2004 Audi S4

Review

Audi S4 Sedan

An M3 Beater from Ingolstadt?

Like almost every recording artist creates at least one classic song, almost every carmaker builds at least one noteworthy automobile. Audi has built many, and the latest in its arsenal might just be its best effort to date.

Sure the new S4 doesnt feature the sophisticated aluminum space frame technology of its much larger A8 L sibling, but factor in an even more powerful version of the brands 4.2-L V8 and a much lighter curb weight and the rest can be left up to the imagination.

I remember being baffled when rumors about the previous S4 started cropping up on internet bulletin boards. The very thought of a twin-turbocharged V6 boasting 250-hp sent shivers of anticipation up my spine. After driving it some two years later when it finally arrived in North America, I was still enthused, but being that lesser nameplates were nearing it in horsepower some of the sizzle had left the steak, so to speak. The steak got seriously burnt when BMW introduced its 333-hp M3, leaving the S4 seeming all too commonplace.

A commoner its not for 2004, with nothing less than 340-hp and 302 lb-ft of torque going down to all four wheels. Consider for 5.5 seconds (the time needed to achieve 60 mph) that the S4 is for all intents and purposes little more than a gussied up A4 that normally moves along commendably with either a 190-hp 1.8-L turbocharged 4-cylinder or 225-hp naturally aspirated V6 under the hood. The V8 adds little to the 3.0-L cars 3,583 pound overall weight, weighing at 3,660 pounds.

A better comparison, the 4.2-L engine weighs exactly the same as the outgoing twin-turbo 2.7-L V6, at 430 pounds. Whats more, the V8s forward placement on the chassis actually benefits the S4s balance, improving handling - more on that in a second. Still 3,660 pounds isnt particularly sprite for a compact premium car, especially when considering its arch nemesis M3 weighs 3,415 pounds.

The extra weight is mostly because of Audis quattro AWD, to many well worth the penalty. No matter what the weather condition; dry, wet, ice, snow or in between, the S4 darts away from standstill with an eagerness that borders on the ridiculous. Not that I didnt like it, please dont get me wrong. I quickly became enamored, stoplights becoming new opportunities to show the world I really hadnt matured much in my first 40 years.

It was easy to get giddy in the corners too. Its grip is simply astounding; again no matter what the road conditions thrown in its way. For test purposes I regularly take advantage of an almost deserted twisting mountain road that snakes its way up to the ski resort a short distance from my home, but compared to the last time I overstressed some domestic appliance beyond its physical limitations the skies had opened and fresh white powder had dusted the trees and heaped into the ditches at the side of the road. While it looked beautiful, it made for some slippery patches with the need to rein some caution back from the wind - even 4WD doesnt help when attempting to stop on icy surfaces.

The brakes are good though, easily up to the task of repeated panic stops with little fade evident. The discs are gigantic too, measuring 13.6 inches at front and 11.8 inches in the rear, with standard ABS of course.

But while it goes fast and stops even faster, the S4 is extremely civilized. It rides a little firmer than the A4, as would be expected considering its P235/40ZR18 performance rubber and more rigid sport-tuned suspension, but its nowhere near as punishing as the racecar replica style M3. Jennifer, my wife, complains bitterly when in the passengers seat of BMWs road racer, but I never heard a negative peep out of her in the Audi.

Driving it around throughout the week I had a few parking lot onlookers ask, once they found out that it wasnt mine, if Id pick the S4 over the M3. My answer was easy to arrive at actually. If I only had one car to live with every day, it would have to be the more practical (despite having a smaller trunk), more comfortable S4, but if I already had an SUV or sedan Id opt for the sportier M3 in a millisecond. BMWs car has an almost overwhelming edge that the S4 lacks. Its not that the S4 is boring or anything, because it truly is sensational, theres just something raw and animalistic about the M car that few competitors come close to emulating.

This comes out in Audis choice of transmissions. Despite the brands new Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) being available, and part of the next-generation V6 powered TT, Audi doesnt include it as an option in the S4. Instead a slick shifting 6-speed manual, as in my test car, is the preferred actuator for performance enthusiasts, with the capable 6-speed Tiptronic automatic for those that want all the looks and a little less action. My guess is that Audi will supply a DSG option in the near future, but it just seems strange not to have brought it to market with the launch of the all-new car. Possibly theres more to it from an engineering standpoint that Im not privy to, such as the transmissions compatibility to the V8 powertrain. Either way, for those that like sequential manual gearboxes BMW has the clear edge.

Inside the S4 has few equals, with excellent attention to detail for this class. The buttons and switchgear feel better made than those in the top-line A8 L, odd for sure, and the rare cheaper plastic bits such as the child seat anchor covers on the rear parcel shelf are forgivable in the smaller compact class. The Audi Symphony audio system is sensational, and unlike the BMW features a handy 6-disc dash-mounted CD changer.

On the negative, and I have only one complaint, its V8 is thirsty, guzzling 14 mpg of premium fuel in town and 22 mpg on the open road when mated to the 6-speed manual. In comparison BMWs even quicker 6-speed manual M3 seems thrifty at 16 and 26 respectively. Whats more, the Audi gets worse when mated to the automatic while the BMW actually improves consumption with its optional SMG sequential manual gearbox. While fuel economy might not be a top priority in this performance-at-all-costs category, better fuel economy benefits the environment which is something worth considering no matter how much the price of gas doesnt affect you.

Also, buyers should be aware that Audi as a brand doesnt perform as well on J.D. Powers and Associates reliability index as its cars do on the road. While this may not be a factor in a sale that gets driven more out of passion than practicality, 26th out of 37 nameplates in the 2003 Vehicle Dependability Study is hardly bragging rights material. Of course, compared to Mercedes-Benz, rated in 27th place, Audi looks pretty good. BMW, however, scores a much more impressive 13th.

In the end a 340-hp compact sedan makes about as much sense as a jet-powered rowboat. But pragmatism is hardly what Audi is trying to sell here. Rather the S4 is this German brands version of the ultimate driving machine, with many advantages over its rivals. Its a clear example of the one-upmanship thats going on in the super sedan war between Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, with Cadillac following suit by offering a Corvette Z06 motivated 400+ horsepower CTS-V, each car being unique in purpose and targeting buyers with different priorities. BMW owns the no-holds-barred sport segment while M-B delivers on luxury. Audi finds a comfortable niche right in between, with a car now worthy of top-tier status that should appeal to a large portion of the segments potential customers. Its less expensive than its peers too, which wont hurt Audis chances at luring those who cant make up their minds which way to go.

Audi S4 Cabriolet

As Much Fun as an F16 and a Whole Lot Cheaper

Wrap your head around this: 340-horsepower, 6-speed manual, all-wheel drive, seating for four, roofless. Sound like something only experienced in automania dreamland? Think again - think Audi S4 Cabriolet.

With the sun melting the pavement I climbed into my S4 Cab tester, fired up its venomous 4.2-liter V8, dropped the top - its top, not mine - found first gear and left it all behind. With the S4s absolute power and tenacious traction, the ability to "leave it all behind" is both real and surreal.

Audi juiced-up the perfectly good, or should I say great, former S4 by wedging its small but potent V8 into the slender gap beneath the hood. Doing so morphed the family ragtop into the family raging-top. Thanks to a wave of Audis magic wand, the 40-valve V8 weighs no more than the 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 used in the previous S4. With a twenty-five percent increase in the number of cylinders and much greater displacement came a substantial boost in power. Car and Driver Magazine achieved a 0-60 mph time of only 5.8 seconds. Still, naysayers in the crowd will no doubt comment that the BMW M3 Convertible (5.4 seconds) and Mercedes-Benz CLK55 AMG Convertible (5.3) both outperform the S4 Cab, but really folks, its splitting hairs. In reality, each of these drop-tops offers acceleration levels thatd better have you tying down Moms bonnet and the kids toques tighter than Uncle Ebenezer when the collection plate comes around.

Tight is also an excellent adjective for describing the S4s exterior appearance. There are no unnecessary add-ons, miscellaneous trinkets or unnecessary sculpting cluttering the cabriolets body-beautiful. In typical Audi fashion, the S4s sheetmetal is smooth, aerodynamic, and in my warped view, sensuous. Above and beyond its tasteful presence, the S4s body panels fit together like the perfect jigsaw puzzle. Panel spacing is minimal and very accurate. The 3-layer soft-top fits taut around the windows and rear deck as well. When in place, there wasnt a hint of wind seepage or water leakage in my tester. The units rigid rear window provided reasonable visibility too, impressive given its smallish size and the fabric roofs rather wide wrap-around to the side windows.

A quality drop-top is a must for any car in this category, and the S4 especially given the richly appointed leather interior that it is required to protect from Mother Natures harshest elements. I have long ogled and admired Audi interiors, particularly their instrumentation and dash designs. Like its exterior lines, the S4s cabin is also clean and free of clutter. The charcoal gray motif of my test unit was accented by brushed aluminum bezels encircling the gauges and air vents in the dash, silver piping around the seats and genuine Gray Birch wood trim on the dash and doors. These design elements were subtle and applied with restraint. Again, there is nothing glitzy or Hollywood here, just pure form designed with function in mind. Worthy of particular note is the cluster of four independent circular primary gauges. The two larger ones are assigned speed and RPM duties, while the two smaller flanking dials communicate engine temperature and fuel level. This quad grouping conveys a 1960s look - an era when dash design became an art-deco automotive specialty.

A modern automotive specialty is the manufacture of ergonomically correct seats. Audi has mastered this one-time elusive skill with 12-way power adjustable and heated Silk Nappa buckets up front. These ergonomically designed seats provide firm support and side bolstering so effective that Velcro clothing wouldnt improve the grip. Something Audi does that I wish more manufacturers had the forethought to do is produce front seat cushions with an extendable leading edge. I was most grateful for this thoughtful touch, as for once my lengthy thighs were supported clean through to the knee joint, which made it possible to comfortably maintain my right foot on the throttle - not always the case.

Although the steering wheel in my test unit was among the most comfortable I have ever gripped, I have a gripe; at a base sticker of $53,850 why should a purchaser be nickeled and dimed for equipment now found as standard on run-of-the-mill sedans. Im talking about steering wheel mounted audio and cruise control buttons. In Canada a multifunction steering wheel in the S4 requires an additional $150 - give me a break! Audi ought to take a lesson from the other "A" manufacturer of premium vehicles, Acura, and fully load their S4. As a frequent puncher of audio buttons (I hate inane advertising) I am annoyed at constantly removing my hand from the S4s steering wheel every time the music ends and the irritation begins.

Now that I have regained my decorum and finished venting about what many would consider a triviality, let me say that the S4s interior layout, ergonomics plus fit and finish is first rate. Buttons and switches actuate with the precision of a Swiss, er German timepiece, including the console-mounted button that invites the world into the S4s modern cockpit. Hold it down for less than 60-seconds and nothing further shall come between man, or woman, and the planets above. Thats it folks - nothing to manually latch or unlatch, snap or unbutton. When the minutes up, a beautifully finished Cabriolet appears. With the roof neatly stowed theres no unsightly shift from deck lid to tonneau cover, just a seamless transition highlighted by a strip of brushed aluminum matching the S4s brushed aluminum side mirrors and windshield frame.

In addition to the spectacular drop-top, what communicates to the eagle-eyed car enthusiast that this is no ordinary Audi A4 you ask? Well, the red highlighted "S4" badging, in conjunction with two chrome-tipped exhaust ports and an aggressive lower front fascia ought to do it. If any doubt remains, a blip of the throttle will convince the most skeptical that something threatening resides beneath the hood.

The source of such intimidation is a 4.2-liter (254 cu-in) 40-valve DOHC V8 producing a ground shaking 340 horsepower and 302 pounds-feet of torque, thanks in part to its variable-valve-timing technology. This fire-breather emits a low rumble at idle that hearkens back to the muscle-car era of the 1960s and early 70s. With the roof retracted, listening to the V8s deep exhaust note seems completely incongruent with the refined yet muted exhaust tuning I generally associate with an Audi - and thats quite okay with me. The S4s rumble-in-the-road auditory sensation is spectacular and fully backed by a serious dose of V8 power.

With such a deep well of power, the engine scarcely has to break a sweat to accelerate the 4,090 pound car with gusto and authority. Power is delivered early in the 4.2s powerband, staying solid as the tachometer flings itself toward the 7,000 rpm red line - all the while producing a growl that could put a scare into Mephistopheles. This is an engine that loves to please and does so with exceptional balance and agility, revving freely to its 7,000-RPM redline.

When it comes to outstanding interactive performance, a regular old manual transmission is - according to my often-flawed logic - the ideal way to properly connect a power source to the spinning tires. And in the S4 a 6-speed manual box does just that, unless of course the 6-speed autobox featuring Tiptronic is selected. Fortunately the good folks at Audi ensured the S4 issued to yours truly was equipped with the manual mix-master. The short throw shifter in this car notched its way into each of the six forward gears with world-class exactitude, virtually eliminating the possibility of missing a shift or adding a pound of metal filings to the bottom of the gearbox casing. Although power delivery in the S4 is very linear, the six cogged gearbox enabled me to keep engine revs in the powerbands sweet spot, which I found to be above 3,500 rpm. This is where the extra

kick from the variable valve timing can be detected and thoroughly enjoyed. Also, the tall gear ratio found in 6th gear promotes peaceful, engine loafing highway cruising while maximizing fuel efficiency.

Almost frightening is the S4s formidable road-adhering traction. Audis quattro all-wheel-drive technology seamlessly connects all four wheels with the S4s 4.2-liters of visceral thrust. Unless slippery road conditions exist, wheelspin is near impossible, and if the weather truly is unfavorable this is the best of the breed to be saddled with. The S4 launches itself with amazing control and propulsion, even when the launch is midway through a turn. Apart from pavement searing grip, I sensed none of the symptoms that sometimes accompany all-wheel-drive systems such as torque steer or sharp turn jumpiness. Steering inputs are accurately responded to with immediacy. Adding a little throttle at the apex of a curve will induce just enough predictable understeer to enhance control and inspire confidence. Never did I experience oversteer or twitchiness in the S4s handling, which might make it less enticing to truly talented professional performance drivers. Just the same, Im a regular Joe in comparison and therefore found its chassis to be wonderfully neutral and perfectly balanced, regardless of the centrifugal forces applied against it.

The S4s suspension calibration strikes what I like to refer to as the "gray racer" balance; meaning that middle-aged folk will find all the handling performance they could possibly yearn for, but without jarring capable of loosening fillings that often accompanies true race machines, such as the BMW M3. In fact, I found the S4s compliance level to be perfect for my near half century body. Anything more rigid would have increased my chiropractors net revenue and done very little for me in the way of enhancing enjoyment behind the wheel.

The performance-tuned S4 coil-spring suspension that so adeptly deals simultaneously with handling and bump absorption is fully independent; aided by fore and aft anti-roll bars and gas charged shocks. Complementing the sporting characteristics of the S4 chassis is a set of low-profile 18-inch tires mounted on alloy rims.

Like over-protective parents, the S4 brakes are always there to slow the tempo - and quite rapidly I might add. Vented discs sit at all four corners, and to add insurance to their effectiveness are fitted with an antilock system (ABS) and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD). As with most high performance braking systems, the S4s antilock security blanket does not impede assertive braking maneuvers. ABS intervention is there when needed, but not before. My emergency stops were arrow straight and nicely controlled. Pedal pressure evoked precise, definitive braking over and over again, with little noticeable fade.

Aiding and abetting vehicle control in perilous situations is Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP). This technology adds a margin of computer actuated control in dicey situations by applying wheel specific braking to bring a wayward vehicle back on-course before complete control is lost. Such systems can be very effective but are not a replacement for commonsense, of course, and therefore do not guarantee their results. Nonetheless, when combined with the driver and front passenger frontal airbags, and the driver and front passenger side airbags, the S4 becomes a very safe cocoon of automotive technology. And due to its topless nature, the S4 Cabriolet also receives rollover protection in the form of two pop-up roll bars that deploy when a vehicular inversion is imminent, that would join a heavily reinforced A-pillar and windshield surround to shield occupants if the car ever did roll over.

In addition to being well stocked with safety technology the S4 is well stocked with comfort and convenience features. There is, in fact, very little that can be added in the way of standalone options and option packages. Standalones consist of heated rear seats, Audis navigation system, Bose premium sound, carbon fiber interior trim and the aforementioned multifunction steering wheel that I bemoaned for not being included as standard equipment. The only option package is the Premium Package which adds Homelink, auto dimming electric folding exterior mirrors, auto dimming interior mirror with built-in compass, light sensor package and memory for the drivers seat and mirrors. Pretty much anything else one can think of or desire is already there.

Regrettably all this German derived equipment, performance and style arrives at the local Audi dealer at a pretty steep price. The base S4 requires the surrender of $53,850 greenbacks. Thats a lot for a relatively compact ragtop.

However once they do, the adrenaline will skyrocket. Under sunny skies of blue, there are few cars capable of matching the motoring pleasure and sheer excitement of piloting an S4. True love may be free, but the exhilaration of 340 highly refined horsepower isnt. Nor is the copious amount of premium fuel needed to support such an enthusiastic partner. But hey, its still cheaper than piloting an F16, and a lot more comfortable I am willing to bet.