Audi S4: consumes less and drives better - Sportscars
This is the best there is. At least until a new RS4 hits the market, designed to revive the glory of its 2006 ancestor. S4 this is the most exciting take on the current A4. Even if on closer inspection, the thrust is not that great, since the 6-liter V3 TFSI with a 333 hp compressor. and a torque of 439 Nm is the same as the old version. It is true that 0-100 goes exactly 5 seconds, but one tenth of a second less does not matter. The new S4 doesn't even try to be hardcore; on the contrary, it almost seems like an insult to the Ingolstadt manufacturer.
S4 may not be faster than its ancestor, but it is more efficient. WITH start-stopBrake Energy Regeneration, Electromechanical Steering and Efficiency Mode, which combines Comfort, Auto and Dynamic in Audi Drive Select, consumption In fact, in the combined cycle, they go from 13,2 to 15,8 km / l. There quattro all wheel drive it's the same, and the sport differential, which distributes power to the rear wheels when needed to push stability to the limit, remains optional. Changes to the S4's almost all-aluminum suspension - with five A-arms up front and a trapezoidal A-arm at the rear - are limited to minor improvements to the dampers and rear suspension arms to provide a more comfortable ride.
In Audi they don't like the term "facelift," even if it cannot be denied that the S4 sedan and station wagon have undergone more intervention than the middle-aged Hollywood star. In the latest version, special attention was paid to the bumper, hood, headlights and radiator grill, resulting in a sharper shape of the front end and sharper details. In particular, the headlights and deflectors are more angular than before, and the headlights are equipped with LED ... Even the rear ones are now more elegant. Inside, Audi has never shown much imagination: the changes are minimal, there are several new color combinations, a slightly different design of the steering wheel and interface. MMI simplified. Nothing more.
The larger Audi's technology is now also available for the S4, albeit only as an option. We are talking, for example, of a first-class phone interface that offers online services such as Google points of interest and navigation through Google Earth... This system also allows you to generate Wi-Fi hotspot inside the cabin to provide wireless Internet connection using phones and computers. Another novelty - Adaptive Cruise Control improved lane change warning system and stop advisory function. The latest technology monitors the movement of the steering wheel and the use of pedals and switches in the event of erratic or too sudden driver actions. At this point, he warns him with a light alarm and a sound signal, inviting him to take a break.
When you board, you pause for a moment to wonder why these lovely sports seats not supportive enough to admire finish and interior parts, and then you press the engine start, oddly enough you quietly hum and go in search of fun.
S4's identity is difficult to decipher. It's clear it doesn't have to be the sharpest in the lineup - there will be an RS4 for that - but its V6 with compressor it is quite capable of shooting you all the way to the horizon with the same punch as the M3 or C63 AMG. But at the same time, it's soothing. Of course, for some, that's the beauty of the S4: its refined maturity, its docility, its "Audity" versatility. One moment she is a peaceful cruiser, and the next she is an aggressive and hard super sedan. But it leans more towards the former than the latter: by its nature, it's just not the kind of car that makes your hands itch with the desire to drive it or makes you go crazy every time you're on a winding road. But given its slightly bewildering lightness and overly direct low-speed electric steering response, it works best when you're keeping a good pace.
Objectively, the S4 is fast, reliable, secure and determined. At speeds above 65 km / h, it becomes real and accurate and inspires a lot of confidence, even if it always remains a little numb. S4 loves to be pushed into corners with a certain brutality: the more you climb it, the more it likes it, especially with Drive Select control in dynamic mode. This way the front is aimed for the top with more precision and if you overdo it with the throttle it will oversteer as well.
Its strengths are V6 and double clutch seven gears, really exciting. The V6 is an excellent engine with a very wide application range, which delivers linear and almost continuous power, also thanks to the very fast and almost imperceptible engagement of the S Tronic gearbox. Each gear change is accentuated by a crackle coming from the exhaust pipe. Paddle climbing is perfect and I brakes they are strong.
But as efficient as its pace of driving is, the S4 is so detached that it ends up being more impressive than attractive. Accuracy, efficiency, confidence: these qualities do not exist. But, of course, it cannot be said that it is flexible, lightweight and easy to install and fix. It is the car of choice for those who want to arrive at their destination as soon as possible. But forget the adrenaline. If that's no problem for you, then you're riding: the S4 is a bargain. The sedan costs 58.400 euros, Avant 60.000 3. Considering their performance, the all-wheel drive, build quality and finish are a real temptation compared to the even more powerful BMW M71.995 at €63 and the Mercedes C73.539 AMG at a whopping €4. The expected RS540 with its XNUMX HP (approximately) will have to work hard to outshine his little sister. And it's definitely a good prospect.
