First Drive Review
When it came to the last-generation S4, it seemed as if Audi wanted nothing more than to win some sort of big-displacement contest, stuffing its 4.2-liter V-8 under the hood. Now, though, Audi is up to new (or maybe old) tricks, scrapping cubic inches in favor of pressurized air. The new S4 sedan and S4 Avant station wagon are powered by a 3.0-liter direct-injection V-6, force-fed by an Eaton supercharger.
So downsizing is back, and this is the strategy at its best. Yes, it is six cylinders instead of eight and seven fewer horsepower than before, but those losses are offset by superior weight distribution and performance. "The S models embody our philosophy of showing superiority," Audi product marketing exec Jürgen Klaschka says without modesty.
But to appreciate the S4 while standing still, you have to look closely. "The daily sports car," as Audi calls the S4, hardly differs from the regular A4. Wolfgang Egger, head of Audi design, says that when the design group convened with the top brass to discuss the styling, the consensus was to alter the A4’s basic look only slightly. Shiny mirror caps, new side sills, a tweaked grille, specific 18-inch wheels, and four oval exhaust tips—that's basically it for differentiation. The S4‘s exterior is almost identical to that of the A4 with the S line package. If you want to stand out from the crowd, this isn’t your ticket. That will be the upcoming RS4, slated for introduction in the 2010 calendar year, which will have altered sheetmetal.
The S4’s interior is Audi-like, which means almost perfect in style and execution. But there is evidence in this S4 that even Audi has to take a hard look at cost. Point in case: the sophisticated, articulated trunk hinges with integrated gas struts—previously an Audi trademark to differentiate it from lesser brands—had to go. After an absence of well over a decade, cheap, U-shaped hinges intruding into the trunk are back. At least they go well with the big, clumsy outside door pulls replacing the predecessor's flush door handles.
All About the Boost
Compared with the engine the new V-6 replaces, displacement, power, and cylinder count are down, but so are fuel consumption—the new unit returns 24.2 mpg with the standard gearbox in the European cycle—and 0-to-62-mph times. At a claimed 5.1 seconds, that sprint is 0.5 second less than Audi’s prediction for the previous car. We tested that previous S4 as quickly as 5.0 seconds to 60 mph, however, so this latest S4 should really boogie. Top speed continues to be governed at 155 mph, reached without any fuss. Theoretical top speed is around 183 mph, our sources in Ingolstadt insist.
Fuel economy is impressive on paper at 25 mpg for the dual-clutch S4 in the European cycle. Audi says economy is far better than the old S4‘s, but we think it‘s fair to compare it with the current 354-hp S5, which takes the old S4‘s engine a step further in economy. At 21.8 mpg in the European cycle equipped with a 6-speed conventional automatic, the 4.2-liter V-8 is not so bad. Our observed consumption in a manual-transmission S5 was 15 mpg, and we look forward to seeing how much—or if—the S4 can improve on that.
The use of a supercharger for the S4 could have been inspired by Auto Union's historic silver arrows, raced to success by drivers such as Bernd Rosemeyer (who won the Vanderbilt Cup in New York in 1937) and Tazio Nuvolari. But apart from nostalgia, there are hard facts supporting using a supercharger over a turbocharger. Audi says that superior packaging, low-end power, and overall responsiveness were reasons behind the choice. The company also developed a twin-turbo version of the same engine before deciding to go supercharged.
