Review: 2010 Audi S4 sedan, Fast and Practical
2010 Audi S4 - click above for high res image gallery
Among the big 3 German premium carmakers, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz each has its own in-house department dedicated solely to creating faster, better handling versions of their parent's mainstream cars. Of course none of those three automakers would actually want their everyday products referred to as mainstream since that would neutralize the cache that allows them to charge a premium tariff. That however is a story for another day.
BMW has its M Division, Mercedes-Benz has AMG and Audi has Quattro GmbH. Quattro of course draws its name from the all-wheel-drive system that has been a staple of Audis since the early 1980s. The Quattro group based in Neckarsulm, Germany creates two levels improved Audis which are distinguished by the model names, these being S and RS. The pinnacle of Audi performance is defined by models like the RS6, TT-RS and of course the mighty R8. Many of these models are not offered here in the US market. However, we do get all of the S models such as the TT-S that we drove recently, the S5 coupe and the latest addition, the S4 sedan. Follow the jump to read about our time with the latest S4.
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
The new generation Audi S4 went on sale earlier this year based on the latest A4 that debuted in 2008 and marks something of a departure for Audi and BMW and Mercedes will likely follow suit. Recent iterations of high performance models have typically gone with larger and more powerful engines. With the S4, Audi's performance models are following the engine downsizing trend that has been ongoing in the standard editions in recent years. For Audi (as well as an increasing number of manufacturers such as Ford), downsizing is achieved by adopting direct fuel injection and intake boosting.
In the Audi lineup these engines carry the TFSI designation and until now have always used an exhaust driven turbocharger along with the direct injection. The new S4 engine is labeled TFSI but a belt-driven supercharger is now nestled between the banks of the 3.0-liter direct injected V6. The result is 333 hp and a very health 325 pound-feet of torque peaking all the way from 2,900-5,300 rpm. The last S4 that was discontinued last year used a 4.2-liter V8 with 340 hp but only 302 pound-feet. Combine the similar output with 150 pounds less mass and you have a recipe for fun but we'll come back to that in a bit.
The current A4/S4 sedan styling benefits from the functional changes made by Audi in the recent redesign. The front axle was moved forward 6 inches so the front overhang is significantly shorter. That gives the car a more sporting and aggressive look especially in profile. Like other S models from Audi, the visual differences from the base model are fairly subtle but noticeable to the trained observer. The lower front fascia features slightly larger and more sculpted air intakes while the vertical bars in the grille get a chromed finish. The side mirrors get a matte aluminum finish that also helps to distinguish the S. At the rear the S4 gets four exhaust outlets and a faux diffuser. The rest of the exterior is pretty much standard A4 but that's not a bad thing at all.
Inside the differences from the A4 are more pronounced. Up front the S4 is equipped with a pair of sport seats with more pronounced lateral support and fixed head rests. All S4s get standard leather upholstery with an all-black leather/alcantara configuration being standard. An extra $1,000 gets you silk Nappa leather coverings in one of several color combinations. Our tester had two-tone black and silver Nappa finishings. Another option we had was the carbon fiber trim which replaces the aluminum that normally trims the passenger side dash board, the doors and the center console.
The front seats don't have a lot of adjustments but when the seat is shaped right to begin with, it doesn't need many. Thankfully, one feature they do have is adjustable thigh bolsters which is very helpful for those with longer legs. The back seat is a bit snug for taller passengers but can accommodate two adults across. The center position is best used only for children. No matter how many friends you bring along, the S4 (and its A4 siblings) offers significantly better rear seat accommodations than either the BMW 3-series or Mercedes C-class, its chief competitors.
As with all Audis the interior is very well executed with a minimum of visible seams and high quality materials. Given the handling capabilities of the S4, the thick rimmed and leather wrapped steering wheel is comfortable to hold and makes controlling the car a pleasure. The S4 is available with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. The dual clutch unit can operate in either manual or fully automatic modes. While we like dual clutch transmissions, we were grateful to see our test unit equipped with the three pedal shift it yourself model.
Once you get the seat position, steering wheel angle and distance and mirrors adjusted, it's time to insert the key fob into the slot in dashboard. The supercharged V6 fires right up but quickly settles into a near silent idle. Slide the shift lever into first and let the clutch out and the S4 pulls away smoothly. The clutch has a very progressive take up feel with only moderate effort required, making stop and go urban driving a breeze. Of course any old car can get along easily in town especially when it doesn't look dramatically different from its more pedestrian siblings.
A car like the S4 is created for those times when its dynamic capabilities can be best put to use. Get the S4 onto a twisty back road and it truly comes into its own. Until a couple of years ago, Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive was set up to distribute torque equally to all four wheels. The problem with this is that the front wheels also have to do the job of steering the car. As a result those quattro equipped cars tended to understeer more than some competitors. Starting with the A5 coupe and then the A4, Audi reconfigured the system to send 60 percent of the power to the rear wheels and the remainder to the fronts. The result is more balanced handling that feels more like a rear wheel drive car.
The S4 really benefits from this and combines with the excellent electrically assisted steering is a joy to guide through continuous directional changes. That blown V6 doesn't have the rumbling note of a larger V8 but it does have a lovely growl as the revs rise and fall. The shift lever slides through the gears like a knife through warm butter. In spite of relatively small displacement, the engine has plenty of torque and feels like a much larger engine. The reduced mass and strong engine, make this a seriously quick sport sedan with our informal runs to 60 mph consistently taking less than 5 seconds. The only thing you really can't do is a tire spinning burnout, but that's not what the S4 is built for anyway.
One of Audi's main reasons for the transition to downsized, boosted engines is improved fuel efficiency. The last S4 sedan, a 2008 model with a 4.2-liter V8 and 6-speed manual transmission was rated by the EPA at 13/20/15 mpg city/highway/combined. The V6 powered S4 bumps those numbers to 18/27/21 mpg although admittedly we only managed to get about 17 mpg thanks to the siren call of that wonderful engine and chassis.
The BMW 335i and Mercedes C350 Sport each start at about $40,000 while the S4 opens the bidding at $45,900. The new S4 is arguably a more attractive car than either of its rivals and is certainly roomier. The S4 is also more powerful than either of the either cars (significantly so when compared to the 268 hp Mercedes, the next step up being the much more powerful and expensive C63 AMG) leading to superior performance. For someone looking for an attractive and speedy compact to mid-size sport sedan, the S4 is certainly worthy of consideration.
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
In the Audi lineup these engines carry the TFSI designation and until now have always used an exhaust driven turbocharger along with the direct injection. The new S4 engine is labeled TFSI but a belt-driven supercharger is now nestled between the banks of the 3.0-liter direct injected V6. The result is 333 hp and a very health 325 pound-feet of torque peaking all the way from 2,900-5,300 rpm. The last S4 that was discontinued last year used a 4.2-liter V8 with 340 hp but only 302 pound-feet. Combine the similar output with 150 pounds less mass and you have a recipe for fun but we'll come back to that in a bit.
The current A4/S4 sedan styling benefits from the functional changes made by Audi in the recent redesign. The front axle was moved forward 6 inches so the front overhang is significantly shorter. That gives the car a more sporting and aggressive look especially in profile. Like other S models from Audi, the visual differences from the base model are fairly subtle but noticeable to the trained observer. The lower front fascia features slightly larger and more sculpted air intakes while the vertical bars in the grille get a chromed finish. The side mirrors get a matte aluminum finish that also helps to distinguish the S. At the rear the S4 gets four exhaust outlets and a faux diffuser. The rest of the exterior is pretty much standard A4 but that's not a bad thing at all.
Inside the differences from the A4 are more pronounced. Up front the S4 is equipped with a pair of sport seats with more pronounced lateral support and fixed head rests. All S4s get standard leather upholstery with an all-black leather/alcantara configuration being standard. An extra $1,000 gets you silk Nappa leather coverings in one of several color combinations. Our tester had two-tone black and silver Nappa finishings. Another option we had was the carbon fiber trim which replaces the aluminum that normally trims the passenger side dash board, the doors and the center console.
The front seats don't have a lot of adjustments but when the seat is shaped right to begin with, it doesn't need many. Thankfully, one feature they do have is adjustable thigh bolsters which is very helpful for those with longer legs. The back seat is a bit snug for taller passengers but can accommodate two adults across. The center position is best used only for children. No matter how many friends you bring along, the S4 (and its A4 siblings) offers significantly better rear seat accommodations than either the BMW 3-series or Mercedes C-class, its chief competitors.
As with all Audis the interior is very well executed with a minimum of visible seams and high quality materials. Given the handling capabilities of the S4, the thick rimmed and leather wrapped steering wheel is comfortable to hold and makes controlling the car a pleasure. The S4 is available with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. The dual clutch unit can operate in either manual or fully automatic modes. While we like dual clutch transmissions, we were grateful to see our test unit equipped with the three pedal shift it yourself model.
Once you get the seat position, steering wheel angle and distance and mirrors adjusted, it's time to insert the key fob into the slot in dashboard. The supercharged V6 fires right up but quickly settles into a near silent idle. Slide the shift lever into first and let the clutch out and the S4 pulls away smoothly. The clutch has a very progressive take up feel with only moderate effort required, making stop and go urban driving a breeze. Of course any old car can get along easily in town especially when it doesn't look dramatically different from its more pedestrian siblings.
A car like the S4 is created for those times when its dynamic capabilities can be best put to use. Get the S4 onto a twisty back road and it truly comes into its own. Until a couple of years ago, Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive was set up to distribute torque equally to all four wheels. The problem with this is that the front wheels also have to do the job of steering the car. As a result those quattro equipped cars tended to understeer more than some competitors. Starting with the A5 coupe and then the A4, Audi reconfigured the system to send 60 percent of the power to the rear wheels and the remainder to the fronts. The result is more balanced handling that feels more like a rear wheel drive car.
The S4 really benefits from this and combines with the excellent electrically assisted steering is a joy to guide through continuous directional changes. That blown V6 doesn't have the rumbling note of a larger V8 but it does have a lovely growl as the revs rise and fall. The shift lever slides through the gears like a knife through warm butter. In spite of relatively small displacement, the engine has plenty of torque and feels like a much larger engine. The reduced mass and strong engine, make this a seriously quick sport sedan with our informal runs to 60 mph consistently taking less than 5 seconds. The only thing you really can't do is a tire spinning burnout, but that's not what the S4 is built for anyway.
One of Audi's main reasons for the transition to downsized, boosted engines is improved fuel efficiency. The last S4 sedan, a 2008 model with a 4.2-liter V8 and 6-speed manual transmission was rated by the EPA at 13/20/15 mpg city/highway/combined. The V6 powered S4 bumps those numbers to 18/27/21 mpg although admittedly we only managed to get about 17 mpg thanks to the siren call of that wonderful engine and chassis.
The BMW 335i and Mercedes C350 Sport each start at about $40,000 while the S4 opens the bidding at $45,900. The new S4 is arguably a more attractive car than either of its rivals and is certainly roomier. The S4 is also more powerful than either of the either cars (significantly so when compared to the 268 hp Mercedes, the next step up being the much more powerful and expensive C63 AMG) leading to superior performance. For someone looking for an attractive and speedy compact to mid-size sport sedan, the S4 is certainly worthy of consideration.
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
seo Dec 14th 2009 5:34AM
Thanks for the nice and useful information. I am a big fan of Audi cars. The interior as well as exterior looks fantastic. The engines look quite powerful. I also like 2010 Audi TT. The mileage and engines are very satisfying. There are many safety features available like airbags, anti lock disc brakes etc. This car is meant for high class people as it is quite expensive. For more details refer http://www.automotivecraze.com/