German Car Zone

Specifications
Model tested: Audi S4 3.0 TFSI S Tronic, Audi S4 3.0 TFSI Avant six-speed manual
Price as tested: N/A
Range price: N/A
Insurance group as tested: N/A
Insurance group range: N/A
CO2 emissions as tested: 219 - 229g/km
CO2 emissions range: 219 - 229g/km
EuroNCAP result: *****
On sale date: 2008
Date and place tested: October 2008, Mallorca
Road tester: Andy Goodwin The new Audi S4 has a smaller engine and less power than the car it replaces - but it’s faster.
Audi claims improved efficiency and far superior driving dynamics give the driver more, for less.
Andy Goodwin drove the Audi S4 on road and track at its international launch in Mallorca to find out if less power and more technology is the way forwards for Audi.

For the past several decades a horsepower war has been raging between big car makers, with each outdoing its competitor’s latest model with more impressive specifications.
But limits have been reached, and with fuel prices on the front of people’s mind Audi has bitten the bullet and produced a new sports saloon with less power but 27 per cent better fuel economy than its predecessor.
And new technology and increased pulling power means it still beats the old car’s 5.6 second dash from 0-62mph (100km/h) by half a second.
The new motor is a supercharged 3-litre V6 with 328bhp and 324lb/ft of pulling power - 11bhp less than the old 4.2-litre V8 but 22lb/ft more.


Sports Supremacy
Audi told us the ‘S’ models in its range are designed for sporting supremacy and to showcase new technology. They are sports cars for everyday driving.
From the outside the Audi S4 saloon and Avant fit this brief exactly. Those in the know will be able to spot the tell-tale signs which make up a fast Audi, but it’s a subtle recipe.
A strip of LED front running-lights illuminate at all times, and the S4 also gets LED taillights which both give the car a cutting edge demeanour.
The 18-inch wheels sit in front of big brakes and fill the wheelarches thanks to a 20mm drop in suspension ride height.
A slightly more aggressive front bumper, extended side skirts, brushed aluminium door mirrors; small spoilers and four chrome exhaust pipes enhance the stealthy character.
The most important feature from the outside is the Audi S4’s paint. Choose dark grey, black or dark blue and the S4 keeps a low profile.
Bright blue (as seen on the awesome Audi Rs4), yellow and white are sure to turn more heads.


Driving dynamics
Several new items of Vorsprung Durch Technik – Advancement Through Technology - make the Audi S4 handle like no Audi saloon has before.
Most notable is the Active Sports Differential which is fitted to the rear axle. This optional extra works in the opposite way to electronic stability control (ESP), which applies braking force to individual wheels to prevent skids in a corner.
The differential works with the Quattro four-wheel drive system and sends extra power to the outside wheel in a corner to help push the car through a bend.
It’s similar to rowing faster on one side of a boat than the other to make a turn.
And, the car still has ESP fitted to bring the car back under control in extreme conditions where skidding is detected.
Out on the open road the differential makes the car feel secure and stable, even when accelerating hard out of tight corners in damp conditions.
On a wet track it was possible to explore its benefits more fully, and it was impressive to find the big Audi saloon refusing to understeer and feeling the rear wheels balancing the car and increasing cornering speed.
While some driving enthusiasts may prefer the feel of rear-wheel-drive, it’s hard to imagine the new S4 being outclassed in bad weather.
The second optional extra which impressed was Audi Drive Select, which allows the settings for the active steering, seven-speed S Tronic gearbox (if fitted), active sport differential and adjustable suspension to be tweaked via buttons on the dashboard.
Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual settings relax and speed up the responses and feel of each piece of technology depending on driver selection. Individual mode allows the car’s owner to choose a tailored set-up from the menu of the on-board computer.
Our only criticism is the relative lack of feel offered by Audi’s dynamic steering system, which can distance the driver from the nitty gritty information which you want at your finger tips on a challenging drive.
This is the first application of the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox in the A4, and it provides seamless shifts in manual and automatic mode with paddles logically placed behind the steering wheel.
And, its efficiency makes the S Tronic equipped car more economical than the manual.
While not as technologically impressive, the standard six-speed manual offers a precise and weighty shift.


Space and speed
Drop inside the leather bucket front seats and the interior is as practical as the standard Audi A4.
Choose the Avant and you get a 490-litre boot, which can be increased in size to 1,430-litres with the rear seats folded down.
The saloon isn’t too far behind with a 480-litre boot and 962-litres of potential luggage space.
S4 logos are found on the door sills, steering wheel, instruments, seats and even the key.
Three types of electrically adjustable front seats are available: standard black leather and alcantara, Nappa leather seats with two contrasting colours and climate controlled seats upholstered in black or brown leather.
Interior trim highlights are brushed aluminium as standard, but carbon fibre, gray birch wood and stainless steel mesh are optional.




More economical
So has the decrease in power and increase in technology been a success?
It certainly has in terms of cost of ownership. Audi claims the new 3-litre supercharged engine is a whopping 37 per cent more economical than its predecessor.
Fitted with the S Tronic gearbox its average fuel consumption is 30.1mpg and emissions add up to 219g/km. This model will be placed in tax band F with an annual cost of £210.
The six-speed manual manages 29.1mpg but its higher emissions of 225g/km unfortunately tip it into tax band G with a £400 annual cost.
And, it’s not at the cost of driving pleasure – the new £36,000 S4 literally running rings around the old one over a demanding road and even at the track.
The Audi S4 saloon and Avant are available to order from late November, and the first cars will arrive in April 2009, taking on the BMW 335i and Mercedes C350

Again we have reports of, "lacking feel" regarding the steering, I think this is a load of c**p. I would say the differences compared to the competition is at best very small (though I have not driven the S4, yet) and really hard to know unless driving the cars neck to neck.