Audi S4 2010 Review

Audi S4 Review

Audi have made some serious changes to the new S4 which put it in battle against the BMW 335i and the Mercedes C350 which are both great cars. Can the new 2010 B8 Audi S4 compete? We put gave it a thorough test drive to find out.

Audi S4 Engine

The most controversial aspect of the new 2010 Audi S4 is the changes that have been made to the engine when compared to its V8 powered predecessor. The new S4 is powered by a supercharged V6 3.0 litre TFSI which produces 333 BHP with a 0-60 time of 4.9; this equals the BMW 335i and beats the Mercedes hands down. And for those of you worried about Audi fitting a V6 instead of V8 – the new engine develops only 7(yes just seven) horse power less than the old V8, is quicker, gets a better MPG, is lighter and you’ll pay less tax.

So the engine is no slouch and certainly feels eager when driving. The power is delivered in a smooth, controlled way with the supercharger giving a whine as the engine aided by the smooth gearbox works its way up through the revs. This is not a car that will scare you to 60 miles per hour and beyond (unlike the C63 AMG) but will get you there in a hurry whilst feeling planted and a whole lot of fun.

One of the many positive aspects of the V6 includes improved fuel economy; drive it like a saint to get a combined 31 mpg, the way we drove it delivered 19-24 mpg around town and around 28-31 mpg on the motorway. Love it or hate it the V6 is quiet through the gears which is probably a deliberate ploy to make the S4 a perfect Q-car. It’s got the pace of an Evolution X or Subaru Impreza without all the lairy noise and boy racer looks.

Gearbox

The new Audi S4 comes with the option of a six-speed manual or seven-speed S Tronic gearbox. What really impressed me was the versatility offered by both options. You can drive is a calm way commuting to work and then tear it up on the back roads on the way home, Audi have done extremely well to improve this since the last S4 which really was all or nothing.

With the gearbox in full auto mode you can sit back in the knowledge that fuel economy is at its optimum but when you put your foot down the auto does very well to keep up. That said should you feel the need to select your own gears the paddles on the rear of the steering wheel are easy to access even when you are turning the wheel.

All wheel drive and sports differential

BMW have X-drive and Audi have Quattro, who has been doing it the longest and who is still the best? Audi of course, the S4 has all wheel drive with the option of a sports differential. The Audi system is bred from rallying and is designed to give a better performance on the road. BMW have a system designed for use during the winter or a slippery road, there really is no comparison.
The optional sports differential gives a real rear wheel drive experience with the added benefit of traction from all wheels. The standard set up is 40:60 with a bias to the rear; the bias can be altered automatically when driving hard to send a maximum of 80% of the power to the rear wheels.

The overall experience is safe spirited driving, the S4 corners like its on rails. Many journalists have complained that the driving experience is dulled by the all wheel drive and traction control but we would have to disagree. Slip the car into dynamic mode and the car is immediately more responsive, the suspension is stiffer and the throttle response is much quicker. The S4 responds well to driver input and corners well without stepping out of line to much, should you feel the back start to slip by the time you have straightened the wheels all is well again and you will be ready to take the next corner.

The Exterior

The Audi S4 offers a few subtle upgrades when compared to the standard A4. The bumpers are slightly more aggressive and there are additional side skirts, a spoiler/lip on the boot lid, a sportier grill and standard LED taillights. The rear of the car includes twin tailpipes on either side of a splitter which is sprayed the same silver colour as the door mirrors.

Our test car came with 19 inch double spoke alloys, Xenon headlights (which look awesome with the say time running lights switched on) and was finished in Ibis White. This standard colour looks amazing on the S4 and will not cost you any thing extra as it is not metallic.
The exterior look reflects our earlier comment on the S4’s Q-car status; it looks amazing but to the untrained eye can appear to be an every day A4 saloon so should not attract any unwanted attention.

The Interior

This is another area where the S4 can stand proud above the Mercedes and somewhat over the BMW. The interior of the car is what you would expect from a car of this price. You can select from a variety of colours and finishes in the car. Our test car came with the rather stylish red and black leather and electronically adjustable super sports seats, carbon fibre trim, Bang and Olufsen surround sound, Audi MMi high (see separate review) and heated rear seats with load through facility. It also had keyless entry with push button start/stop which is very handy as the key can remain in your bag or pocket.

The interior is finished to a very high standard with perfect stitching on the leather, buttons in easily accessible places and switches that will keep their lustre for years to come. The cabin is a comfortable place to be for the driver and passengers alike. Audi have provided three zone climate control, the driver, front passenger and rear passenger can set the temperature to suit their needs. The boot is large enough to accommodate all the things an executive or family would need with plenty of room to spare.

Summary

The Audi S4 is a car that offers performance, practicality and understated looks. Fellow motorists will think the S4 is nice car, enthusiasts will know it a quick car and neither of them will think a bad thing about the S4 – the perfect Q car for the enthusiast who likes to drive quickly every now and then.