Audi A4 Allroad Quattro

Speculation about an Audi A4 Avant Allroad has been circulating for nearly a year now, fueled by spy shots of high-riding A4 sedans. Until now, the go-anywhere Allroad trim has been limited to the larger A6 Avant, and Audi has said little about plans to build a smaller model. Thanks to the latest spy pictures, though, it's safe to say that the car exists and could be nearing production.

While wagons have long been popular in Europe, they've been a tough sell in the U.S. An Audi executive recently admitted to Motor Trend that the Avant line hasn't done well in the U.S. and may be replaced with Audi's new "Sportback" design language. Bolstering this possibility is the fact that an Avant model for the 2009 A4 has not yet been announced for the U.S. market, and the fact that the last Allroad model sold in the U.S. didn't perform well.

As with the A6 Allroad, the A4 Allroad is certain to use Audi's quattro all wheel-drive system and the Allroad package will likely be available only on the Avant model. Given this, it's likely the next Allroad will not see U.S. shores, as the car would probably not sell enough models to justify the cost of bringing it here. It's expected that the A4 Allroad will officially debut sometime later this year as a 2010 model for Europe.

At the moment, the A4 Allroad is wearing too much camouflage to determine whether or not it differs significantly from the A4 Avant in terms of looks, but judging by the A6 Allroad, it's likely the most significant difference will be in the ride height. The A4 Allroad will likely be offered with a number of gasoline and diesel engines, though not as many as the standard A4. Engine choices will likely be limited to the larger, more powerful V-6s offered in the A4, not inline four-cylinders.