm quite happy with the power. But no matter how much power you have, you will always wish for more... That's why people sell their A4s and get S4s, RS4s, RS6s, and so on... Power is addictive ;-)
In summary: Test Drive!!!
Cheers,
Pete
Also, if you are a "tuner", there is a fair amount of low-hanging fruit with adding a reasonable amount of power and torque to the 1.8T. A chip upgrade (tuned to 93/94 octane) + free-er flowing cat back exhaust system will get you to 210-220hp relatively easily without any real wear and tear penalty on the engine. Check out:
For the money is no object crowd, you can spend $4-5k on a Stage 3 kit for the engine and wind up north of 280hp.
Cheers,
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