Audi S4 2005 review

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.