General Introduction

The Audi S4 is a high performance sports car clad in elegance and class. This year's model has a new design and more extensive equipment specifications that meet the highest standards following the Audi S4 2006, which was highly acclaimed for its V8 engine and permanent Quattro four-wheel drive. Priced at $47, 500 in the US and 52,800 euros in Europe, the newest Audi S4 is costlier than the V6-equipped A4. The upgraded model is available in saloon and Avant versions.

Evolution And Versions

The Audi S4 comes in first to fourth generation type models with the sedan coming in first followed by the Avant and then the Cabriolet. The Audi S4 was first introduced as the performance version of the re-styled 100 sedan in 1991 in Europe after Audi decided to re-configure its line-up in the early 1990s. It took the place of the 200 Turbo-Quattro sedan, which was discontinued the year before its introduction. The Audi S4 has been continually upgraded over the years to give ultimate driving experience.

Design

The Audi S4 is ultimate elegance in a sports car with its understated metallic colors. Its front end is dominated by the new face of the brand, the single-frame grille with the S-specific grid pattern. It also has newly-styled headlights. While still featuring the bulging wheel arches of the new A4, the new Audi S4 has a rocker-panel cladding and a small rear spoiler. Its tail end of four oval tailpipes on both saloon and Avant models proves to be a prominent feature.

Engine Performance

The beauty of the Audi S4 is not only in its luxurious features but also in the beast inside. It has a V8 engine with a chain drive at the rear and a displacement of 4.2 liters. It delivers 344 bhp and 303 lb-ft of torque. Its power to weight ratio is 4.8 kilograms/horsepower. The 8-cylinder engine's thrust enables this new model with its 6-speed manual gearbox to complete a sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 5.6 seconds, taking it only 20.6 seconds to reach 125 mph and it has a top speed of 155mph.

This new model is the only one in its class to have a Quattro permanent four-wheel drive. It can convert its engine output into propulsive power with the superior handling potential of its aluminum chassis. It also provides extremely direct ratio steering making going around all kinds of corner precise resulting to pure driving pleasure whether on the streets or on a challenging mountain terrain.

Comfort And Style

The new Audi S4's interiors are plush in leather and suffused with high tech gadgets that are easy to use. It has a multimedia interface (MMI), an Audi Navigation Plus that offers clear maps and navigation routes. An installment of the Premium Package would give you a glass sunroof, heated front seats, split spoke-design 18-inch wheels, a HomeLink transmitter, auto dimming mirrors inside and out, memory functions for seats and mirrors, a light and rain-sensing system that turns in the headlights and adjusts intermittent wiper frequency and adaptive headlights. A Cold Weather Package which features heated rear seats and ski-sack pass-through from the trunk.

There is a 6-CD changer behind the glove-box door and Bose system audio package with a microphone in the cabin that regulates the stereo's volumes in specific frequencies. You can bring along a few gigabytes of music on SD cards and plug them directly into the sound system. A preparation for either XM or Sirius Satellite Radio controlled via MMI is also in place as well as Bluetooth phone integration.

What Critics Have To Say

Critics acclaim Audi S4's engine and Quattro system saying it is a top tech car that sustains a steady source of power all throughout a drive. Its added features of MMI controls for infotainment were also highly lauded. The gain in performance as compared to other Audi models was described as worth it.