2023 Audi S4 Reviews

The Sport is a mild mannered dress-up, the S4 is a whole lot more or everything and the RS is totally outrageous.Mind you, there is a significant cost incurred with each step up.The S4 (rrp $131,200) has just joined the big grille brigade sporting Audi's so called single frame grille.This is the third generation of the S4 but follows the original formula– V8 power, massive wheels, hunkered down suspension, super-sport dynamics.It's a seriously good looking car, better than its predecessors while the engine performance is similar, dynamics have been finely honed.Thankfully, Audi has seen fit to "engineer" the right exhaust note from the four big bore outlets, a sound that's totally in keeping with the car's look and character.It's packed with good gear: xenon headlights, high performance 18in rubber, premium audio, the best stuff in Audi's parts bin and the build is almost faultless especially the interior.Quattro permanent all wheel drive puts power to the ground– a big advantage on the S4's competition and other safety equipment is bountiful.The S4 is powered by a silky 4.2-litre petrol V8 engine with twin cams per cylinder bank, five valves per cylinder and a maximum 253kW/410Nm output. The engine weighs only 195Kg.Despite an aluminium suspension, it's a weighty beast at 1705kg but this amount of grunt makes light work of pushing the compact S4 to super sports performance levels. It's a mid 5.0 second 0-100kmh proposition and who knows what the top end would be if it wasn't electronically limited.The transmission is a six speed auto only with sequential shift mode and paddle shift on the steering wheel.Dynamics are aided by the S4's direct steering and massive brakes.The interior gets Audi's sports luxury treatment with lashings of metallic fascia and high grade leather upholstery. It looks the business and is functional as well as attractive.As expected, the audio is sensational.Now, the big question, is the S4 as good as BMW's M3 or the Benz C55 AMG.As good yes, better?Different.The AMG has a similar feel and perform- ance while the BMW is more of a "caged animal" and it's a six cylinder.The S4 feels secure thanks to its quattro all wheel drive and the dynamics have been sharpened compared to the previous models giving a sportier feel to the steering, brakes and ride. It's firm and jiggles a bit on rough roads but if it's a soft ride you're looking for check out a different Audi.The car feels wonderful to drive at speed and we were treated to an unbridled session at Phillip Islaned racetrack.The S4 was clocking some 230kmh down the straight and refused to put a foot wrong through any of the corners. The brakes were up to the task.It hammers hard out of corners and is never caught in the wrong gear.Back on civvy street, the four door S4 has plenty of cred' and is easy to drive, docile even. But it's a wolf in sheep's clothing.The S4 is a safe, class act made even better by the all wheel drive system with Torsen rear differential and now, auto only transmission.

Audi has armed the updated S4 with the brand's all-new, big-mouth grille that is well suited to the muscular model.The new S4 is similar to the existing model, which was introduced in February last year. It has a new body and other minor changes.Audi has not messed with the potent 4.2-litre engine that sits under the aluminium bonnet.This sweet-revving bent-eight engine belts out 253kW when it hits 7000 revs and 410Nm at 3500 revs.It is linked to a six-speed automatic that feeds power to all four wheels with half the grunt headed to the front wheels and half to the rear.If the Audi senses wheel-slip it can alter the power split to obtain the best traction possible.But despite its sportiness, the new S4 will not be available with a manual transmission.Audi says it dropped the manual from the line-up because almost all S4 buyers wanted the automatic gearbox and manuals sat in dealerships unsold.This is in stark contrast to the more potent and more expensive RS4 model, which is expected to arrive in Australia in March - it only comes as a manual.Luxury cars with V8s are not cheap and the S4 costs $131,200, slotting in just beneath the ageing rival M3 at $137,990 and a step below the Mercedes C55 at$159,990. The S4 luxury sedan is not the lightest model around despite its aluminium chassis. The AWD driveshaft components add to the tally, weighing in at 1705kg.Even so, it is able to dash from 0-100km/h in only 5.8 seconds.Anyone taking the S4 on to the track may discover its top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.It demands 98 RON premium fuel and uses an average of 12.4 litres/ 100km of city and highway use.The new S4 sits on chunky 18-inch alloy wheels and has aggressive front and rear bumper extensions. The car has new-look headlights and tail-lights, grille and large front bumper air intakes.New quad pipes sit beneath each end of the S4's rear bumper, indicating that the vehicle has something special under the bonnet.The luxury look is topped off with a line of chrome that runs around the outside of the windows, and matching chrome-look wing mirrors.The S4 has a hefty braking system made up of 345mm front discs and 300mm discs at the rear.Safety systems include electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes and a full suite of driver and passenger airbags as well.Standard equipment includes xenon headlights that can swivel when the car is turning, satellite navigation, TV, Bose premium sound, rain-sensing wipers and a new-look steering wheel that comes with gear-change paddles.The Audi S4 might have a bold new grille and chunky wheels, but it really is an understated machine.Most people don't guess it has a powerful V8 engine when they see it parked, but it's a different story when the 4.2-litre fires up.The S4 will always be a refined model, but it has a wonderful V8 exhaust note that is quite loud – something engineers tuned for the updated model.It is quiet at cruising speeds, but the V8 bellows when you ease open the throttle or floor it. The lumpy V8 engine's note is one of the S4's best features.It was the same when the existing S4 was released about 18 months ago. In fact, apart from the new body work and a few different touches, not much has really changed.The main difference between the S4 and its BMW M3 and Mercedes C55 AMG rivals is that the Audi is all-wheel-drive. This gives it an awesome amount of traction, especially in slippery conditions. It adds another layer of safety when you find some dust, dirt or water in the middle of a corner.Some drivers, including myself, prefer rear-drive cars such as the M3 and C55 when it comes to taking them on a race track, but most appreciate the supreme grip and added safety an AWD offers.The S4's power and torque figures are not stunning, with less power and torque than a Falcon XR8, but the engine has high output for its size and weight.The automatic shifts smoothly, but its self-shift, with paddles and tiptronic gear-shift, is not very useful.Even if you are using the self-shift mode, the gearbox overrides you and changes up by itself. This is annoying when you want to hold a gear as you approach a corner.The gearbox also changes from first to second at what appears as 6300 revs on the tacho, when the engine's peak power is reached at 7000 revs.For these reasons it really is a shame there's no manual gearbox option.The S4 is edged out by both the M3 and the C55 in the 0-100km/h sprint, doing the dash in 5.8 seconds compared with 5.2 for both the BMW and Mercedes.But the S4 is still fast enough, especially when most will never see a track.The S4 sits flat through turns with next to no body roll. The suspension is race-track firm, which means it's great when you are on flat tarmac, but far too hard on non-perfect roads. This is a problem across most of the Audi range.The cabin has the Audi quality you expect – Recaro leather seats, carbon-fibre dashboard highlights, a new sporty steering wheel – all of which add up to an interior that matches the price.There is reasonable leg room in the back and the boot is big enough to handle large loads.The S4 is a practical performance car, but is spoiled by harsh suspension and a limited automatic gearbox.

There is servotronic steering that varies the degree of power assistance according to road speed, drive-by-wire computerised throttle control, a modern aluminium chassis, trapezoidal-link rear suspension, traction control, six-speed tiptronic paddle shifters, and, of course, Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive technology which celebrates its 25th birthday this year.That's a lot of technology crammed into this open-top beauty.Yet from the outside and even inside, there are no overt signs that this is such a technological or high-powered weapon. The differences are subtle.Two tell-tale pipes stick out the rear, burbling away with ominous intent.Subtle S4 badging on the front, rear and the instrument panel hint at the extra performance and sports-tuned suspension. Reverse mirrors are aluminium-backed and the air dams on the front are a little larger.The kind of person who buys a Tag Heuer watch in aluminium instead of gold might also appreciate the S4 Cabriolet.It costs $143,800, yet from the outside, it doesn't look any different from the 3-litre A4 Cabriolet at $101,000 or even the 1.8-litre turbo at $81,200.But the S4 driver isn't so much about show as performance and fun.And you get lashings of both here. Performance has to be tickled out of this one, though. With so much technology, it almost gets in the way of a spirited drive. Plant your foot and the supernanny makes you sit on the naughty step for what seems like an eternity but is only a nano-second. Throw the car into a corner and you get the same punishment.Yet if you gently feather the throttle and steer with light hands it rewards with lightning speed and efficiency. And there is no doubting the fun to be had in a convertible.Yet I have a number of concerns about open-topped cars: They are noisy, hot in summer, cold in winter, glary for the driver, a skin cancer concern, they lack security and cargo/passenger space, and they don't handle as well as a sedan.Drop-top fans will say that the intrusion of the elements and the cramped conditions are all part of the fun and I can see that. Plus the air-conditioning and seat warmers take the edge off. However, the handling can still be a worry.A sedan's chassis is like a tough peanut shell. Take half the shell away and it is easy to squeeze.To prevent this chassis flex and provide extra crash protection, makers strengthen the chassis with extra intrusion bars and bracing. The result is a heavier car.However, Audi has strengthened the chassis with lightweight aluminium so it's not as bad as some convertibles.Having come to terms with the cabriolet side of things, I was hooked by the car's aural and visual character, its obvious fun factor and its thrilling acceleration — 0 to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds.My only disappointment was with the electro-hydraulic drop-top which opens in about 30 seconds. That's long by modern standards.

It's a less than endearing term for what has traditionally morphed through the ages as a plain jane yet conventional mode of transport.That is until the Germans put the sword through the bland wagon, or as they are more lavishly termed in Europe, Estates or Avants.So why can't you have exhilaration, performance and drive-the-socks-off-me fun in a wagon?Well you can.Audi has created a thrill-a-minute version with the S4 Avant.It is full of pepper and spice, a departure from the norm and, as you would expect, comes with a price tag to match.Admittedly at $133,100 it does not fall within everyone's budget.The price may destroy some dreams but for those who can afford it the Avant provides flexibility without compromise.Another way to look at it is this hard core Audi can accommodate a small family for a similar price as BMW's heroic M3 but without the space restrictions of the marauding Munich coupe.In every application the raunchy Avant is accomplished in its performance of intended function.No longer is taking the kids to Saturday sport a chore but a reward at the end of a tough working week.The glory of the S4 Avant, based on the sedan version of the same badge, is what's lodged in between the front wheels.A 4.2 litre V8 sends guttural notes pounding through the ends of the twin tailpipes.This eight-potter delivers excellent sprinting power and linearity.Yet through 253kW it maintains a level of behaviour and tractability that makes it as smooth to drive on a run to the shops as it is on a spirited drive along a quiet twisting road.All-wheel-drive quattro gives it excellent balance, cornering grip is up there with its performance and the handling is crisp.While there is a helping of understeer, probably a fraction more than the sedan variant, the Avant remains composed over choppy roads, remaining firm and strong through mid corner bumps.The brakes are smart and sure, the 340mm ventilated discs up front and 300mm at the rear more than adequate for the performance.The pedal remains firm through low to medium application yet it is able to offer the driver a high level of control.Steering is well weighted and is one of the more communicative tillers in Audi's range.In 6-speed manual trim as tested the shifters were well gated, offering slick changes from a car which had been nicely eased in with 5600km on the odometer.Treated kindly the S4 Avant will still eat into the fuel budget, sucking about 13.5 litres/100km from the 66 litre tank.The engine supported by the sweet aluminium chassis is the hero of the S4.It may have been tamed down slightly but Audi design engineer's move to hook up a chain drive for the camshafts and ancillaries on the output side of the engine made it possible trim the engine length by 52mm.Overall the V8 weighs 195kg, comparable to the engine it replaced in the previous model, the 2.7 litre bi-turbo V6.It certainly goes a long way to supplementing handling, the weight over the front wheels, feeling nothing like the anchor some V8s can be.Unassuming looks give this express wagon a degree of stealth.There are no badges to indicate this compact Audi has an eight cylinder heart.While the six-figure largesse is not on everyone's radar, the S4 Avant has the grace and pace to be a rewarding drive for any occasion for those who can afford to choose.The sonorous tones find most listening ears on the road.Many who hear before they look seem bewildered when they finally clap eyes on a rather benign looking wagon, or Avant, to use the Audi vernacular.

Those who drive high-cam V8s know little about the power potential of the German wonder machines. And that makes trawling trunk roads in an S all the more wilful and enjoyable.Imagine the scene.A smart but benign-looking wagon is travelling along at sub-speed limit, no doubt in its right and proper place – the slow lane.Along comes a petrol-burning muscle car, two-pack paint job, wall-to-wall chrome, Mach II sound system, the lot.The driver has Easy Rider sunnies and a ton of tatts. Mr Ugly draws alongside this heavily disguised Euro superwagon.And then it happens.One floors the pedal of the Audi Avant S4, unleashing 253kW of crank power which instantly turns into drag-strip performance.The tatts man hits his hot pedal but soon realises he is fighting well above his weight, and is well behind on points.He is beaten before the fight begins.And all before the highway speed limit is breached.Now Audi S4 Avant buyers do not necessarily invest in a super-quick wagon to burn off street racers.Generally, they are successful business types who earn big dollars. They are family men who want genuine performance, room for the family and the capacity to carry leisure goods.They are not averse to having the odd burn-off with a restored and well-tuned Monaro, GT or Charger, so long as the driver is the non-hoon variety. After all, why else would someone buy a fully developed 4.2-litre V8 with the 0-100km/h turn-of-foot of just 5.6 seconds. We are talking serious speed here. How about nought to 200km/h – in the Northern Territory or a private circuit, of course – in 20 seconds.The S4 Avant is far more than a brutally quick driveline.It is an amazing vehicle which quickens the heartbeat at every turn of the wheel.Of course, the $136,100 it costs to buy an S4 Avant can also finance some seriously good motoring merchandise.But around 30 buyers nationally will snap up an S4 Avant next year and another 50 or so will buy the sports sedan version.Those who buy are well versed in what Audi S cars, Mercedes AMG cars and BMW M cars have to offer. And that is kick-in-the-pants acceleration, amazing traction and roadholding, pin-sharp steering and all-round driving enjoyment which is difficult to beat – short of splurging even more on a supercar.The S4 offers permanent quattro all-wheel drive and sports-tuned high-performance suspension. The car's standard kit covers virtually every requirement, in keeping with the exclusivity of this calibre of vehicle.And that includes 18in alloy wheels and Recaro sports seats and every traction and stability aid known to motoring man.Audi claims the power-to-weight ratio of the 2004 S cars has been further improved compared with its predecessor.Audi remains faithful to its A3 to A8 design philosophy to offer superior vehicles with deliberately restrained appearance.Those in the know recognise the meaning of the S4 badging – and that is good enough for those with interest in this type of vehicle.S4 models can be identified from the side skirting in the same colour as the body and characteristic S wheels, with 345mm brake discs to ensure they have stopping power to match fire power.The cabin is very sporty with a level of comfort, support and good looks expected from a car of this price.The sports seats, carbon fibre or grey birch inlays, full instrumentation and elegantly minimalist fascia come together for an environment expected from a sport sedan. Nothing about the car has to create an aura to impress the buyer. The vehicle's dynamics do that very successfully.Australian customers get the choice between a six-speed manual gearbox or six-speed Tiptronic transmission with adaptive shift program. The manual is a slick and quick component, the auto a really proficient self-shifter with the ability to override manually.Audi is well known for its excellent chassis set-ups. The Avant is firm without being brick-hard. The wagon negotiates tight roads with consummate agility and the combination of all-wheel drive and all the stability equipment ensures the Avant corners without sin – even when road shocks try to trip the car just when one wants stability.

This is how the Audi S4 Avant should be treated, after all, it's possibly the most powerful compact wagon on the market and the only one packing a 4.2-litre, 253kW V8 driving all four wheels.The new S4 Avant has big boots to fill in the form of its twin turbo, V6 predecessor. That was one quick car, a bit of a beast but heaps of fun.It wasn't that heavy either and had performance to really pin back your ears.The new S4 is a much more sophisticated package, less of a wild child than the twin turbo but just as much fun – a smooth operator.It is deceptively quick rattling off a 0-100km/h sprint in around 5.5 seconds. And the top end is electronically limited to warp speed 2.5.The V8 is pretty well the same powerplant under a number of Audi bonnets, the A8 and A6 for example and also the V8 Allroad.It has variable valve timing and kicks out a handy 410Nm of torque while drinking a brew of premium unleaded Quattro permanent all wheel drive functions through a close ratio six speed manual box or six speed auto.The manual tranny is slick shifting and well geared taking full advantage of all available power and torque. Sweet, long runs through each gear are a characteristic of the S4 as the engine winds up to its 7000 rpm plus redline. It just seems to keep going and going. Lush.And the engine has a sound to match, blatting out of twin (one a side) exhausts.There is even a hint of gear whirr from the Quattro system at low speed that really sounds racy – just like a worked performance car with straight cut timing gears.All is not sweetness and light as the S4 is a firmly sprung beast, not overly but enough to notice when you jiggle along a rough road.Pays dividends though, especially when you arrive too hot into a set of hairpins. With all dynamics hooked up, interfaced, communicating, whatever – we are talking all wheel drive, numerous electronic controls, firm suspension and massive 18in tyres, the weighty but compact S4 Avant simply zaps through the turns without flinching. It will ultimately go into a four wheel drift possibly due to its near 1750kg bulk.That's a lot of pork for a compact wagon.But all the goodies inside must add to the bottom line. When just about everything is power operated and there are so many luxury and safety systems living in this lithe body shell you have to pay a weight penalty.If it's luxury you crave with your high performance, the S4 Avant has plenty including one of the "baddest" sound systems I have experienced as standard equipment. It rocks.Where's that Queens of the Stoneage album.Other aspects of the interior are typically top class and as you'd expect from Audi which makes arguably the best interiors in mainstream cars.The interior offers adequate room for four adults or two adults and three kids. The load area is pretty good for a car this size and the roof rails are tailor made for skis.But it's not the sort of thing you would saddle up for family hack duty.What would you do with the Audi S4 Avant as opposed to the S4 sedan.Look super cool dropping off the kids and burbling around the shopping centre. Blow a few hoons into the weeds. Revel in the engine note. Enjoy the handling and acceleration.Heck, the thing looks great – as it should for the $133,100 ask.

Previously a twin turbo V6, the new one is a 4.2-litre V8 with 253kW/410Nm output.It's a whole lot of mumbo for a small sedan.There is a choice of six speed manual or six speed auto with tiptronic shift.Drive is to all four wheels – a definite advantage over the competition. Has superb engine performance captured to the full by close ratio gearbox.Unexpectedly drops off a little at speed in the mid-range but extremely rapid down low.Manual accelerates from 0-100kmh in 5.6 seconds, auto is a whisker slower. Redline is a healthy 7200rpm.Fuel economy can be heavy but care will get 14 litres/100km average.Engine is physically small for a V8 – is new generation 4.2 out of allroad V8 with chain driven ancillaries. Weighs 195kg, easily fits in S4's small engine bay.Has variable valve timing and five valves per cylinder – all aluminium construction.Six speed manual has precise shift, really close intermediate ratios, light clutch, permanent all wheel drive – quattro.Quattro gives sensational grip in all conditions, particularly useful in the wet and on other unpredictable surfaces. No wheelspin, no wheelies, no playing the hoon, just zoom.Gorgeous 18in Avus design wheels carry premium low profile Conti rubber.Chassis features plenty of aluminium components including double wishbone front suspension. Body is galvanised steel.A wagon is also available called the S4 Avant. A fast wagon.Love the dual outlet exhausts and rumbling note. There's also a mechanical whirr element to the auditory pleasures.Passes strict Eu4 emissions regulations. Clean and mean.Has impressive dynamics characterised by firm ride, powerful brakes and really quick steering.Steering feel is light. Brakes are 340mm up front. They need to be.Fully equipped for luxury and safety. Superb interior finish – typically Audi. After-park delayed-off driving lights are handy at night. 

Performance cars capable of punching bullet holes in distance scenery once tended to stick out in the traffic. Overtrack, fat tyres arched by extravagant wheel blisters were a dead giveaway. So were muscle-bound body parts and seemingly compulsory air scoops in bonnets and wings.Skunk stripes were optional but fairly commonplace – as was eardrum-numbing big-bore exhausts which sent you silly.How times have changed. Today's fast-car buyers are dramatically more conservative than go-quick enthusiasts of the past.Car companies have educated punters to be more circumspect and less showy.BMW has its sinfully quick M cars, Mercedes-Benz its AMG speed machines, Jaguar its R cats and Alfa Romeo the time-honoured GTA insignia.And Audi has its S models – the progeny of the legendary Audi Quattro which was unstoppable in world rallies in the 1980s.All the letter cars are conservatively dressed, but known – at least by car connoisseurs – as signs of upper-class style and high-output engines.The latest road racer dressed in an executive business suit is the 2004 S4 version of Audi's A4 series – a car which looks elegantly restrained yet packs a massive punch.The car – available also in Avant body guise – rockets from zero to 100km/h in a lightning 5.6 seconds.But it is the magnificent manner in which the S4 goes through its dynamic paces with safe, sure, precise handling that comes with permanent all-wheel drive that impresses most.The S4 is a masterpiece which thrills the senses of those who appreciate the finer attributes of a top-shelf cars.The four-door, four-seat sports sedan and wagon get awesome power – a redoubtable 253kW – from a refined 4.2-litre V8.Unlike the engine in the previous S4 – a 2.7-litre bi-turbo V6 – the V8 is a highly developed, naturally aspirated unit.As well as its impressive output, the engine is noted for its short, lightweight design which allows it to slot into a car the size of the S4. Audi engineers, drawing from the brand's motorsport program, have reduced the weight of moving parts as part of their quest for better response characteristics.The engine breathes through five valves a pot – three intake and two exhaust – and revs out to 7000rpm. However, it generates its lusty maximum torque of 410Nm at half that engine speed.Technical specs aside, the pulse-quickening engine races from standstill to self-imposed limits like lightning. The engine can be mated to either a close-ratio, six-speed manual gearbox or six-speed reactive automatic with Tiptronic controls – both rapid action units which make major contributions to pure driving pleasure.The test car ran the Tiptronic auto – a specification which is accounting for 70 per cent of S4 sales.It would take a very good driver indeed to take an S4 on a racetrack and reach the car's upper performance and handling limits.So before those involved in road safety voice their disapproval, note should be taken that the car is set up to perform with a high level of tolerance and stopping power to match forward thrust.Handling is superlative. So is the general balance of the vehicle, braking and the stability control.Every invention designed to keep a car on the intended path is included in the S4 package.So while the asking prices are far from cheap for the S cars and wagons, the dynamics combine with the long list of standard features tend to underscore the value.And remember, the S4 runs Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system which has been so well proven in race and rally cars and contributes in no small way to the safe working of the vehicle.Only subtle additions are made to the body of the volume members of the A4 line-up to signify it is the sports version S4.Bumpers are fully painted, large air intakes appear in the bumper, xenon headlights light up the world ahead and there is tasteful use of titanium-coloured trim.From the rear, dual exhaust tailpipes on each side tell their own story. And from the side, special-design 18in alloy wheels and 345mm ventilated brake discs and a discreet spoiler identify the S model.Inside, Recaro sports seats ensure firm lateral support and excellent comfort not just at the front but in the rear as well.The steering wheel is leather-bound which, on the automatic, features motorsport-inspired Tiptronic shift paddles.The fascia is very sporty with carbon fibre inlays or optional grey birch.Do not make the mistake of calling someone who can afford a street-legal road racer like the S4 socially irresponsible.He/she is indeed mega-fortunate to have the buying power to afford such dynamics. It is not a poser's car – because those unfamiliar with Audi S cars will not even know what it is.Those who get to drive the car generally will be skilful, responsible drivers who will probably spend 25 hours a day savouring what it has to offer.And that is stunning performance, amazing roadholding, magnificent agility and wondrous stability.Add all the superlatives in the book and the case for an S4 cannot be overstated.S4 sedan prices are $129,500 for the manual and $132,500 for the automatic. Avant model prices are $3000 more.

It's easy to get into trouble in the Audi S4.It took less than five seconds for one of our interstate colleagues to learn that lesson during a quick Saturday sport pick-up run.With the kids belted in the back, he accelerated into traffic in the V8 thumper and was only into second gear when he saw blue lights flashing.He was doing 75 in a 60, definitely naughty-naughty, but it was solid proof that the compact Audi is a muscle machine from the top drawer.Audi says the S4 will zip to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds and our man knows it's even sooner to 75.Everyone else who drove the S4 was careful to keep it under control, though it's hard to hold back in a car that has an eager V8 engine and one of the nicest exhaust notes in the business.Not to mention a sports-car cabin and all the luxury gear you'd expect when you're dropping $130,000 at the dealership.The S4 is the pocket rocket of the latest S-car line-up from Audi, which has just pumped up its 2004 range with everything from S-Line lookers to the RS6 performance flagship that runs as the pace car at V8 Supercar contests.Audi is pitching the S4 as a practical sports car that combines V8 performance with a handy four-door body and a big boot. Its signature quattro all-wheel drive is, of course, part of the package.The S4 is aimed straight at the benchmark BMW M3, even though its German rival is most likely to be seen as a two-door coupe, as well as everything from the bland Lexus GS300 to the under-appreciated Jaguar S-Type R and the thumping Benz C32 AMG.It's a tough field but the compact Audi makes a strong case.The S4 is well priced, with a mechanical package built around its hi-tech V8. It's a 4.2-litre thumper with a variable intake manifold and intake camshaft adjustment, as well as the regular twin-overhead camshafts and fuel injection.It makes 253kW of power and 410Nm of torque, but the really impressive thing; particularly compared with engines such as Holden's Gen III – is that it's sweet, smooth and responsive.It's also hooked to a slick six-speed manual gearbox (a six-speed auto is optional) and all-wheel drive with a Torsen centre differential and electronic stability control.The suspension is fully independent with alloy wishbones, the brakes are anti-skid four-wheel discs with brake-force assistance, and the wheels are giant 8x18 alloys with 235x40 sports rubber.The cabin is one of the best in the class, complete with electric Recaro front buckets and a re-shaped rear bench, a meaty leather steering wheel, automatic aircon with split temperature controls, Bose CD sound and cruise control.The S4 also has the finishing we've come to expect from Audi in recent years, which means world's best standard with a cabin design built around the driver. It has plenty of entertainment value, but the emphasis is still on driving and driving enjoyment.Late this year there will also be an S4 Cabriolet, which promises to be something really special if Audi can do a better job on suspension tuning than it has managed with other A4 droptops we've sampled.It makes 253kW of power and 410Nm of torque, but the really impressive thing is that it's sweet, smooth and responsive.The S4 is one of the best all-rounders we've driven in a long time. It's a sports sedan, for sure, but it is also a comfy family sedan with a big boot and effortless touring potential.The sound system is great, it's easy to park – with power steering that's light at the supermarket but meaty in the twisties – and the quality is plain to see. We liked the Alcantara and leather trim work, the simple but effective instruments and a steering wheel not overloaded with fiddly little buttons.The car is genuinely comfortably, with great Recaro buckets that have plenty of electric adjustments. The back seat has also copped a Recaro upgrade, which is good and bad; the shape is terrific, but there is really only space for two people and the seat shape is compromised by a lack of legroom.But that is because the S4 is built up from the basic A4, which is a compact 3-Series rival. If you want more space and you have a (much) bigger budget you can always go to the RS6 and line it up against BMW's M5.It doesn't have the cabin space of the GS Lexus, but does well enough against the S-Type Jag and the M3 coupe.The performance is all we expected from the S badge, V8 engine and Audi's performance claims.The S4 really jumps from the lights, has incredible overtaking ability and will gobble up the shortest straights on your favourite driving road. It can be light at the pumps, too -- though you'll be paying for premium fuel -- and using the power pack can quickly push fuel consumption from 10 litres at cruise to more than 15 litres/100km in grunt runs.Best things about the Audi's V8 are its seamless power delivery and its throaty engine note. It runs turbine-smooth from idle to redline, doing its best work above 4000 revs, and the grumble from the tail says you're driving something special.It always seems to be keen to help and that's also encouraged by the slick six-speed. The manual gearbox has ratios chosen for performance, so you don't have any gaps in acceleration and it always has the right ratio for a corner.The S4 stops fine, and the steering feel is great, but the cornering balance is not a patch on the M3. It has its V8 hanging out ahead of the front-axle line, which means you're always conscious of front-end weight when you aim into a corner.The S4 prefers to be coaxed through corners, or driven in a point-and-squirt style that takes advantage of the V8 grunt. Some will find that fine, but we couldn't help feel a bit let down by the nose-heavy balance.The S4 is a practical muscle car and a significant challenge to the bench-mark BMW M3.