New facelifted Audi A4 spotted on the road

An updated version of the popular Audi A4 saloon is on the way, with 48v mild hybrid tech likely

An updated version of one of Audi’s biggest sellers, the A4 saloon, will arrive before the end of the year, Auto Express can reveal.

Despite sales figures for the A4 slipping in the wake of buyers flocking to SUVs, the saloon remains Audi’s biggest seller in Europe; tens of millions of pounds will be pumped into the development of the updated A4 to increase its appeal.

Ahead of the car being revealed, possibly at this year’s Paris Motor Show, spy shots have shown the Mercedes C-Class rival undergoing testing in Germany. It’s clear the A4 won’t benefit from a dramatic exterior redesign; the modest disguise suggests a reshaped front bumper will be the biggest visual change. However, new headlamps and a reprofiled rear bumper are also expected.

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The light disguise could indicated that Audi is focusing more on the tech beneath the skin; 48v mild hybrid technology can be integrated into the new model without huge reengineering costs as the saloon shares the same platform with the A8, which debuted the technology at Audi.

It’s also likely Audi will ditch the existing 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo engine for the VW Group’s larger capacity 1.5-litre unit. Power and efficiency updates on the 2.0-litre petrol and diesel as well as the 3.0-litre diesel are expected, too.

The facelifted A4 will kick start updates across the rest of the model range; the saloon and estate will receive the updates first before Audi turns its attention to the A4 Allroad and performance-based S4 and RS4.

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