The s4 feels quick, feels responsive and has one of the most superb v8 engine notes in the world. Jun 18, 2012 read the comparison test of these super sedans and see photos at car and driver. But german carmaker audi could quite easily use this to describe its new s4 sedan. Motor trend is testing an audi, which means im going to hit on three things. If youre familiar with audis other new s cars, the s6 and s7, youll notice that the s8s engine has the same displacement but makes considerably more power. Since the arrival of the rs4 a few years ago, the s moniker has taken a back seat in the a4 performance hierarchy. Oct 12, 2010 getting comfy with our new audi s4, and not missing those extra two cylinders at all. The a4 body shell packaging is poor given the external size, this is a cramped car with a narrow driver s footwell and quite limited rear room. Read on to learn more about the 20 audi s5 in this first drive article from the automotive experts at automobile magazine. And that is where the case for the s4 falls slightly flat. Subscribe today to our exclusive new offer and save 39% on the shop price, get evo for its original cover price of. Audis s4 packs a supercharged 328bhp punch, but its not the most engaging highperformance saloon on the market.
After taking a year off, the audi s4 returns based on last years full redesign of the a4 sedan. Anyone who balks at this cars lack of a v8 hasnt driven it. So does audi s driver select system, which is just a fancy name for a computer that allows the driver. The updated 2018 audi s4 is a stout performer in a stealthy, hightech wrapper. The 2018 audi s4 sedan and s5 coupe are the newest and fastest so far variations of the new generation of the a4 platform, which made its debut for the 2017 model year. The s4 isnt about making tire smoke for action shots. Thats as quick as your runofthemill camaro ss with its 426hp v8 and rear wheel drive. Road test check braking, kickdown, steering, electrical, heating and ventilation. Like its larger s6 tdi and s7 tdi counterparts, the audi s4 has adopted a diesel engine at least in.
Jun 29, 2012 the 20 audi s8 is powered by a twinturbocharged 4. The audi s5 coupe is a powerful proposition, with sharp lines clearly defining its predatory exterior. The 20 audi a4 and s4, last redesigned for 2009, have been freshened on the outside and refined on the inside. The audi s4 is the high performance variant of audis compact executive car a4. Rain upped the challenge of hustling the small audi with big power around a tight road course. Prior to the 20 model year, the s5 coupe was equipped with a 4.
British magazine car had the chance to test it for a month and compared it against a. Thats as quick as your runofthemill camaro ss with its 426hp v8 and rearwheel drive. Audis highperformance awd version of the a4 sedan uses the supercharged 3. Not only is the a4 desirable and well rounded, its confidenceinspiring driving dynamics make it one of the better sport sedans at this price point. In case of severe conditions, such as extremely low temperatures, excessive dust, etc.
If its a dominate performance image your ego needs, youll be better served with the s7, or wait for the truly pricey rs7. Winding road magazine is a free weekly online magazine written for the car enthusiast, with an intelligent. Audis quattro fourwheeldrive system was standard on the c4 s4 s6. In our first encounter, the current b8 s4 underwhelmed me. Youll need to be something of an audispotter to notice the styling changes. Road tests they may not be all new, but the 20 audi s4 sedan and s5 coupe have been significantly refreshened, with more style and features, in order to keep pace with the marketplace. The best way to sum it up in headline terms may be to record that it has as much torque as the maddest mercedesamg c63 supersaloon but it is also rated for better than 40mpg on the latest. But to us, the s6 s intoxicating blend of doing everything perfectly is the winning formula right now. Lets cut the chase, the badging on the audi s4s5 has always been confusing seeing as it uses a supercharged v6 and then adds a 3. Weve driven more than our fair share of great audi s lately, but the 20 audi. Though the audi range is extensive and growing even larger all the time the a4, with its smaller brother the a3 at its side, has. The grand luxo cruiser a8 l features all of audi s goodies. They may not be all new, but the 20 audi s4 sedan and s5 coupe have been significantly refreshened, with more style and features to keep pace with the marketplace.
Although the 20 audi s5 receives a refresh, its not very different. The 20 audi s4 s sheer brilliance, however, had so. Where a 340i thrills with its balanced chassis setup and the brawny c43 continually entices you to. Read our full road test and see photos at car and driver.
Looks like an audi but, with extraordinary performance like this on offer, is much more of. While we havent tested a 2020 s4 on our realworld highway fueleconomy route, the last one we evaluated returned 28 mpg during that test. Audis s4 packs a supercharged 328bhp punch, but its not the most engaging. For instance, the allwheeldrive volvo s60 rdesign is rated at 325 hp and. But every once in a while a car comes along that gets the cocktail just right. Refreshed 20 audi a4 s4 driven midway through its life cycle, audi has face lifted its a4 and s4 models to counter the equally refreshed mercedesbenz cclass and the allnew bmw 3. Drivetrainin a bold move that many european manufacturers are following, audi has downsized the engine from a 4. As it stood, our test unit had many optional boxes ticked driving the. The 2015 audi s4 is an allwheeldrive sports sedan that is the performance variant of the a4. Like the a4, the 2010 audi s4 is bigger than it was before, resulting in more interior room. The 20 audi s4 is a faster, tighter version of the a4 sedan. As audi s upcoming rs4 will be available only as an avant station wagon model, the s4 quattro will likely be the sportiest a4 sedan for the foreseeable future. For years audi struggled to gain equal footing with bmw and mercedes in australia, but that has all changed and sales have been climbing at doubledigit rates for several years now.
Steve gives us a thorough tour of audi s new midsize sports sedan. Designers often sprout the phrase less is more when describing the newest building, magazine or a piece of paris catwalk clothing. The 20 audi s6 is the real sleeper in the audi s lineup and maybe not for everyone. Roadkill roadkill garage dirt every day hot rod garage adam carolla goes racing engine masters best drivers car week long road to monterey put up or shut up head 2. But after a week and a kilometres, we handed the car back feeling a little disappointed. Behind the low and wide singleframe grille sits a 3. The audi s4 is the high performance variant of audi s compact executive car a4. Outside, audi s 4 compact luxury sport sedan wears a new face, with its large singleframe grille adding a sharper edge. At its heart beats a 3,0litre, v6 engine thats shared with the audi s5, as well as porsches cayenne and panamera.
Winding road magazine is a free weekly online magazine written for the car enthusiast, with an intelligent, entertaining perspective. Here, kevin provides his impressions of the cars transmission and the sport. Now that problem has gone along with the supercharger. This high tech sports car features audi s evolving quattro fourwheel drive system, a small bodyshell and of course a stovehot v8 engine shoehorned into its cosy engine. On a track the car is very impressive, particularly in sport mode. The 2015 audi s4 is a highperformance version of the a4 luxury sedan. Lets cut the chase, the badging on the audi s4 s5 has always been confusing seeing as it uses a supercharged v6 and then adds a 3. To probe the s4 s handling soul, we switched off the stability control system and threw the car.
The companys stated intent is to offer fully autonomous driving at a future time, acknowledging that legal, regulatory and technical hurdles must be overcome to achieve this goal. Winding road magazine is a free weekly online magazine written for. Audis s4 is not an unknown quantity to south african motorists, but previous. The original audi s4, built from 1991 until 1994, was a performanceoriented version of audi s 100 saloonsedan. With the same 211horsepower turbo four as the sedan, and the identical. The s4 is one of the few happily ever after cars for me. Aug 18, 2016 road test by david motton 18 august 2016. Audi ai is a driver assist feature offered by audi. Review by feann torr 25october2007 the flagship model in the audi a3 range gets all the luxury trimmings youd expect of a premium european car, but its also a. Audi s s4 is not an unknown quantity to south african motorists, but previous models have been somewhat underwhelming. Audi a3 sportback 20 road test the bigger and more useful fivedoor sportback version of audi s upmarket hatchback has some excellent engines as well as added versatility. Driver information system with colour display, mmi navigation plus, adaptive cruise control, front and rear heated seats, 6040. This is the new s4 avant, and well, its the definitive fast family wagon, isnt it.
The s4 has always had grunt, dont misunderstand, but as a thrilling driver s car it has never quite made the cut. A sixspeed manual transmission is standard and a sevenspeed stronic automated manual is optional. Throughout the rev range, there is an earnest but hardly entertaining exhaust note, which undergoes. My colleague carlos lago calls the audi s4 and a4 the camry for the car. You are not likely to encounter many cars on the road today that are able to elicit such strong emotion, if any emotion at. However and this is crucial a fast sedan should also entertain its driver when the road ahead clears before snaking up a mountain pass. Beyond that the s4 uses audis yettobebeaten virtual cockpit digital driver s display, which can be reconfigured to suit the driver s taste. Theres a new grille, new headlights with led running lights and new alloy wheel designs. Rarely do i pull to the shoulder of the mountain roads i travel, whip out my smartphone, and take notes right in the middle of a test drive. All subsequent s4s since 1997 have been based on the audi a4. Mechanically, the only significant change to the standard model is that it now has. Compact car magazine, a torque factory tuned s4 won a comparison test. As a good friend and colleague of mine once said the s4 s reputation precedes it, and you know what.
I needed a suitable car for a spirited 500mile run to the coolest small town in america, and back. Audiworld spends some quality time with audi s new coupe. Audi decided there is a market a middle ground for drivers who want fantastic performance machines without the weaponsgrade engine. No broad thriller, but the latest s4 is good to drive and makes more sense than ever in its new diesel format. Its offered in a single premium plus trim level, with an available prestige package that adds a number of highend features. The heart of the 2017 audi s4 models is a newly developed v6 engine with gas direct injection and turbocharging. Ive always loved the s4, so i was prepared to be a little underwhelmed getting into the 2014 3. Committed drivers may find occasion to use the dynamic setting for the s4 s adaptive dampers.
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