Palma de Mallorca, Spain - It takes but minutes on the narrow, winding country roads around Palma to begin to appreciate how sweet the next-generation Audi S4 is - it's a four-door sedan that behaves like a true sports car.
Audi explains that the S moniker it attaches to its performance products stands for superiority and, in this case, the German automaker has combined the latest advances in automotive technology with the sporty flavour of the car's predecessors. The result is a sedan that feels at home being pushed to the limit on a race track or doing everyday duty on the streets of suburbia.
This fifth-generation S4, which goes on sale in Europe in the spring and begins arriving on our shores in September, has deviated from the previous iteration by swapping the throaty V8 for a potent V6 that not only delivers 333 eager horses but a wide band of pulling power. The 324.5 pound-feet of available torque - an increase of 30 lb-ft - is on tap from 2,900 rpm to 5,300. Skip the numbers; this powertrain has so much grunt it minimizes the need for frequent downshifts when the traffic flow slows. Just tap the go pedal and the S4 surges forward without fuss.
The source of this impressive power is a 3.0-litre six-cylinder, the newest member of Audi's V-engine family. It combines a completely new version of Audi's FSI fuel injection technology with a Roots-type supercharger - plus a pair of intercoolers - to deliver near-instant response. Better yet, it accomplishes this while using approximately 27 per cent less fuel. Although it has yet to be tested in Canada, initial fuel consumption ratings rate the S4 at 9.7 litres per 100 kilometres combined, which is about three L/100 km better than with the V8.
One might expect giving up some ticks on the clock for this improved efficiency. Think again. The new S4 rockets to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds - a half-second quicker than the previous model - and will make an
80-to-120-km/h passing manoeuvre in 4.4 seconds. Merging onto a major four-lane highway here demonstrated the car's impressive acceleration as it leaped to 140 km/h in a blink. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h.
The only downside to the switch from eight cylinders to six is the loss of that wonderful exhaust note emanating from the tailpipes of the current V8. Perhaps a CD of V8 engine sounds will satisfy the traditionalists while enjoying the adrenalin rush the 2010 model generates.
The new S4 comes with a smooth-shifting six-speed manual gearbox, or one can opt for the seven-speed
S tronic dual-clutch trans-mission. With the latter, you can drive in fully automatic mode, letting the box make the gear choices, or you can engage the paddle shifters on the steering column or stir the shift lever directly if you're in a sporty mood.
Of course, as with all Audis, the 2010 S4 comes with the quattro permanent four-wheel-drive system, which splits engine power 40/60 front to rear in normal driving. When needed, however, that output can be redistributed within fractions of a second.
One of the new features added to this iteration is an active sport differential, which controls the distribution of torque between the two rear wheels. This technology redirects the torque split to enhance cornering capabilities, shifting output to the outside drive wheel as the car negotiates a corner. The result is handling characteristics that make the Audi feel as if it's on rails as it carves through turns. Despite some rain-slicked surfaces on back roads during the test drive, the enhanced quattro system allowed the S4 to feel secure and stable as it powered through some twisty routes.
A retuned suspension system adds to the dynamic capabilities of this car.
The ride was superb, yet the settings didn't compromise the S4's ability to act like a sports car when pushed hard. And this was accomplished without tweaking the electronically controlled systems that can alter the suspension, steering and sport differential via three different settings - auto, comfort and dynamic. Or you can play with the system and create a custom setting that suits your own preferences.
The S4 is based on the redesigned A4 sedan, which has been stretched to provide more interior room, especially in the rear-seat area. A ride in the "economy section" demonstrated the gains that have been made. At six-foot-2, I was able to sit comfortably back there, a feat that was impossible in the previous generation.
The S4 will only be offered in Canada as a sedan; the Avant wagon model will also be available in Europe. Pricing won't be announced until closer to the launch date next fall, but expect the sticker to be slightly less than the current model's list price - likely in the $60,000 to $70,000 range.
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